The Summer Session at Stanford University is one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind. High school students between the ages of 16 and 19 are admitted to the prestigious West Coast university, which currently has the most stringent admissions standards of any institution in the US. During the 8-week summer term, they may enroll in up to twelve units of courses for Stanford University credit. If the student is admitted to another university in the United States, this credit will transfer there as well.
Like many summer programs, this one is not designed to “train” participants to enroll at Stanford. Students who have been accepted to Stanford for the ensuing fall term may not even be eligible to apply to the program. Only sophomores, juniors, seniors, or students taking a gap year from high school are permitted to attend. This program is a fantastic chance to interact with some of the top minds in their fields and learn about the high-tech, fast-paced culture of Silicon Valley, whether or not you ultimately plan to apply to Stanford.
Key Summer Session Dates
Summer Session 2020 registration began on April 12. The last day to submit an Annulment of Summer Registration Form is the first day of class: Monday, June 22.
- Note: Because many courses have a maximum number of online students, AdmissionSight advises enrolling early for Summer school sessions. Keeping class sizes small maintains the seminar atmosphere and guarantees a proper student to teacher ratio.
Learn more about:
- Prospective Summer School Student requirements for:
- High school students
- International students
- Here are some benefits of sending a deserving high school student to one of Stanford’s summer programs this year. Hint: the fees are dramatically less.
- Determine which courses to select based on:The most popular majors. Number of Summer School Class offerings by topic.
- View some sample course descriptions
- Consider Stanford’s Intensive Studies program as an alternative to traditional summer school.
An all-day live-stream featuring three top Stanford officials highlights the university’s Virtual Admit Weekend on Saturday, April 25.
At 9 a.m., there is a welcome to the event. m. followed by:
- A panel of current Stanford Students at 10:15 a. m. explains what it’s like to live and attend classes at Stanford University.
- An Academic Advising Panel at 11:15 a. m. with a current Dean, an academic advisor, and students.
- A Financial Aid discussion at 1 p. m. for parents and prospective students with Karen Cooper, director of financial aid at the university
- A Safety and Well-Being Panel at 2 p. m. representatives from the university’s student affairs department, police department, and equality and access department with members of the Stanford community
- Representatives from other departments may also attend.
Learn more by visiting Stanford University’s Undergraduate Admissions web page. Ensure your application is complete and on time by reviewing the Application and Testing Deadlines.
Stanford Summer School 2020
For eligible high school students, enrolling in Stanford University’s summer session has many benefits for prospective students and their parents.
The main benefit is that incoming high school seniors can take college courses online and receive academic credit.
Four other advantages to the Summer Session 2020 are:
- Lower Costs
- Easy Access to online courses
- Healthier Students
- Worldwide Accessibility
High School Student Requirements
Stanford does not accept incoming freshmen into the summer program. Summer students must also complete an application for the Summer Session and be:
- At the time of application, a current must be at least a sophomore in high school (i e. , a rising senior or junior) or by taking a year off.
- Must be between the ages of 16 and 19 as of the start of the session on June 20 and as of the end of the Summer School session on August 1. 16).
- Upload recently completed semester grades
- Submit standardized test scores
- Submit two personal essays
- Receive a letter of recommendation through Stanford’s application system
- Note: Both the Veterans Accelerator application process and the Horizon Scholars summer session program for incoming high school seniors are now closed.
International students must be proficient in the English language and may be required to submit a test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Cambridge Exam score. Visit Stanford’s International Students web page to learn more.
Advantages of Digital-Only Classes
Stanford’s online-only Summer Session courses have three main benefits:
- Lower Costs
- Easy Access to course
- Worldwide Access
Advantage #1: Lower Costs
- Course costs for new Stanford University students are $1,175 per unit plus a one-time document fee. For an elementary 3-unit course, this equates to $3,745; for an average of 8 credit-bearing units, it equates to $9,620.
- There are many common in-person activities that are free, such as: Health insurance fees, meal fees, and residential fees
- Comparatively, the starting price for commuting students enrolling in a minimum of three units is $4,868. Students who live on campus and enroll in two or three classes totaling eight credit hours must pay at least $14,850.
Advantage #2: Easy Access to More Than 200 Courses
It takes just four steps to choose a Stanford Summer School course.
- Select a course by keyword.
- Choose the appropriate student population from the drop-down menu (e g. , high school or undergraduate).
- Select the appropriate academic department (e. g. , Mathematics, English, Engineering or a host of others).
- Click Apply.
Take a look at five sample courses from Stanford’s 2020 online summer session.
Advantage #3: World-Wide Accessibility
Students who meet the requirements can take these courses from the convenience of their own homes. For those who reside outside of the Pacific Time Zone, lifestyle modifications may be necessary. However, especially when dealing with high school students, these inconveniences pale in comparison to the expenses and disruptions associated with moving physically to a foreign location.
Disadvantages to Digital Courses
Going to digital-only offerings has its disadvantages, too. None of the benefits are applicable, possibly delaying a person’s development in some of these areas.
Among the reasons for attending courses in person are:
- Building new friendships
- Experiencing new cultures
- Building personal independence
- Breaking out of the familiar and having new experiences
Picking the Right Courses
Depending on their major course of study, prospective Sanford students and parents thinking about enrolling in Summer 2020 courses should look at the actual courses.
Important: Review the course descriptions’ descriptions of the student populations. Some do not accept high school students.
For an overview of a single course from each of the below-listed majors, click each link.
According to USNews, the Top 5 majors are:
- Computer Information and Sciences Support Services
- Engineering
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Physical Sciences
- Social Sciences
Check out these succinct examples of course descriptions from the Stanford Summer Session 2020 catalog. Users are taken directly to the full course description page on the Stanford University website by clicking the course title.
This introductory course uses the Python programming language to examine topics such as program design, decomposition, abstraction, testing, and other related topics. Programming skills are not required.
- Units: 3-5
- Instructor: Gregg
- Dates: June 22 – August 13
Students build a useless box using their hands to learn about the fundamental concepts of electrical engineering, such as circuits, feedback, noise, safety, and other subjects.
- Units: 3-5
- Dates: June 22 – August 13
An introduction to fundamental anthropological ideas that shed light on society and culture It highlights various societal and cultural issues using case studies.
- Units: 3-5
- Dates: June 22 – August 13
Examine the foundations of evolution, including Charles Darwin’s theories, and how they affect areas like population genetics, molecular evolution, and other subjects.
- Units: 3-5
- Instructor: Hsu
- Dates: June 22 – August 13
This introductory course examines both microeconomics and macroeconomics, giving students a foundation of analytical tools for analyzing economic news and data.
- Units: 3-5
- Instructor: Hsu
- Dates: June 22 – August 13
To see the full details on each of the following, go to the Stanford Summer Session 2020 Course Offerings page.
Following is a list of the subjects and number of courses offered at Stanford during the 2020 Summer Session:
- Anthropology: 1
- Art and History: 5
- Biology: 3
- Chemistry: 4
- Civil and Environmental Engineering: 13
- Classics: 3
- Communication: 2
- Comparative Literature: 1
- Computer Science: 7
- Earth System Science: 2
- Economics; 6
- Electrical Engineering: 9
- Engineering: 5
- English; 6
- English for Foreign Students: 18
- Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies: 1
- Health and Human Performance: 19
- History: 2
- ICME: 2
- International Relations: 2
- Language Center: 10
- Linguistics: 1
- Management Science and Engineering: 10
- Marine Biology, Hopkins Marine Station (1)
- Mathematics: 8
- Mechanical Engineering: 7
- Music: 8
- Neurology and Neurological Sciences: 1
- Oral Communication: 2
- Philosophy: 3
- Physics: 6
- Political Science: 4
- Program in Writing and Rhetoric: 4
- Psychiatry: 1
- Psychology: 6
- Religious Studies: 2
- Sociology: 3
- Statistics: 10
- Symbolic Systems: 2
- Teaching and Learning: 1
- Theater and Performing Studies: 5
Stanford’s Intensive Studies Program
Courses related to a single topic are grouped together in Stanford’s Intensive Studies Program, allowing students to focus their studies on particular popular topics. Past topics include:
Each program includes several courses. Students pick the ones most interesting to them.
Most–but not all–courses are available to high school students.
Note: Intensive Studies Program course offerings for Summer Session 2020 may change. Visit the Intensive Studies Program website to learn more.
The primary Intensive Studies Program topics are each briefly examined in the sections that follow.
According to Stanford, LaunchU “gives you the tools to navigate the higher education culture and curriculum and to thrive academically.”
There are two writing classes available among its 14 offerings that are only for high school students:
- Writing Academic Arguments
- Voice, Style and the Essay
Eight of the remaining 12 classes are open to high school students.
Courses include:
- Working Smarting
- Designing Your Life
- Language, Speech and Social Interaction
Students must have intermediate to advanced programming knowledge to enroll in this intensive program. It “offers a chance to gain a thorough understanding of new trends in information technology.” There are seven classes, and high school students can enroll in four of them.
Courses include:
- Introduction to Scientific Computing
- Mathematical Foundations of Computing
- Programming Abstractions
- Client-side Internet Technologies
Data analytics and statistical principles are introduced in the Data Science intensive program. Six of the nine courses are available to high school students.
Courses include:
- Introduction to Statistics and Probability for Engineers
- Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus and Modern Applications
- Discrete Probability Concepts and Models
- Theory of Probability
- Data Mining and Analysis
- Introduction to Statistical Methods: Precalculus
While examining these issues while residing in a global society, the Global Perspectives intensive program looks at social justice, international relations, and human rights. All eight of the courses are available to high school students.
Courses include:
- Global Women Leaders: Past and Present
- Philosophy as Freedom
- Introduction to International Relations
- The Psychology of Bias: Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination
- Genocide and Humanitarian Intervention
- United Nations Peacekeeping
- Contemporary Islam and Muslims in America
- Human Rights and World Literature
Business and Innovation, a program for those with an entrepreneurial spirit, combines management science, engineering, statistics, and economics. Six of the 11 courses are available to high school students.
Courses include:
- Principles of Economics
- Economic Analysis I
- An Intro to Making: What Is EE
- Accounting for Managers and Entrepreneurs
- Introduction to Decision Making
- Minds and Machines
Because of the Covid-19 virus pandemic, Stanford has canceled events along with numerous other colleges and universities.
They include the:
- Bing Overseas Study Program (BOSP)
- As required by the PAC 12 Conference and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), all spring sports
- The majority of events scheduled for May and June on the Stanford Live events calendar The July calendar page is not currently listed. Activities scheduled for August have not been changed.
For other forms of entertainment, AdmissionSight advises enquiring with particular locations, like art galleries, to find out if they are open and under what limitations.
Stanford University’s Summer Session 2020 is a unique opportunity for high school students to explore a university ranked #6 on USNews’ list of top colleges and universities, all from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
Students who are still in high school at Stanford have access to more than 200 courses that give them the chance to pique their intellectual curiosity, work with their peers, and study under professors who are on the cutting edge of their fields. Qualified high school students can explore the arts, humanities, math, and sciences while gaining invaluable experiences in preparation for their journey to college and beyond during the main Summer Session, which runs from June 20 to August 16.
Big Questions Ep. 12: Stanford (Summer Session Edition)
FAQ
Is Stanford Summer Session hard to get in?
There isn’t much selection for the Stanford Summer High School College Program; anyone who is willing to pay $15,000 (for only 8 weeks) can enroll.
How many students get invited to Stanford Summer Session?
Overview of the Program Stanford receives close to 550 high school students each summer, 420 of whom live on campus and the rest commute. The most academically accomplished high school students in the world attend Summer Session.
Does Stanford Summer Session help you get into Stanford?
Summer Session enrollment does not guarantee enrollment at Stanford University. Students who participate in Stanford-specific summer programs, such as Summer Session, are not given preference by Stanford. In general, it is advised that you pursue any summertime interests you may have, such as classes, programs, or employment.
Is Stanford summer program acceptance rate?
Selectivity: The program is very selective, with around an 8% acceptance rate Before applying, students must first be nominated by their high school and then submit an online application.