Research programs, internships, pre-college experiences, and free NYC programs, ways to spend your summer that build skills, add to your application, and open doors.
Summer programs aren't just résumé builders. Done right, they're experiences that genuinely shape who you are, and give you something real to write about.
A meaningful summer experience gives you something specific and genuine to write about. Admissions reads thousands of essays about vague "leadership", a concrete experience stands out.
A pre-college research program or internship can confirm you actually like a field, or reveal you don't. Both are valuable. Better to find out at 17 than at 22 with a degree you don't want.
Professors, supervisors, and program directors you meet can become recommenders. Someone who taught you in a summer research lab can write a much more specific letter than a teacher who saw you twice a week.
Taking a college-level course or doing research in a real lab does something to your thinking. Admissions can tell the difference between students who've been pushed academically and those who haven't.
Many of the most valuable summer experiences are free, especially for NYC students. A paying job, family caregiving, independent creative projects, or community involvement can be just as compelling as a $5,000 residential program. What matters is what you learned and how you write about it.
Enrichment programs are only half of summer. If you're heading into senior year, use these months to get a real head start on your applications so the fall feels calm instead of frantic.
You submitted a first draft at the end of junior year, now really dig into it. Use the summer to revise and strengthen it, and aim to submit your essay early, by the second week of September, so you can be paired with a school-based teacher who supports your essay development.
Using any non-school (supplemental) recommenders, like a private teacher, coach, or supervisor? Check in with them over the summer so they aren't caught off guard by a November 1 deadline they didn't know about. Supplemental recommenders are invited through the Common App.
Don't hit pause on your search. Continue college exploration and campus visits throughout the summer, in person or virtual, so your school list keeps taking shape before applications open.
These programs let you take college-level courses, live on or near campus, and experience college life before applying. The options below are all in the NYC area and don't require an elite academic record to get in, real choices for the average student, not just the ones chasing the most competitive name on the list. (Looking for music-specific summer programs? See the For Musicians page.)
Free college courses at CUNY campuses for NYC high school students, earn real, transferable college credit at little to no cost. Open to NYC DOE students; each CUNY campus (Baruch, Hunter, LaGuardia, City Tech, and others) runs its own program, so check the one near you. No competitive application process.
cuny.edu/college-now ↗Columbia's Summer Immersion and College Edge programs on the Morningside Heights campus. More attainable than it sounds: no minimum GPA, rolling admissions, and the committee is looking for engaged students, not just top-of-class ones. Financial aid is available.
precollege.sps.columbia.edu ↗⏰ Deadlines: Rolling, courses fill early
Pre-College Summer Immersion on Pace's Lower Manhattan campus, steps from City Hall. Open enrollment across business, healthcare, tech, and the arts, no standout academic record required to get in.
pace.edu/pre-college-immersion-program ↗Non-credit and credit-bearing pre-college courses at Manhattan University's Riverdale, Bronx campus. Open enrollment and comparatively affordable, a solid, low-pressure way to try college coursework.
manhattan.edu/pre-college ↗Fashion Institute of Technology's Chelsea campus offers summer courses in fashion design, art, and business, no portfolio required for most intro courses. A strong fit for creative students who don't fit the typical "competitive academics" mold.
fitnyc.edu/precollege ↗The New School's Parsons School of Design in Greenwich Village runs short, open-enrollment art and design intensives for high schoolers. Good for creative students building a portfolio, not just those with top grades.
newschool.edu/parsons ↗A residential taste of women's-college life on Barnard's Upper Manhattan campus. Still requires an application, but noticeably more accessible than admission to Barnard or Columbia itself. Financial aid available.
precollege.barnard.edu ↗These programs place high school students in real research environments, labs, hospitals, policy centers. Many are free and highly competitive.
Research internship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. 8 weeks, paid stipend. Open to students aged 16+. Highly competitive, apply in January.
training.nih.gov ↗⏰ Deadline: January
Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), the oldest and most prestigious science competition in the US. Independent research project. Submit in fall senior year. Winners receive $250k.
societyforscience.org ↗NYC DOE program placing students in university research labs for a year-long research mentorship. Leads to ISEF, STS, and other competitions. Starts junior year.
schools.nyc.gov ↗Summer research at a world-class biology lab on Long Island. Paid stipend. 7-week residential program. Competitive, for strong biology students.
cshl.edu ↗⏰ Deadline: January
Mathematical research program for exceptional math students. Online, year-long, free. Conducted with MIT researchers. Less competitive than RSI but still rigorous.
math.mit.edu ↗⏰ Deadline: December
Paid internship with NYC Parks doing environmental science fieldwork. Strong for students interested in environmental science, public health, or urban ecology. Open to NYC residents.
nycgovparks.org ↗Living in New York means access to world-class free programs that students elsewhere can only dream about.
NYC's paid summer jobs program for youth ages 14-24. Paid city minimum wage. Placement in government agencies, nonprofits, and private employers. Apply in January-March.
nyc.gov/syep ↗⏰ Deadline: January-March (lottery)
Paid internships in NYC government agencies for high school and college students. Gain professional experience in public service, law, health, education, and more.
nyc.gov/interns ↗The Met, MoMA, American Museum of Natural History, Brooklyn Museum, many offer free summer programs for teen artists, science students, and community leaders. Check each museum's teen section.
metmuseum.org/teens ↗Career exploration program run through local businesses and agencies. STEM tracks in finance, law enforcement, engineering, and healthcare. Free for NYC students.
exploring.learningforlife.org ↗Wilderness and adventure-based programs that build leadership and teamwork. Free for qualifying NYC students. Strong for students who want outdoor/environmental activities or leadership experience.
nycoutwardbound.org ↗NYPL and Brooklyn Public Library offer paid Teen Library Fellowships, students work in libraries, host programs, and build community. Check each library system's teen programs page.
nypl.org/teens ↗A paid or unpaid internship in a field you're interested in can strengthen your application, and confirm (or redirect) your career interests.
LinkedIn (search "high school internship"), Indeed, Handshake, and your school counselor's postings. Cold emailing local businesses in your field of interest also works, many small businesses will say yes if you ask well.
Find a professional in a field you're interested in (LinkedIn, alumni network, your parents' contacts). Email them professionally, explain you're a high school student, and ask for 15 minutes to learn about their work. Many say yes.
Government agencies (city, state, federal), nonprofits, hospitals, and research centers often have formal internship programs for teens. These are usually free to join and sometimes paid. Look at every NYC agency website.
Can't find the perfect internship? Design your own project. Build something. Start something. Write something. An independent project you initiated and completed is often more compelling than a formal internship you passively participated in.
A part-time or full-time job during the summer, retail, food service, childcare, whatever it is, demonstrates responsibility, time management, and often real interpersonal skills. If you work to contribute to your family, say so on your application. Admissions understands context. Working 30 hours a week leaves less time for volunteering, and that's okay.
Most competitive programs have January-March deadlines. Missing by one day often means waiting a year. Set calendar reminders as soon as you identify programs you want.
Summer program essays ask similar questions to college apps, "Why this program?", "What will you contribute?" Specific answers beat generic ones. Name professors, projects, and research areas.
Even if a program seems expensive, always apply for financial aid. Many programs reserve spots specifically for high-need students and receive very few aid applications. You may qualify for full funding.
Apply to 4-6 programs with a range of selectivity. Competitive programs like RSI and NIH accept very few students. Have backups, including free NYC programs, on your list.
After applying, confirm your application was received. If you're wait-listed, express continued interest in writing. Some programs admit students from waitlists right up to the start date.
Many summer programs require a teacher or counselor recommendation. Give recommenders at least 3-4 weeks' notice, more is better. They're already writing college recs for many students.
See the full application calendar for key dates, test registration windows, and financial aid deadlines.