🍦 Summer, summer, summer!!! (Jan 21)

Happy Tuesday! Here’s the lineup today:

1. Next Steps: Senior Year Summer Guide to Internships

2. Prepping Summer: Great STEM Summer Programs for Juniors

LINK LOUNGE
How to tackle that MIT Fun Form

(NEW) Decision Dates Calendar - Stay up to date on the decision dates for all your schools!

(NEW) MIT FUN form FAQ’s - The form is due in about 2 weeks, and here’s a great resource to read before filling it out!

DECISION DATES
Popular decisions coming in about 10 days!

Yes, this section has mainly been used to keep you up on track for those applications, but now we’ll start including more decision dates, so you know when to check those portals.

Jan 31: UIUC, Georgia Tech, UMich Decisions

NEXT STEPS
Senior Year Summer Guide to Internships

Your last summer before college is the perfect time to gain valuable experience, build your resume, and explore potential career interests. Here’s how you can make the most of it:

🌟 Clarify Your Goals

Decide what you want out of an internship—skills, connections, or insight into a specific field? Narrowing your focus will help you choose the right opportunity. If you already know what you’re going to be studying in college, maybe lean towards that direction.

🔍 Start Early

Internship applications for the summer often open months in advance, with deadlines in early spring. Check platforms like LinkedIn, Handshake, and local job boards, and explore options at nearby companies or organizations.

📜 Leverage Your Network

Let friends, family, teachers, and counselors know you’re searching for an internship. Attend career fairs and reach out to alumni for leads. A personal connection can open more doors than you think!

💻 Polish Your Materials

Your resume, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter should be up to date and tailored to the opportunities you’re pursuing. Show how your skills and interests align with the role.

👩‍🎓 Consider All Opportunities

If formal internships are competitive, don’t overlook other options. Volunteering, independent projects, or job shadowing can provide valuable experience and insights. It’s important to remember that at this stage, any work is good work. Don’t go chasing after a Google or Apple internship; instead, focus on building skills and work experience.

📈 Maximize the Experience

Once you secure an internship, approach it with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Take on challenges, ask questions, and make meaningful connections.

Whether you’re diving into a new field or gaining deeper knowledge in an area you love, summer internships can set the stage for success in college and beyond.

PREPPING SUMMER
Great STEM Summer Programs for Juniors

BU Research in Science & Engineering (RISE)

If you’re into science and engineering, Boston University’s RISE program could be worth checking out. It’s a six-week summer program where rising high school seniors get to work on real research projects with BU professors in fields like biology, computer science, and neuroscience. There are two tracks: the Internship track, where you work on your own project, and the Practicum track, which is more structured and focused on computational neurobiology.

It’s not the cheapest program—tuition is $5,700, plus extra for housing and food if you stay on campus—but it’s a great way to get hands-on experience. Applications are due February 14, and you’ll need transcripts, essays, and a recommendation letter. If you’re interested, you can find more details here.

Anson L. Clark Scholars Program

Unlike BU RISE, which comes with a hefty price tag, the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech is completely free—they cover housing, meals, and even throw in a $750 stipend. It’s a super selective seven-week program (from June 22 to August 7, 2025) where high school juniors and seniors get to work one-on-one with professors on serious research projects in fields like biology, computer science, engineering, and more.

Since it’s fully funded, the competition is tough. You’ll need strong transcripts, test scores, essays, and a few recommendation letters. Applications are due by February 15, 2025, so if you’re thinking about applying, you can find more details here.

Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program

Just like the Clark Scholars Program, the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is completely free, and they even give you a $500 stipend. But unlike Clark, which covers a bunch of different subjects, SIMR is all about biomedical research. If you’re into areas like cancer biology, neuroscience, bioinformatics, or stem cell research, this could be a perfect fit. The program lasts eight weeks (from June 9 to July 31, 2025) and lets you work alongside Stanford researchers on real medical science projects.

Since it’s free and at Stanford, it’s pretty competitive—plus, they tend to prioritize students from the Bay Area. You’ll need to submit transcripts, essays, and a recommendation, and the deadline to apply is February 22, 2025. If you’re interested, check out more details here.

THE ARCHIVE
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