10 Summer Economics Programs for Middle School Students in Boston
- Stephen Turban
- 10 hours ago
- 6 min read
Boston middle schoolers who want to explore the world of economics, business, and finance can pursue a summer program. Make the most of your holidays by learning new topics and developing new skills. Summer programs are a solid option that allow you to meet experienced faculty and professionals in the field. They provide insights into various academic and career pathways in economics.
Most summer programs are rigorous and involve hands-on activities. You work on group projects with peers who become part of your network. If you’re looking for an economics program this summer, we have compiled a list for you to choose from.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program is a suitable choice for students who want to conduct economics research. The program pairs you up with PhD mentors from various prestigious universities, like Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in economics and related subjects. You gain specialized knowledge in the subject through hands-on research activities. During the program, you learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills as you work on your research. You can expect to sharpen your scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. You can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program, where you can publish your research in academic journals.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15 – 20
Location: Gann/Bentley or Greater Wellesley, MA
Cost: $699; limited scholarships are available
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
This week-long summer program introduces you to business development and economics. You learn to develop a product or service alongside a unique business proposition. You complete case studies, simulations, projects, and interactive games to solidify your understanding. Throughout the week, you develop a business proposal that you present to a panel of ‘investors’ at the end of the program. Some topics covered during the course include financing, break-even analysis, valuation analysis, marketing mix and target audience, and franchising business model. You gain skills in oral presentation, collaboration, marketing, accounting, and finance.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Students looking for an interdisciplinary program that combines economics with technology can pursue Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. This program teaches you the basic principles of AI and machine learning at the start of the program. The lectures delve into theoretical concepts such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Thereafter, the practical component required you to apply your learnings to a project. This project must solve a real-world economics challenge through technology. In the past, students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
4. EXPLO 360°
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Cost: $6,295 (overnight) or $4,045 (day); financial aid may be available
Dates: Session 1: June 28 – July 11 (overnight) or June 29 – 10 (day)Session 2: July 12 – 25 (overnight) or July 13 – 24 (day)
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Rising 7th – 9th graders
EXPLO 360° offers various courses related to economics and finance. You pick 2 workshops and 2 electives based on your interests that you study throughout the program. Workshops are collaborative and involve completing projects, whereas electives allow you to develop practical skills. Students interested in economics can opt for Business Negotiations, Business + Investments, Marketing + Advertising, Entrepreneurship, and other tracks. Through these tracks, you learn to navigate financial markets, core economic principles, business decision-making, and more topics. Through hands-on activities, you build negotiation and persuasion skills.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795; scholarships are available
Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
Rice University’s program is all about the interconnection between economics and business. You study why firms must be able to anticipate production disruptions, consider energy and labor markets, and understand policy changes that come from the government. The course provides an overview of markets, prices, and costs in economics. You consider various careers as a financial planner, research analyst, pricing analyst, account executive, and CFO. At the end of the program, you submit a project on stagflation and address issues of high unemployment, high inflation, and inequality despite social measures.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,595; scholarships are available
Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
This program delves into contemporary financial markets and investing. Here, you study the role of cryptocurrencies, fintech, and other advancements that affect your financial decisions. You learn how the value of investments, equity markets and stock exchanges are calculated. Capital-raising options, emerging trends in ESG, and the role of decentralized finance are covered during the course. Experienced traders and investment bankers explain how companies attract investors, the role of shareholders, and how cryptocurrencies and FinTech companies are disrupting traditional finance. The final project requires you to step into the role of a financial analyst and write a report on a publicly traded company.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: $240
Dates: September 21 – October 19 (Mondays) or September 23 – October 21 (Wednesdays)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Wall Street 101 is geared towards middle schoolers who want to learn economics and finance concepts. You study the stock market and investing by exploring financial concepts such as stocks, compounding, diversification and smart money habits. The skills you gain through this course can help you build your financial future in the long term. You also learn decision-making, consumer skills, and budgeting. Upon completing this course, you can pursue more advanced courses in the subject.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795; scholarships are available
Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
This online course teaches you finance and economics. You study a range of topics such as investing, risk management, budgeting, and more. You learn about investing, managing business finance, navigating risks, and other economic concepts affecting your future. The course also covers the behavioral dimension of financial management. For the capstone project, you apply corporate and personal finance principles to develop a financial plan to meet your goals.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,420
Dates: Summer dates to be announced
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 11 with CTY-level quantitative scores
Johns Hopkins CTY offers a range of programs for advanced students. In The Mathematics of Money, you learn how math impacts everyday financial decisions. You solve arithmetic operations involving fractions, ratios, and percentages to solve business problems. The course teaches you the mathematics of buying and selling; the effects of simple and compound interest on loans, mortgages, and savings; and the role of taxes in personal and government budgets. You also study the economic forces that influence personal, corporate, and public investments. Thus, you improve your financial literacy while learning about economics.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; scholarships are available
Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
This program by Georgetown University introduces you to business in the context of sports. You learn fundamental economics and business concepts, such as franchise valuation, media contracts, stadium operations, and marketing. You also examine contemporary challenges in sports, including the emerging role of technology. You understand decision-making through interactions with team owners and sports executives. For the final project, you research a sports team, compile a deck to present to the owners, and make recommendations regarding the team’s value, strategy, and marketing.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.