Are you looking for a STEM program that can support your academic goals? Have you ever just wondered what life as a student at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) would be like? If your answer to both is yes, then why not try Caltech summer programs?
These on-campus programs are STEM-intensive, pushing you to improve your hard and soft skills. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the different Caltech summer programs and what you can expect from them.
- iD Tech
- Summer Research Connection
- Da Vinci Camp
- Why Choose Caltech for Summer Programs?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
iD Tech
- Duration: 1 week
- Application deadline: Rolling admissions
- Location: Caltech, Pasadena, California
- Cost of attendance: Starting at $1,279
- Eligibility: Ages 7-17
iD Tech is a separate organization that hosts its summer programs at Caltech that actually offers multiple courses in subjects like coding, game development, robotics, and digital arts. These programs offer hands-on experiences for beginner to advanced students that can help build their confidence and give them 21st-century skills relevant to future careers in technology.
High school programs
Examples of Caltech summer programs for high school students under iD Tech are the following:
- BattleBots® Camp: Robotics Engineering with VEX. You’ll be taught how to use the VEX Robotics Design System to build, wire, and customize a base for your own robot. At the end, you and your team will compete against others to see which robot can complete the most daily challenges the best.
- 3D Printing: Character Modeling and Sculpting. In this course, you’ll learn how to turn your digital designs into a reality! You’ll learn to use Blender to build your ideas and finalize designs before watching them come to life with 3D-printer hardware.
- Animation and Art Studio with Adobe. Interested in animation? This program can help you start building your portfolio. You can choose if you want to learn how to draw keyframes in Adobe Animate, paint digital concepts in Photoshop, or edit a video in Premiere Pro.
- Game Design and Development 101 with Unreal Engine. Learn to use Unreal Engine 5’ Blueprint Visual Scripting system to create collectibles, jump pads, and platforms in building game levels. Aside from that, you’ll also design a 3D world with your own game mechanics and concepts that you’ll playtest later on.
- Python Camp: Intro to Coding & AI. Python is one of the fastest-growing coding languages, so it’s a good place to start if you want to get into computer science. In this course, you’ll learn about the fundamental concepts of coding and use popular libraries to give a good foundation on machine learning.
iD Tech has rolling admissions, so there’s no strict deadline. However, we strongly recommend that you register early to get a spot in the course and session you want since slots are limited.
Pre K-12 programs
There are also iD Tech camps for kids aged 7 to 12! Some of them (like BattleBots and 3D Printing) are also found in the high school program, but with more child-friendly discussions and topics, like Minecraft. Examples of these Caltech summer programs are:
- Game Design with Minecraft. Learn the basics of game design to build your own world, levels, and story—using Minecraft as a canvas!
- Java Coding. Build Mods with Minecraft. Minecraft is an open-ended game, so you can actually customize it all you like. In this program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of Java to create custom tools and blocks that you can use in the game.
- Python Coding 101. You’ll learn the basics by building logic games like number guessing, mad-libs, or a randomized fortune teller. Then, you’ll move towards making arcade-style games with custom art and code. To do this, you’ll import custom sprites, program movement using Python libraries.
Summer Research Connection
- Duration: 6 weeks
- Application deadline: Late March
- Location: Caltech, Pasadena, California
- Cost of attendance: Free
- Eligibility: High school students at least 16 years old attending a school within the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD)
The Summer Research Connection (SRC) aims to give you an immersive experience in real-world scientific research. Unlike traditional summer camps or classroom settings, you’ll get the opportunity to engage in hands-on research alongside Caltech’s scientists, engineers, and graduate students.
In this Caltech summer program, you’ll work as part of a research team, contributing to ongoing projects and gaining insights into the scientific process. The program emphasizes mentorship, skill development, and exposure to a university research environment.
You can also expect to attend morning seminars or workshops, where you’ll be developing skills relevant to your research areas.
Then, at the end of the six-week program, you’ll also have the opportunity to present your research findings to the Caltech community through a seminar or poster presentation.
As a participant, you’ll gain the following from the program:
- In-depth knowledge in a specific STEM field. You’ll get a deeper understanding of a particular area of science or engineering through direct involvement in research.
- Research skills. You’ll learn essential research methodologies, experimental design, data collection and analysis techniques, and how to interpret scientific findings. This also trains you to think critically, analyze problems, and develop creative solutions.
- Laboratory techniques. You’ll get hands-on experience with different laboratory instruments and procedures relevant to your research project. You’ll gain firsthand knowledge of how scientific research is conducted, from formulating hypotheses to disseminating results.
- Scientific communication. You’ll learn how to communicate scientific ideas effectively through discussions, presentations, and potentially written reports.
- Mentorship and networking. You’ll build relationships with Caltech researchers who can provide guidance and support for your future academic and career paths. They can even give you strong recommendation letters for your college application.
- Exposure to a university research environment. This experience can help you make informed decisions about pursuing STEM fields in higher education. On top of that, many higher institutions like Caltech and Ivy Leagues highly encourage undergraduate research, so you’ll have an idea what to expect in the lab when you conduct and design your own research.
Da Vinci Camp
- Duration: 3-7 weeks
- Application deadline: Rolling admissions
- Location: Caltech, Pasadena, California
- Cost of attendance: $5,600 (local) or $9,000 (international) for Session I; $3,600 (local) or $6,000 (international) for Session II; $8,000 (local) or $14,000 (international) for Modus Bestia
- Eligibility: Rising 6th to 12th graders (preferably Latino students)
The Da Vinci Camp is a separate institution that holds its programs at Caltech. Similar to the legendary painter Leonardo Da Vinci who was known for his expertise in both art and science, this Caltech summer camp combines math, engineering, science, and art instruction.
Learning is heavily project-based, encouraging you to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems through experiments, simulations, and design challenges. Many activities in these Caltech summer programs involve teamwork, encouraging communication, cooperation, and the ability to solve problems collectively.
This Caltech summer program aims to bridge the gap between traditional high school curriculum and the rigor of university-level studies by emphasizing hands-on learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and exposure to scientific concepts. This also gives you a head start for future university studies.
Some examples of the interestingly-named courses are:
- Deathly Hallows. This course will show you the analytic aspects of trigonometry—such as identities, equations, inequalities, and problem solving techniques. This is a good class if you’re thinking of taking math analysis, pre-calculus, or calculus.
- Infinite Powers. If you have already taken up algebra II, pre-calculus, or calculus, then you can comfortably follow along in this course. Here, you’ll learn to apply the power series rational, irrational, and transcendental functions.
- Isaac & Gottfried. Want to feel like Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz? In this course, you’ll develop their ideas and methods in calculus. You can take this if you have taken pre-calculus or an introductory calculus course.
- The Matrix. You’ll study vector spaces and matrices to learn about the theory of linear algebra and its applications. It’s a good class if you have completed at least one year of calculus or a course that’s equivalent to calculus AB or calculus BC.
- Analytikos. If you’re planning to take pre-calculus or calculus, this class will already introduce you to advanced analysis and analytic problem solving by combining geometry, analytic trigonometry, and higher algebra.
If you’re interested in related sessions in Session I and Session II, you can actually take them as a pair through Modus Bestia. For example:
- PRIMEary Analysis: Numbers and Pictures. This combines the Numbers and Pictures courses, emphasizing the axiomatic method of Euclidean geometry. It assumes you already have strong arithmetic skills that can help you understand the inductive, deductive and constructive methods of geometry and number theory.
- FUNdamental Analysis: Deathly Hallows and Analytikos. This ensures you have a solid foundation in trigonometry, preparing you for advanced topics in analytic geometry.
- Continuous Analysis: Isaac & Gottfried and The Matrix. This introduces you to calculus and linear algebra theory and methods, emphasizing single variable calculus and applications to higher dimensional linear algebra.
Attending any one of the classes can improve your analytical reasoning and ability to approach complex problems systematically.
Why Choose Caltech for Summer Programs?
There are many other extracurriculars you can participate in, so why should you choose Caltech summer programs in particular? Below are a few reasons why they’re worth considering:
1. Academic excellence and reputation
Caltech ranks number 6 among national universities and number 7 among world universities, making it one of the best institutions you can be educated in.
As you’ve seen, some of the Caltech summer programs are in collaboration with other organizations like iD Tech and DVC Academic Consulting (for Da Vinci Camp). However, this only means that the programs these organizations present are good enough to meet Caltech’s standards in academic excellence.
All Caltech summer programs are designed to be academically challenging, pushing you beyond the typical high school curriculum. This helps you develop strong problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and a deeper understanding of complex scientific and mathematical concepts. Doing good in a demanding program shows your intellectual capacity and preparedness for university-level studies.
2. Immersion in a world-class environment
Spending time on Caltech’s beautiful campus, getting to interact with undergraduate and graduate students, and experiencing the campus culture can give you a feel for the academic and social environment of a top-tier institution.
Experienced instructors who are deeply knowledgeable in their fields can offer you valuable insights, guidance, and mentorship. Interacting with them can spark your intellectual curiosity, helping you explore potential career paths.
Another way you’re immersed in Caltech’s environment is by being able to access world-class laboratories, libraries, and other research facilities. Of course, you won’t be able to have full access to everything—but you’ll still get a glimpse of the tools and technologies used in scientific exploration. If you’re in the SRC program, you’ll definitely experience what it’s like to use Caltech labs.
3. Hands-on learning and practical application
Caltech believes in learning by doing, so you’ve probably noticed that its summer programs emphasize hands-on learning through projects, experiments, and simulations. Do you want to build a robot? They’ll teach you the basics and see how you can tweak it. Is it your dream to make your own game? Here’s the software, here’s how you can make the different elements, now go design it however you want.
This active engagement with the material lets you have a deeper understanding of the subject, letting you apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios by yourself. This practical experience in the Caltech summer programs is important in helping you develop technical skills and solidify learning.
4. Enhanced college application
Participating in rigorous and selective summer programs at a prestigious institution like Caltech can boost your college application—especially if you plan to pursue STEM fields. It shows proof of your initiative, academic curiosity, and commitment to pursuing challenging academic experiences.
If you’ve made lasting connections with your mentors or did exceptionally well in the program, you can also ask for a recommendation letter, which can be pretty strong considering they’re from Caltech.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Caltech have summer programs?
Yes, Caltech has summer programs for high school students. These are iD Tech, Summer Research Connection, and Da Vinci Camp.
2. What summer programs look best for college?
The best summer programs are ones that show intellectual curiosity, rigor, and a genuine passion rather than just joining the program for its prestige.
Selective pre-college programs at renowned universities (like those at Caltech, MIT, Harvard, Stanford) or intensive research programs are good additions for your college application—again, as long as you’re genuinely interested in them and they connect to your academic and professional goals.
3. Do I get college credit for attending pre-college programs?
Most pre-college programs (such as Caltech’s) are non-credit, focusing on the experience and preparation for college-level academics without awarding official credit. Examples of summer programs that award credit are the Brown University Pre-Baccalaureate Program and Cornell University Precollege Studies.
Takeaways
Caltech summer programs are on-campus classes that let you experience what it would be like to be a Caltech student.
- Caltech’s summer programs are iD Tech, Summer Research Connection, and Da Vinci Camp.
- Caltech summer programs are non-credit courses, meaning they’re mainly concerned with equipping you with skills and experiences that can help you in the future.
- Some reasons to choose Caltech summer programs are because of their academic excellence and reputation, they immerse you in a world-class environment, they offer hands-on learning and practical application, and they enhance your college application.
- Not sure what other opportunities to take to get accepted in your dream STEM program? Have your academic and extracurricular profile evaluated to know what else you can do to boost your college application.
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