Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Explore STEM pathways and build a personalized plan in this two-week Dartmouth academy for high school students.
Course Description
What might a future in STEM actually look like? Students explore medicine, engineering, sustainability, computer science, biotechnology, and data science through laboratory visits, interactive workshops, faculty seminars, and conversations with researchers, alumni, and professionals.
The academy focuses on how students can keep exploring after the program. Participants learn how research opportunities, higher education pathways, mentorship, networking, and science communication contribute to academic and professional development. Reflection helps them connect new fields and experiences with their own interests and strengths.
As the academy moves across disciplines, students compare the questions, environments, and working styles that distinguish different areas of STEM. They also practice asking useful questions of people whose paths may look very different from their own.
The experience culminates in a STEM Futures Symposium. Each student presents a personalized STEM Futures Pathway Plan that identifies possible directions and practical next steps informed by the people, research, and environments encountered throughout the academy.
This two-week, full-day intensive academy is part of Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars in Hanover, New Hampshire. The academy is fully developed and run by Dartmouth and taught by Dartmouth faculty and expert instructors. The broader experience connects focused academic exploration with campus life, growing independence, and clearer direction about what students may want to study next.
What Will You Do?
• Explore medicine, engineering, sustainability, computing, biotechnology, and data science
• Visit laboratories, research centers, and other innovation spaces
• Join interactive workshops and faculty-led seminars across STEM fields
• Speak with researchers, alumni, and STEM professionals about different pathways
• Practice mentorship-seeking, professional networking, and clear science communication
• Reflect on interests, strengths, and possible next steps
• Present a personalized STEM Futures Pathway Plan at a closing symposium
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Compare STEM disciplines, research areas, and educational pathways
• Communicate with mentors and professionals about academic and career development
• Create and present a personalized STEM Futures Pathway Plan
Students leave with a completed pathway plan, broader exposure to STEM research and careers, and clearer direction about what they may want to study or pursue next.
Why STEM Pathways Skills Matter
STEM exploration is most useful when students can connect a broad field with specific next steps. Comparing disciplines helps them see how medicine, engineering, computing, sustainability, biotechnology, and data science approach different problems.
Conversations with researchers and professionals develop the ability to ask useful questions, seek mentorship, and explain emerging interests. Reflection then turns exposure into a plan. These skills help students navigate course choices, research opportunities, internships, and future study with greater intention, while leaving room for their interests to evolve as they encounter new ideas.
Who Should Attend?
This academy is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are curious about several STEM fields and want help identifying where to explore more deeply. It suits students interested in laboratories, research, technology, medicine, engineering, computing, sustainability, or data.
Participants should be ready to join workshops, visit research spaces, ask questions of faculty and professionals, reflect on their interests, and present a personalized plan. The source does not state a formal technical prerequisite. The strongest fit is a student who wants broad exposure and practical direction before choosing a narrower STEM path.
Recommended by 9 out of 10 Students
Based on students surveyed in the Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars program (2026)
Why Dartmouth?
Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars gives high school students a concentrated introduction to college-level learning in Hanover, New Hampshire. The intensive, noncredit academies are fully developed and run by Dartmouth and taught by Dartmouth faculty and expert instructors. Students explore current ideas through discussion, projects, and sustained work that helps them test an academic interest in depth.
Residential students live in Dartmouth residence halls, eat at 53 Commons, and can join workshops and counselor-supported evening and weekend activities. Time in Hanover and the Upper Valley adds a distinctive New England setting, while the broader experience helps students build independence and clarify what they may want to study next.
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive