Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide

Versed Opportunity Guide is a comprehensive pre-college enrichment program listing that details the vast array of US-based academic and extracurricular programs that provides opportunities for students to explore and pursue their interests and passions.  All entries are curated and many are recommended by our Parent Advisors.

The purpose of the guide is to educate parents and students about the best opportunities available at each age and academic level. These programs maximize learning opportunities and allow students to pursue their interests at the highest levels throughout their school years, which may give them an edge when applying to college.

How to use this guide:

The guide lists educational programs, camps, contests, competitions and other activities, both online and onsite, available to students that are categorized by academic and extracurricular interest. Additionally, the platform allows parents and students to search based on age, school year, location, and general search terms.

To begin, start with a broad interest category that pertains to your child and familiarize yourself with the activity path and how children interested in the same areas have successfully engaged in the variety of activities and programs listed in the guide. As you click on narrower categories, you will get a sense for many of the ways that highly engaged students follow their interests to the highest levels. At the same time, feel free to explore adjacent categories to find related areas as interests change and evolve over time.



  1. In Partnership with the Institute of Politics and Public Policy at the McCourt School of Public Policy, the U.S. Campaigns & Elections Institute will provide you with a framework to understand… Read more
  2. Combining skills-based education with hands-on experience and applied reflection, Georgetown's Community Impact & Leadership Immersion introduces you to the critical social justice issues that… Read more
  3. Transform your dreams, ideas, and stories into organized, compelling, creative written works through Georgetown's Creative Writing Institute. Led by Georgetown instructors and renowned literary… Read more
  4. Georgetown's Economics Policy Immersion provides an interdisciplinary exploration of the complex role played by states and other governing entities in relation to markets, through the lens of both… Read more
  5. Explore the advantages and challenges of managing your own enterprise in the Entrepreneurship Institute. Our one-week program takes an in-depth look at ethical entrepreneurship, social responsibility… Read more
  6. Combining group exercises, discussions with policymakers and foreign policy officials, and visits to renowned D.C. institutions, Georgetown's Foreign Policy Immersion introduces you to the many… Read more
  7. Test your critical thinking skills by collecting and interpreting evidence as you explore the application of science and medicine in law enforcement. In Georgetown's Forensic Science Institute, you'… Read more
  8. Georgetown's Journalism & News Reporting Institute introduces you to what it takes to be a successful journalist in the nation’s capital. From sports and science to politics and the arts, this… Read more
  9. From corporate attorneys and prosecutors to politicians and a sitting Supreme Court justice, many of the nation's lawmakers, administrators, and interpreters received their education at Georgetown.… Read more
  10. Partnering with the Close Up Foundation, the Leaders in Advocacy Institute will bring together a diverse group of students from across the United States and the world to participate in an intensive,… Read more
  11. In Georgetown's Medical Immersion, you'll get a snapshot of a first-year medical school curriculum while exploring topics ranging from neuroscience and pathology to anatomy, immunity, cardiology, and… Read more
  12. The Medical Institute provides you with an introduction to the field of medicine—and a glimpse into the Georgetown Medical Center, which includes the nationally ranked School of Medicine and School… Read more
  13. The National Security & Counterintelligence Institute brings together unparalleled government and international relations resources from the Georgetown network to explore security and… Read more
  14. Taking advantage of our location in the heart of the nation’s capital, you'll have the opportunity to engage with policy think tanks and organizations that defend and work in areas of civil, economic… Read more
  15. Georgetown's Sports Industry Management Institute introduces you to the increasing career options in the sports industry—a $250 billion-a-year business that continues to be one of the fastest-growing… Read more
  16. The Washington & the World Institute immerses you in an exciting exploration of Washington, D.C., through a global lens. Designed for students interested in pursuing a degree in international… Read more
  17. The Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by NIH/NCI offers a Summer Research Volunteer Program as an outreach initiative with the overarching goal of training the next generation of… Read more
  18. ince 2008 the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech has offered a 3-week residential Summer Engineering Institute (SEI) which focuses on underrepresented minority rising 11th and 12th graders from… Read more
  19. Crafted to offer middle school girls an introduction to technology, engineering, and computing, TEC Camp inspires girls to consider college majors and careers in these important fields. The format is… Read more
  20. The Gills Club is Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's STEM-based education initiative dedicated to connecting girls with female scientists from around the world, sharing knowledge, and inspiring shark… Read more
  21. Girls' Adventures in Math (GAIM) is a themed math competition for upper elementary and middle school girls, followed by strategy-based games. The day begins with a 60-minute, 16-question Round 1 and… Read more
  22. Girls Inc. of Orange County offers programs developed by our national organization as well as local programs designed by our staff and volunteers to meet the interests and needs of girls served in… Read more
  23. Girls Make Games is a series of international summer camps, workshops and game jams designed to inspire the next generation of designers, creators, and engineers. GMG hosts 3-week non-residential… Read more
  24. Girls Make Games is on a mission to increase diversity and inclusivity in the games industry. The program launched in 2014 with a summer camp and has since run workshops in 44 cities worldwide,… Read more
  25. Camp Congress for Girls is a leadership program that introduces girls ages 8 to 15 to politics. Camp begins with a girl-friendly lesson on the structure of our political system. Each girl will choose… Read more
  26. Daughter and Mother Camp Congress for Girls is a leadership program that introduces girls ages 8 to 15 and their moms to politics. Camp begins with a girl-friendly lesson on the structure of our… Read more
  27. Politics, Advocacy & Political Careers for Girls is program for girls ages 14 to 17. This one-day session begins with a lesson on the structure of the US political system at the federal and state… Read more
  28. No matter their background, girls have the power to transform themselves, their communities, and the world around them. Girl Up is a global movement of empowered young women leaders who defend gender… Read more
  29. Girls Who Code is introducing a brand new summer program called Girls Who Code Campus to reach even more girls across the nation. Campus offers beginner and advanced courses for middle and high… Read more
  30. Girls Who Code offers free after-school programs for 3rd-5th and 6th-12th grade girls to join our sisterhood of supportive peers and role models using computer science to change the world. Join a… Read more
  31. Each week of the program covers projects related to computer science, such as art, storytelling, robotics, video games, web sites, and apps. You’ll also hear from guest speakers, participate in… Read more
  32. Girlstart Summer Camps are week-long STEM programs for girls entering the 4th-8th grades. Regular and Junior camps run simultaneously during the summer and are held in separate activity spaces.These… Read more
  33. Girlstart’s mission is to increase girls’ interest and engagement in STEM through innovative, nationally-recognized informal STEM education programs. Girlstart aspires to be the national leader in… Read more
  34. Summer cultural exchange programs and gap year programs. Our students work side by side with local hosts on projects selected and prioritized by the community. Global Routes student groups have… Read more
  35. The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes celebrates inspiring, public-spirited young people from diverse backgrounds all across North America. Each year, the Barron Prize honors 25 outstanding young… Read more
  36. This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. It also aims to… Read more
  37. The 5-week ZagScholars Program is an advanced lab designed for students looking for a more indepth and comprehensive experience. Launched in 2001 the Scholars lab was designed to provide a top tier… Read more
  38. The two week programs were the inaugural programs at the very first GDI nearly 50 years ago, and continue to provide an outstanding lab experience to students of all skill levels who are looking for… Read more
  39. The four week program continue to attract a wide range of students looking for a challenging lab environment that combines an emphasis on research with plenty of opportunities for practice and skill… Read more
  40. This one week program is for Public Forum debaters of all experience levels. This lab will focus on developing a student’s critical thinking, speaking, research and advocacy skills while also… Read more
  41. The GDI has become a destination for rising sophomores from across the nation. The 5 Week Sophs Program will be directed by Geoff Lundeen, Director of Debate at the University of West Georgia and… Read more
  42. Code Jam calls on programmers around the world to put their skills to the test by solving multiple rounds of algorithmic puzzles. The online rounds conclude in the World Finals, which rotates… Read more
  43. Searching for a way to hone your coding skills while building a base of experience? Your favorite search engine has a solution. Google Code-in is a contest to introduce pre-university students (ages… Read more
  44. Kick start your university studies in computer science with an unforgettable summer program at Google. Google's Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) is a three-week introduction to computer… Read more
  45. Kick start your university studies in computer science with an unforgettable summer program at Google. Google's Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) is a three-week introduction to computer… Read more
  46. CSSI-HBCU’s mission is to increase the retention rate of students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities graduating with computer science (CS) degrees. At CSSI-HBCU, cohorts of students… Read more
  47. Every idea has the power to shape our world. “Can I power a flashlight without batteries?” “How can a fly help search and rescue teams?” “How can we help ambulances reach their destination faster… Read more
  48. GRAMMY Camp is a 5-day nonresidential summer music industry program for high school students interested in having a career in music. Hosted on the campus of USC Thornton School of Music in Los… Read more
  49. The National French Contest/Le Grand Concours is an annual competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Students of French in grades 1-12, in all 50 states and abroad,… Read more
  50. The Great Books Summer Program is an experience like no other in American education. For over sixteen years, GBSP has gathered exceptional middle and high school students from across the world to… Read more