10 Summer Psychology Programs for Middle School Students in New York
- Stephen Turban
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
New York middle schoolers who are curious about psychology can explore their interests through summer programs. To enhance your knowledge of psychology, summer programs present a rigorous curriculum. They also help you develop field-specific skills like critical thinking.
In terms of networking opportunities, you interact with professionals who provide career-related guidance. Working alongside your peers from diverse backgrounds enables you to cultivate communication skills. Whatever your goals may be, different summer programs can help you work towards them. Here are some psychology programs in New York for you to participate in.
10 Summer Psychology Programs for Middle School Students in New York
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
Students who wish to conduct original psychology research can participate in Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. The program pairs you with PhD mentors from various prestigious universities, like Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in psychology and related subjects. By carrying out hands-on research, you gain specialized knowledge in psychology. As you progress through 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 also build scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. Students who wish to publish their research in academic journals can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31 (summer session) and October – May (academic year session)
Application Deadline: April 15 (summer) and November 1 (academic year)
Eligibility: 7th – 12th grade students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine or related STEM fields and who have an 80% grade average particularly in math and science
S-PREP is a challenging program for talented middle and high school students. By engaging with an advanced curriculum, you prepare for further academics in high school and college. The program focuses on medicine but is suitable for students interested in Physics, Psychology, Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus and Statistics. In addition to academics, you receive guidance with preparing for standardized tests. You can participate in college preparation and career development workshops, college & academic counseling services, field trips, and college tours.
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 blending psychology with technology may choose Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. You begin by learning the basics of AI and machine learning. This foundational knowledge includes topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Thereafter, you apply your knowledge to the practical component. This project must solve a real-world psychology problem using technology. 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.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895 (enrichment course fees) or $3,995 (college credit course fees)
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 years and older
If you are curious about the factors affecting human psychology, this program will meet your requirements. You learn how psychologists study human behavior and about the brain’s reward system. The course covers topics such as brain injuries, learning disabilities, and how we process our media environment. In addition to psychology, you investigate the neuroscience behind the design of road signs, websites, social media, and more. In the final project, you create a multimedia presentation on “My Psychological Life”. You discover careers in social work, teaching, psychological testing, and counseling through interactions with professionals.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: All NYC students in 7th or 8th grade during the application period
NYU’s College and Career Lab allows you to study different subjects and step into the roles of various professions through practical activities. During the program, you attend college-style lectures and intensive workshops in a range of subjects, including culture, education, and human development, which covers psychology topics. In this track, you discover various careers in the humanities subjects, such as in applied psychology. In addition to lectures, you participate in classroom discussions and complete practical projects. The program thus imparts skills that help you build a career in psychology.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $1,420
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 11 who meet CTY-level quantitative or verbal scores
Psychology research suggests that two people may remember the same event differently. Through this course, you understand why that happens. As you learn about memory, you discover the neurobiology of remembering, the phases of memory, the different types of memory, and the instruments that cognitive psychologists use to measure memory. The program also explains the phenomenon of forgetting, false memories, and memory disorders. As you progress, you learn to differentiate between the psychological and physiological aspects of memory while applying strategies to improve your memory.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 years and older
This program by Rice University teaches you about psychology and its subdisciplines, namely, human factors and organizational psychology. You study the statistics and research methods relevant to psychology. The course also explains how the subject is related to other social science topics. You learn about cognitive and health psychology and discover career pathways as a clinical psychologist, consumer psychologist, and forensic psychologist. For the capstone project, you create a ‘news’ video where you apply your knowledge to three project parts, namely, problem identification, solution approach, and information presentation.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $900
Dates: September 9 – January 13
Application Deadline: One week before the program
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 12 who meet the Indigo-tier eligibility criteria
This is a pre-med course that teaches psychology and behavioral medicine. It is a solid option for students considering a future in medicine. Here, you study the interplay between the mind, behavior, and healthcare. You also examine the latest developments in research, the role of psychosocial factors in health, and effective communication with patients. The program helps you manage stress, change health behavior, and make a difference in your life.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 years and older
The University of Notre Dame’s course on psychology considers various social influences and how individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are affected by others. The program emphasizes the role of personality and the ‘self’ in connection with our understanding of the world. You explore common cultural and social influences as well as assessment methods. You are introduced to careers in psychology, such as psychologist, human resources professional, political strategist, and PR specialist. The final project requires you to examine the use of social media and its effect on your sense of well-being.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $3,200; need-based financial aid is available
Dates: July 6 – 17 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 11
Stanford’s virtual program covers the methodological and theoretical aspects of psychology. You study a range of topics covered such as social psychology, social and cognitive development, perception, memory, psychological disorders, and much more. The course also delves into the methodological tools used by social scientists. The course traces the journey of psychology as a subject from its historical development to current topics of research. The program schedule also involves hands-on activities and small research projects that solidify your knowledge.
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.