This is the first part of a three-part series on Wharton Global Youth Summer Programs.

The Wharton Global Youth Program provides a plethora of educational programs. The programs inspire pre-collegiate students to explore business practices, analyze the world’s complex challenges, and become leaders who will transform the global economy. The students have a choice of various options. All participants who successfully complete the program earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.

They can participate in  On-Campus, Online, or Location-based Programs. 

Wharton Global Youth On-Campus Program

Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Essentials of Entrepreneurship is an intensive two-week summer program for high school students enrolled in grades 9-11. The program helps students acquire the skills of developing a startup. These include strategies in critical areas such as user research, opportunity testing, MVP development, marketing, scaling, and exiting. Moreover, the program challenges students to work collaboratively with their peers, foster innovative thinking, and create a pitch for an early-stage startup. The two-week program includes comprehensive lectures, activities, and recitations.

Academic classes are held Monday-Friday with extracurricular activities available in the evenings and on the weekends.

Session topics may include: 

• Innovation and Opportunity 

• Consumer Behavior 

• Business Model Generation 

• Entrepreneurial Strategy and Financing 

• Tech Entrepreneurship 

• Social Entrepreneurship 

By the end of the program, participants will develop an entrepreneurial mindset whether they aim to launch their own business or contribute to innovations in an established organization. 

Essentials of Finance

Essentials of Finance is offered to a competitive group of high school students in grades 9-11. This exploratory two-week program provides a brief introduction to the fundamentals of finance, as well as opportunities to explore finance beyond the stock market, including venture capital, corporate valuation, and alternative investments.

Through Essentials of Finance, participants can gain an understanding of the principles, techniques, and issues involved in finance. The program covers the fundamentals of both personal and corporate finance. It also includes topics such as the time value of money, the risk-return trade-off, equities, and corporate accounting.

Each summer, Wharton Essentials of Finance students experience certain aspects of the undergraduate curriculum and attend lectures from the Wharton faculty. They collaboratively work on case studies and complete analysis projects.

Essentials of Finance uses an innovative curriculum developed by Wharton Professor Michael Roberts, which integrates personal and corporate finance concepts and promotes the exploration of how these concepts can be applied practically.

Academic classes are held Monday-Friday with extracurricular activities available in the evenings and on the weekends.

Session topics include:

• Personal Finance

• Corporate accounting

• Corporate finance

• Fixed income

• Equities and impact investing

• Risk and the Cost of Capital

• Capital structure

• Derivatives

Leadership in the Business World

Leadership in the Business World is a very competitive three-week program for rising seniors. Each year thousands of students apply to this program and only 120 students are selected for the session. This program offers opportunities to learn about leadership in 21st-century organizations through a dynamic and rigorous mix of classes with Wharton professors and business leaders, real-time business simulations, and team-building activities. 

As a part of this program, the students get an opportunity to conduct research on business enterprises and speak with successful leaders across the industries of finance, entrepreneurship, entertainment, real estate, and retail. They attend lectures from Wharton faculty and participate in intensive classroom discussions about core business subjects. The students also get a chance to practically apply real-world business practices through Wharton Interactive’s digital simulations and case competitions.

Session topics may include:

• Organizational Strategy

• Leadership Competencies

• Negotiation

• Customer Centricity

• Business Model Generation

• Management

Academic classes are held Monday-Friday with extracurricular activities available in the evenings and on the weekends.

Product Design Academy

This hands-on three-week program is tailored towards students who wish to research, brainstorm, design, and prototype a brand-new product from scratch. The students focus on the Design Thinking process and use various digital and analog fabrication technologies housed in the Studios@Venture Labs. Students obtain the technical prototyping abilities required to turn their concepts into tangible realities. Students rely on the Design Thinking process to gather user research and develop innovative ideas for entirely new products. They collaborate in groups to refine the most promising ideas and construct prototypes. It is not a prerequisite to have a product idea in mind beforehand. 

Students will take on a series of individual exercises and mini-projects intended to develop their prototyping skills. They also learn Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and make use of laser cutting and 3D printing services. The program also introduces the concept of entrepreneurship, with a focus on developing businesses centered around their products. 

Session topics may include:  

• User Research Techniques  

• Synthesizing Qualitative Data  

• Brainstorming Techniques  

• Analog Prototyping  

• Digital Fabrication Prototyping  

• Large Scale Manufacturing Processes  

• Product Launch Strategy  

Data Science Academy

In the 21st century, a data scientist should possess the ability to identify pertinent issues, conduct reasonable analyses, and effectively communicate their discoveries. At the Wharton Data Science Academy, the belief is that data science goes beyond just a set of techniques, and it is primarily driven by real-world problems. Students acquire the fundamentals of data science techniques, such as data wrangling and visualization. They also learn the methodologies that are integral to today’s AI domain. Students attain a functional command of the R language, which is extensively utilized by professional data scientists in academia and industry.

Students get the opportunity to attend lectures from Wharton instructors and guest speakers who are data science experts. Students work collaboratively in teams and present their final projects at the end of the program. 

Session topics may include:

• Acquiring, preparing, exploring, understanding, and visualizing data

• Foundations of probabilities and statistics

• Model-based modeling

• Machine learning

Moneyball Academy

The Wharton Moneyball Academy is a three-week summer program offered by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. It is sponsored by the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative (WSABI). The program is designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who are passionate about sports and interested in learning about sports analytics. Students learn how to use data to make informed decisions in sports.

The program is led by Professor Adi Wyner. It covers the fundamentals of statistical thinking, statistical programming languages, and, real-world applications used in sports analytics. Students will be taught advanced statistical concepts which go beyond what is typically covered in an AP Statistics class. The program covers much of Wharton’s STAT courses and teaches students how to read and write code in R, the statistical programming language used by professional statisticians.

At the end of the program, students are equipped with the skills needed to perform sports analyses typically seen in articles from sources like Five ThirtyEight, Fangraphs, or Hardball Times. Students also get the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and learn from guest speakers with experience in sports analytics, including professionals from organizations like the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Lakers, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Session topics may include:

• Introductory statistics (including graphical and numerical summaries of data)

• Basic probability theory

• Statistical reasoning

• Regression analysis by examining sports data

The Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)

The Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI) is an intensive college credit program for rising high school seniors and a limited number of rising high school juniors. This program is beneficial for students who have an interest in examining the combination of management principles and technological concepts. M&TSI is conducted by the Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology in conjunction with Penn Engineering and the Wharton School. The program offers courses instructed by esteemed Penn faculty members and accomplished entrepreneurs. During the program, the students gain knowledge about the principles and applications of technological advancement.

Students of the M&TSI program get the opportunity to build and present a prototype for their own venture. Their projects are evaluated by Penn faculty, entrepreneurs, and investors. 

As a part of the program students get a chance to see the concepts they are learning in the classroom via real-life companies. Some companies that M&TSI students visited include:

• Morgan Stanley

• Radiate Media

• The Bressler Group

• The Neat Company

• Dreamit Ventures

• First Round Capital 

• Harlem Biospace

• R/GA

• Comcast

Admissions

The Wharton Youth Global Program is highly selective. Applicants may apply to more than one program. A new application is required for each program. Every program has a different set of essays, supplemental materials, and eligibility criteria. The applications will not be reviewed only after the submission of all materials. The applications and supplemental materials should be submitted on the Summer Discovery platform. 

Eligibility Requirements:

GPA: High school students require a minimum of 3.3 unweighted GPA. A minimum of 3.5 unweighted GPA is preferred for the Leadership in the Business World and the Management and Technology Summer Institute.
High School Transcripts: The applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts with at least two marking periods of grades.
Standardized Test Scores: PSAT,SAT/ACT scores are optional 

Additional requirements that might be an advantage while applying to the programs:

Essentials of Entrepreneurship: 

High school students currently enrolled in grades 9-11 looking to advance their entrepreneurial mindset. 

Essentials of Finance: 

High school students currently enrolled in grades 9-11 eager to gain valuable knowledge of finance, investing, and accounting. Demonstrated understanding of economics or business is highly preferred, though not required. 

Leadership in the Business World:

High school students currently enrolled in grade 11 with demonstrated leadership experience 

Product Design Academy:

High school students currently enrolled in grades 10-11 with a genuine interest in designing and fabricating a new-to-market product. No formal business background is required.

Data Science Academy:

High school students currently enrolled in grades 10-11 with a strong background in math and coding, and an interest in data analytics. A previous understanding of statistics is preferred. Students must be open to the challenge of a rigorous curriculum similar to that of an intermediate Wharton undergraduate course.

Moneyball Academy:

The program is best suited for students with a strong math background and a passion for sports. While an interest in computer programming is recommended, it is not a requirement.

Essays:

Students should write well-crafted and thoughtful essays for each program they apply to. Each program has a different set of short essays: 

Essentials of Entrepreneurship: 

Tweet-style bio: In 140 characters or less, give us your biography as if it were a tweet. Describe a great idea for a product or business you’ve had that you’d like to bring to life. 200-300 words
Reflect on a time when you were unsuccessful in achieving your goal. What lessons did you learn from this experience? 200-300 words

Essentials of Finance

Tweet-style bio: In 140 characters or less, give us your biography as if it were a tweet.
Envision you are a portfolio manager. Select a fictional couple as your client and select up to three companies for them to invest in. Please briefly introduce the couple, make recommendations tailored to your client, and explain your investment recommendations. 400-600 words

Leadership in the Business World

Tweet-style bio: In 140 characters or less, give us your biography as if it were a tweet.
Select a leader you admire from your local community. Explain your selection and give examples of how they demonstrate effective leadership. 200-300 words

Product Design Academy

Tweet-style bio: In 140 characters or less, give us your biography as if it were a tweet.
Describe a challenge you overcame or a problem you solved using creative problem-solving measures. 200-300 words
How have product design and innovation been influenced by modern-day technology? In your opinion, has this influence improved or hindered the creative design process? 200-300 words

Data Science Academy

In 100-250 words, please describe a global issue you are most passionate about and why.
In 200 words or less, what is your understanding of “data science”?
Please list and briefly explain up to three of your hobbies.

Moneyball Academy

In 300-400 words, explain what inspires your interest in Sports Analytics and Statistics. How will you use that inspiration to make the most of your experience at Wharton Moneyball Academy?
What do you think is/where have you seen the best use of sports statistics in the past year?

Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)

In 500 words or less, describe a problem you solved using your technical and/or business creativity and skills.

Application Supplements are required for the following programs:

Leadership in the Business World (LBW): Video OR Written Supplement:

The students should record a 90-second video OR share a written statement of 400 words (or less) with their introduction. The video or the written statement should include their leadership roles, topics or issues they are most passionate about, their identity, ambitions, or motivation for applying to this program. Provide the URL of your video or upload your written statement directly into the application.

Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI): Video Submission:

The students should record a 90-second video. Share any additional comments that speak about yourself, your application, and your interest in M&TSI. Provide the URL of your video within your online application.

Recommendation Letters:

All programs require a recommendation letter from a high school guidance counselor, teacher, or advisor. The applicants should enter the recommender’s contact information directly into the application system. The number of recommendation letters varies by the program as given below:

On-Campus Summer Programs 

• Essentials of Entrepreneurship: 1 required 

• Essentials of Finance: 1 required 

• Leadership in the Business World (LBW): 1 required 

• Data Science Academy: 1 required 

• Moneyball Academy: 2 required 

• Management & Technology Institute (M&TSI): 2 required

Cost of Attendance

On-Campus Programs:

Essentials of Entrepreneurship $7,299
Essentials of Finance $7,299
Leadership in the Business World (LBW) $9,899
Data Science Academy $9,099
Moneyball Academy $9,099
Management and Technology Summer Institute $9,000
Product Design Academy $9,099

The Wharton Global Youth Program offers various on-campus programs for high school students who are interested in business, finance, leadership, and entrepreneurship. These programs provide a unique opportunity for students to learn from Wharton faculty, business leaders, and industry experts, and gain hands-on experience in various business areas.

The programs cover a wide range of topics, including accounting, marketing, investments, leadership, and entrepreneurship, and offer different formats such as day-long workshops, multi-day intensives, and week-long programs.

Overall, the Wharton Global Youth On-Campus Programs offer a valuable opportunity for high school students to explore their interests in business and gain insights into the world of commerce. Students can gain practical skills, network with like-minded peers, and learn from industry experts.

Working with study abroad consultants, overseas education consultants, or, as more commonly known, college counsellors, can help you plan ahead and make those high school years count. Ivy Central offers exceptional focus to help you prepare for college admissions throughout the high-schooling years. Start today!