I love to spread the word about MIT’s annual Splash program because it is such an incredible learning opportunity for high school students. Splash is held once a year in November on a weekend and students descend on MIT’s campus in Cambridge, MA to take fascinating and unusual classes about all kinds of subjects. This is a time to open your mind and try something new or learn more about a subject that already interests you. In addition to STEM classes, there are hundreds of courses offered in humanities, language and literature, pop culture, social studies, and visual and performing arts. There is something for everyone!
Register now! This year’s program runs November 18 and 19, 2017.
My daughter and her friends have been attending Splash for years and it’s something they always look forward to, and make time for, during the school year. Last year my daughter really enjoyed Programming For A Living: What They Don’t Teach You In School taught by John Gregg. She is interested in computer science and liked hearing John’s perspective about being a programmer and what you can expect if you pursue it as a career. To give you a sense of the types of classes, here are a few that she and her friends enjoyed:
- Cyber espionage: What happens when governments get into the business of computer hacking? Hear about recent break-ins on the international stage while learning a bit about the everyday systems that keep us safe and secure on the internet.
- Battlebots: Discuss the history and rules of the world’s premier robot competition and spend the remaining time analyzing battles.
- Living on Mars: Review the conditions on Mars which would affect how you live there, work, grow food, and build houses.
These are just a few examples to give you an idea of the variety and range of classes. Courses are taught by MIT students and each class has a unique point of view. You can view last year’s course catalog to get an appreciation for the assortment of classes offered.
The program is well-attended and classes do fill up. If your child is interested in participating, visit the MIT Splash page to register and sign up for classes. MIT runs a lottery, so while your child might not get every class they request, there will be an opportunity to add and drop classes after the schedule is issued. The cost to participate is $40 and financial aid is available.
Here are key details about Splash:
- Register online from now until Friday, October 27 and enter your lottery preferences for the two-day program on Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19, 2017
- Participants: 9th-12th-grade students
- Location: MIT campus (Cambridge, MA)
- Cost: $40 for the entire weekend of classes (generous financial aid is available)
In addition to MIT’s program, there are also a number of upcoming Splash programs at other Massachusetts universities:
- November 4 and 5: Northeastern Waterfall
- November 5: Boston College Splash
- November 11: Amherst Splash
- November 11: Brandeis Splash
- November 19: Clark University Splash
