10 Academic Programs for Gifted Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 9 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Academic programs can be a great way for middle schoolers to get a step ahead. Gifted students can benefit from the rigorous curriculum that introduces you to college-level topics. You will learn from college faculty and interact with other ambitious students.
Academic programs tend to blend theory with practice to help you gain valuable skills. These skills and the knowledge you derive can drive your goals and chart your career. We have compiled a list of 10 academic programs that are advanced and intensive.
10 Academic Programs for Gifted Middle School Students
Location:Â Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost:Â 400 to 650 dollars; scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size:Â Not specified
Dates:Â Weekly programs in June and July
Application Deadline:Â First come, first served
Eligibility:Â Rising 6th to 8th graders
If you’re looking for a hands-on research experience, Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week experience for you to complete original research. With support and guidance from Ph.D. mentors from universities such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, you will explore your academic interests. While conducting research, you’ll learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study. You’ll receive individualized feedback through eight mentor sessions and two writing-coach sessions, ensuring you master both analytical and writing fundamentals. You can choose from a diverse range of subjects or propose a question of your own. Lumiere also offers a Junior Research and Publication Program for students who wish to publish their research in academic journals.
Location:Â Online
Cost/Stipend:Â Fully funded
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size:Â 12
Dates:Â Three weeks in July and the fall semester from mid August to December
Application Deadline:Â March 20
Eligibility:Â Low income students in grades 6 or 7 who live in the U.S. and attend a U.S. school with a family income under 90,000 dollars
SMSSP is a virtual program for ambitious and motivated middle schoolers. Split into two sections, the program has a summer and a fall session. In the summer, you will participate in online interactive lessons taught by Stanford faculty. The curriculum is rigorous and will depend on the track you opt for: Democracy & Dissent, History through Graphic Novels, or Real-Life Applications to Mathematics. In the fall, you will attend weekly meetings that engage in course-related discussions and workshops. The program extends support with choosing other rigorous programs and college applications.
Location:Â Virtual
Cost:Â Varies, financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size:Â Not specified
Dates:Spring cohort, 25 hours over 10 weeks on weekendsSummer cohort, 25 hours over 2 weeks on weekdays
Application Deadline:Â Rolling deadlines
Eligibility:Â Students in grades 6 to 8
Veritas AI’s technology-focused program may be a good fit for gifted students looking to pursue a career in the field. This is an intensive program that establishes a foundation of machine learning and AI. The curriculum covers topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. To implement your learnings, you will complete a practical project, which will enable you to understand the real-world applications of AI and machine learning. 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.
Cost/Stipend:Â None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size:Â Selective
Dates:Â Program continues until the Young Scholar turns 18 years old
Application Deadline:Â Rolling from January to November
Eligibility:Â Gifted students aged 5 to 18 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents with current test scores that meet program requirements
The Young Scholars Program is a scholarship program for gifted middle schoolers that lasts until you turn 18 years old. As a Scholar, you will receive extensive support and opportunities that help you move towards your academic and professional goals. You can partake in fee-based summer residential courses that teach an advanced curriculum. The Ambassador Program encourages you to hone your leadership by creating and executing a community service project. In addition, the program offers family events and access to online programming and resources.Â
Location:Â New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â None
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Selective
Dates:Â To be announced
Application Deadline:Â To be announced
Eligibility:Â Rising 7th and 8th graders who are residents of New York City
This scholarship-based program by NYU is rigorous and selective. You can learn a blend of engineering and urban design through SoSC’s curriculum. You can expect to learn microcontroller programming and coding. The program also teaches you how to make cities more sustainable, efficient and safer by covering engineering, computer science and technology. To foster a collaborative environment, you work in groups to design projects that involve circuitry, coding, microcontrollers, sensors and other hardware. This project, which solves an urban challenge, will be presented at the end of the program.
Location:Â United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â None
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Dates:Â June 2 to 6 for grades 6 and 7, and June 9 to 13 for grades 8 and 9
Application Deadline:Â February 28
Eligibility:Â Students in grades 6 to 9 who are U.S. citizens
Students with a strong academic record can opt for the Summer STEM Program. This is a week-long STEM workshop to help you get familiarized with different subjects. You will complete inquiry-based projects, develop problem-solving skills, reinforce your knowledge, and prepare to pursue a STEM career. The activities may change from one year to another. Some past activities include soldiering circuits, robotics, egg drop competition, fuel cell cars, mechanical circuits, fish biodiversity, water chemistry, data analytics, and bridge building. Tuition, room and board, and meals are all covered if you are selected.
Location:Â Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost/Stipend:Â $75. Full scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 7–14 per class
Dates:Â June 23 to July 30
Application Deadline:Â February 26
Eligibility:Â Middle school students enrolled in public and parochial schools in New Haven, CT
The Ulysses S. Grant Foundation’s program is a 6-week program for highly motivated students. You will take classes in the humanities and sciences and choose an elective, each of which can be rigorous and advanced to help you prepare for college. The humanities and investigations classes take place in the afternoon and include topics like art, writing, poetry, philosophy, biology, chemistry, finance, and architecture. You are placed in classes based on your grade. The program also equips you with practical skills.
Location:Â New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â None
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Selective
Dates:Â To be announced
Application Deadline:Â To be announced
Eligibility:Â Rising 7th and 8th graders who are NYC residents
Similar to SoSC, SONYC introduces you to urban sustainability and the study of noise pollution. After learning electronics and coding, you will build a sound monitoring device. You will sample sounds and examine how pollution has a public health impact for residents in NYC. Applying the knowledge and skills you gain, you will create a smart city technology that aims to solve a real-world challenge. In theater workshops, you will develop communication skills and confidence.
Location:Â Online or in person at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Cost:Â Ranges from 990 to 6,025 dollars depending on duration
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Small classes
Dates:Â Varies by course
Application Deadline:Â One week before the start date
Eligibility:Â Students in grades 6 to 12, academic criteria vary by course
Northwestern’s CTD offers a range of courses for high-achieving middle schoolers. The eligibility requirements may vary, and you must meet the tier level as specified for a particular course. The courses are fast-paced and teach you critical thinking as well as problem solving. Some of the courses range from math and science to writing and technology to leadership and service-learning, producing products such as writing portfolios, original iOS apps, or community action plans. Instructors and professionals not only facilitate learning but also provide insights into potential career paths.
Location:Â Online or in person at various locations
Cost/Stipend:Â Varies by program
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Selective, usually 12 to 16 per class
Dates:Â Several summer sessions
Application Deadline:Â December 15 for courses starting the week of January 26 or February 17 for courses starting the week of March 23
Eligibility:Â Varies by program
Johns Hopkins hosts a variety of online and in-person programs for advanced students. You can opt for a course based on your interests so long as you meet the eligibility criteria; some programs require a high math and verbal score. In addition to academics, you will benefit from hands-on assignments, complex lab work, creative projects, and more in small classes. The on-campus programs give you a taste of college life and the opportunity to network with faculty and peers.Â
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.
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