Admissions

Who can apply?

Students presently in the 10th or 11th grade in high school whose custodial parents or guardians established legal residency in North Carolina no later than December 1 of the current year. These students must have high academic ability and motivation and have a keen interest in science and mathematics. The program is not designed to provide incentive for students whose academic performance reflects a lack of self-motivation or discipline. Consideration is given to students whose abilities are not accurately reflected in grades and standardized test scores, such as those for whom English is a second language and those who have exceptionalities.

How does a student get an application?

The Summer Ventures state coordinator's office at NCSSM typically provides information to the guidance offices in all public and private high schools in North Carolina and to key personnel in NC LEAs. Guidance counselors and STEM teachers endeavor to make students aware of this opportunity. They may show the Summer Ventures website/video to create interest or have a director of the program from one of the universities come to the high school and make a presentation.

Applications are completed online through CFNC.org beginning in October (students must know their CFNC ID). Completed applications must be submitted by mid-January (see website for official submission date). After application submission, students will receive information to access Blackbaud (a specialized application portal managed by NCSSM) where they will then submit guidence counselor's and a recommending teachers' contact information as well as information regarding transcript submission (due by March 10). 

Official application information can be found at www.summerventures.org or https://www.ncssm.edu/summerventures.

How are students selected?

An admissions committee, made up of professionals in education, science and mathematics from across North Carolina, selects the finalists invited to participate in SVSM. Each finalist is assigned to a specific campus based upon availability of the student's preferred academic program and that assignment is final.

So that SVSM may serve as many students as possible, no participant may attend for more than one summer. High school sophomores who are admitted to both Summer Ventures and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Residential Program must choose between attending NCSSM or SVSM. Once enrolled at NCSSM (residential), students are not eligible to attend Summer Ventures. Students who are enrolled in the NCSSM Online program are eligible to attend Summer Ventures.