9 Summer Programs in Nevada for High Schoolers in 2025
What’s Covered:
For many “Silver State” high schoolers, summer is a time to relax, hang out, and work a summer job. However, high-achieving high schoolers with aspirations of attending a gold-standard institution of higher education will want to take advantage of the summer season to bolster their college profile. One way high schoolers can improve their profile and boost their college odds is to participate in a summer program.
9 Summer Programs in Nevada for High Schoolers
1. Engineering In-Depth Exploration Camp
Dates: July 7 – 11
Location: University of Nevada, Reno
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $395
Engineering shapes every aspect of our daily lives—from the infrastructure we rely on to the medicines we use and the technology that fuels progress. This camp is designed for high school students who are excited to explore how each major program within the UNR College of Engineering addresses real-world challenges. Participants will gain insight into the various branches of engineering and the processes specific to each field.
2. Civil and Environmental Engineering by J-U-B Engineering
Dates: July 21 – 25
Location: University of Nevada, Reno
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $250
This camp offers a unique chance to discover how civil and environmental engineers help shape the world we live in by designing safe, sustainable, and efficient communities. Perfect for students interested in engineering and driven to make a difference, the camp provides an inspiring introduction to a meaningful and impactful career path.
3. Smallwood Multimedia Boot Camp
Dates: July 14 – 18
Location: University of Nevada, Reno
Application Deadline: June 6
Cost: Free
This awesome opportunity to receive instruction in video production, audio techniques, and editing is available to high schoolers from Northern Nevada. Over the program’s five days, participants learn valuable skills while also building their digital portfolios, which are needed for everything from college applications to applying for internships and jobs.
4. Lake Tahoe Music Camp
Dates: July 20 – 26
Location: Private beach on the shore of Lake Tahoe, sponsored by University of Nevada, Reno
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $790
Musically inclined students will love this residential camp on a private beach on the shore of Lake Tahoe. Participants are treated to workshops, clinics, mentoring, and performances from University faculty, guest conductors, and professional chamber and jazz musicians. The camp culminates in a final concert for family and friends.
5. Nevada Boys State
Dates: June 13 – 20
Location: University of Nevada, Reno, sponsored by The American Legion
Application Deadline: May 31
Cost: $75 (need-based waivers/grants are available)
This unique weeklong summer program is a 24-hour-a-day game that challenges rising male juniors to build leadership skills and friendships that will last a lifetime. Throughout the program, participants will partake in activities involving political party caucuses and committee meetings, and will work in teams to compete in athletic competitions and team-building exercises.
6. Nevada Girls State
Dates: June 15 – 21
Location: University of Nevada, Reno, sponsored by The American Legion Auxiliary
Application Deadline: June 8
Cost: $300
Rising high school juniors who identify as female with an interest in better understanding the governmental process will want to explore this interesting summer program. Participants are divided into two parties, where they participate in campaigning, party meetings, legislative sessions, debating, and voting. By the end, participants will have gained firsthand knowledge of the democratic process.
7. RYLA – Rotary Youth Leadership Awakening
Dates: June 15 – 20 and June 22 – 27
Location: Rotary Affiliated | Northern California and Northern Nevada
Application Deadline: TBA
Cost: Free
Rotary Youth Leadership Awakening, or more simply RYLA, is sponsored by the Rotary Districts of Northern California (5180) and Northern Nevada (5190) with the intent of instilling a sense of “service above self” in participants. This weeklong program helps participants develop traits like passion, gratitude, compassion, resilience, determination, and mental toughness.
8. Empowered Women, Empower Women
Dates: June 9 – 13
Location: Nevada State College
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $150
Empowered Women, Empower Women is a summer camp led by College of Liberal Arts instructors and staff that aims to introduce young women to empowerment concepts and techniques. Participants examine leadership, mentoring, and the nuanced history of women’s experiences through a range of seminars and activities. Open to students who identify as female and are enrolled in grades 8 through 12 during the 2025–2026 school year, as well as recent Class of 2025 high school graduates.
9. UNLV GenCyber Camp
Dates: June 2 – 6
Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
The UNLV GenCyber Camp is a free summer program for high school students in Southern Nevada, designed to teach safe online practices, promote responsible digital citizenship, and spark interest in cybersecurity careers. Each day, students will engage in hands-on activities to explore various cybersecurity topics and gain insights directly from industry experts.
How Do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
The influence your participation in a summer program has on your odds of college admission varies depending on several factors, such as the reputation of the program and the weight a school puts on participation in summer programs.
The four tiers of extracurricular activities are a good way to evaluate the value colleges place on activities outside the classroom, such as summer programs. Tier 1 and Tier 2 encompass the most prestigious, rare, and impressive activities. Consequently, participation in these top-tier activities has the greatest impact on your chances of college admission.
Tier 3 and Tier 4 activities are more commonly seen by admissions officials and don’t hold the same sway as higher-tiered activities in the college application process. That said, there is value to attending a summer program, even if it’s in a lower tier. Summer programs demonstrate intellectual curiosity and determination to pursue subjects that interest you, both of which are traits highly desirable to colleges. More so, many summer programs build the skills needed to get into and succeed in college.
What do colleges think of your participation in a summer program? CollegeVine can help! Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factors, including grades, standardized test scores, and extracurriculars like summer programs to estimate your chances of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities while also providing insight into how to improve your profile.
