Pre-College Summer Programs On Cyber Security

Owned by Roger Cruz
Last updated: Jan 22, 2020
8 min read

Intro

 

My notes on summer camps on Cyber Security for high schoolers.

 

At A Glance

 

Click on the university name to take you to more program info.

My Ranking

School

Dates, Cost

Impression

Notes

My Ranking

School

Dates, Cost

Impression

Notes

TBD

Capitol Technology University,

Laurel, MD

  • Based on 2019: June 18-22 and Advanced Student Cyber Camp from July 9-13

 

Email sent

A

Champlain College,

Burlington, VT

  • July 12-25, 2020 (2 weeks)

  • Cost: $4350. ($500 non-refundable deposit to apply) - includes room and board

Looks promising. Each day provides classroom instruction and hands-on lab work. Note the emphasis is on forensics not just cybersecurity. Watch YouTube video from 2015. You can also read some of their papers in this site. They give you an idea what forensics is about.

Email sent

B+ (date conflict)

Embry-Riddle

Daytona, FL

  • Dates: Jul 26-Aug 1th, 2020 (1 week) 

  • Cost: $900 ($30 application fee) - room and board included.

Some basic introduction to networking but then it looks like they move on to hands-on attacks and steganography.

Email Sent

A

George Washington University

DC

  • Dates: Jul 12-Jul 24th (13 days

  • Cost: $3950 ($50 application fee, $500 non-refundable deposit after acceptance) room and board included). Includes night and weekend activities

Hands on classes. Doesn’t mention any simulated attacks. Need more info.

Read previous program (1 week only). Note emphasis on research hacked companies and writing papers.

 

Email Sent

B+ (lower ranking because it is not a pre-college program)

ID Tech Cybersecurity Lab: Encryption and Steganography

Many locations
1-888-709-8324

  • Dates: Jul 12-24th, (MIT, Cambridge, housing at BU, $4700, 4 left) 

  • Dates: Jul 5th-17th (Princeton, NJ, $4650,4 left)

  • Dates: Jul 12-24th, (UNC Chapel Hill, NC, $4300)

  • Dates: July 5th-17th, Aug 2-14, (Stanford, CA, $4600)

  • Dates: Jul 12-24th, (Bentley, MA, $4400, 2 left)

 

Cybersecurity Lab: Encryption and Steganography concentrates encryption and hiding info in pictures. The hacking hardware component seems really interesting.

I like the choice of top college campuses, however, it is NOT a pre-college program

Some Yelp reviews provide negative feedback but given the program has about 50K students per year, some are expected.

This is worth reviewing in more detail to see what others have to say. Are thee programs official university sponsored programs or is it a company renting the classrooms at the schools? Who are the instructors? university professors?

B (lower raking because it is not a pre-college program and mixed reviews)

National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC),

American University, DC

  • Dates: July 5-13th, July 17-25th, 2020 (9 days).  

  • Cost: $3295 ($350 deposit) - includes room and board

     

I like the simulation aspect. Meeting the experts and visiting the DC sites also looks good. Program has leadership qualities as well. However, the FB reviews are mixed on this program.

Read pros + cons on NSLC

 

C

Penn State

Reading, PA

  • July 13-17, 2020 (5 days).  

  • Cost: $900.

Seems a bit of an introduction to some basic computer tech that HS kids probably already know by now if they have been interested in computers. I don’t see any attack simulations to experience real world scenarios.

 

A (but may be too advanced)

Stevens University

Hoboken NJ

  • Dates: Jul 5-Jul 11th (advanced course, 1 week,) 

  • Cost: $2400 ($500 non-refundable deposit after acceptance) room and board included).

This is an advanced course, needs to show proof that an AP computer class has been taken. I like that you hack a database.

Emailed sent

A (date conflict)

Syracuse University

Syracuse University, NY

  • Dates: July 25-Aug 7th, 2020 (2 weeks).  

  • Cost: $3560 ($60 application fee) - includes room and board

     

The program description sounds interesting. The two weeks feel like a good amount of time to learn. I like the hands-on labs and hackathon activities.

 

 

Stevens University

  • Dates: Jul 5-Jul 11th (1 week, Hoboken NJ)  Cost: $2400 ($500 non-refundable deposit) room and board included).

  • My Impression: This is an advanced course, needs to show proof. I like that you hack a database.

 

 

 

https://www.stevens.edu/admissions/pre-college-programs/available-pre-college-programs/engineering-and-science-programs#Cybersecurity

 

 

George Washington University

  • Dates: Jul 12-Jul 24th (13 days, Washington DC)  Cost: $3950 ($500 non-refundable deposit) room and board included).

  • My Impression: Hands on classes. Doesn’t mention any simulated attacks. Need more info.

 

https://summer.gwu.edu/session-2

 

 

Embry-Riddle

  • Dates: Jul 26-Aug 1th, 2020 (Daytona, FL)  Cost: $900 (room and board included).

  • My Impression: Some basic introduction to networking but then it looks like they move on to hands-on attacks and steganography.

 

 

ID Tech - Various Locations

  • Dates: Jul 13-17th, 2020 (St Marks, Southboro)  Cost: $1029 (no housing + must buy lunch plan). Location: various locations

  • My Impression: Cybersecurity and Encryption concentrates just on encryption. Seems rather limited and something kids can figure out on how to use encryption tools on their own.

 

  • Dates: Jul 12-24th, 2020 (MIT, Cambridge, housing at BU)  Cost: $4300 (room and board but weekend stay is an extra $400)

  • My Impression: Cybersecurity Lab: Encryption and Steganography concentrates encryption and hiding info in pictures. The hacking hardware component seems really interesting.

 

Info on HARP here: https://hackaday.com/tag/the-prototype/

 

More info on iDTech and who they are: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ID_Tech_Camps

 

Capitol Technology University

  • Dates: TBD.  (Based on 2019: June 18-22 and Advanced Student Cyber Camp from July 9-13)  Cost: $TBD. Location: Laurel, MD

  • My Impression: waiting for more info

https://www.captechu.edu/degrees-and-programs/summer-camps

 

 

 

GenCyber: Cyber Security Camps Sponsored By NSA And NSF

 

Programs sponsored by the NSA and hosted all over the country. You need to visit each program to find out more. Many don’t provide provide housing accommodations and they have yet to publish 2020 dates. Need to research more.

 

Champlain College

  • Dates: July 12-25, 2020 (2 weeks).   Cost: $TBD. (possibly $4350) Location: Burlington VT

  • My Impression: I need to research more but it looks promising at first glance. Seems to have a concentration on digital forensics (how they broke in, what files they looked at) which is also an important aspect of cyber security.

  • Note the emphasis is on forensics not just cybersecurity. Watch YouTube video from 2015

Pre-College Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity

 

 

A video about the college itself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoBX4gEXE9I

Reviews

 

 

US Cyber Challenge (USCC)

  • Dates: TBD, 2020 (1 week).   Cost: TBD. Location: TBD. I don’t see data for 2020 yet. Registration likely opens March 15, quiz by end of March and deadline by Mid April.

  • My Impression: the program description appears to be very selective (you need to pass a challenge to apply), I really like that. Also the CTF event should be a great challenge to prove you have learned the material. Only Virgina Tech offers housing. Minimum age requirements (appears to be 18 yrs minimum).

https://www.uscyberchallenge.org/cyber-camps/

Syracuse University

  • Dates: July 25-Aug 7th, 2020 (2 weeks).   Cost: $3560. Location: Syracuse University, NY

  • My Impression: the program description sounds interesting. The two weeks feel like a good amount of time to learn. I like the hands-on labs and hackathon activities.

 

https://summercollege.syr.edu/cybersecurity-hack-a-thon-challenge/

National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) Cyber Security Camps

 

  • Dates: July 5-13th, July 17-25th, 2020 (9 days).   Cost: $3295. Location: American University, DC

  • My Impression: the program description sounds interesting. I like the simulation aspect. Meeting the experts and visiting the DC sites also looks good. However, the FB reviews are mixed on this program. They seem to be 50/50.

https://www.nslcleaders.org/youth-leadership-programs/cybersecurity/

Paper application has more details on payment plans: https://portal.nslcleaders.org/files/forms/608

FB Reviews

 

 

Penn State

 

  • Dates: July 13-17, 2020 (5 days).   Cost: $900. Location: PSU, Reading, PA

  • Impression: this seems a bit of an introduction to some basic computer tech that HS kids probably already know by now if they have been interested in computers. I don’t see any attack simulations to experience real world scenarios. I have not found any reviews for it yet.

 

https://berks.psu.edu/computers-and-cyber-security-camp

https://berks.psu.edu/form/penn-state-berks-discovery-summer-camps

 

Marist College

 

  • Dates: June 28th-July 11th (Poughkeepsie, NY, 2 weeks), July 13-24, 2020 (NYC, mid Manhattan, 2 weeks, no housing).   Cost: $3500 (but get 3 college credits).

  • Impression: This one seems to have good hands-on labs. But there is no housing for the one in NYC

 

https://www.marist.edu/admission/pre-college/cybersecurity

 

Yet To Be Explored

 

 

 

  • Whatcom Community College: GenCyber camp - Email sent. No 2020 info yet.

 

 

Research

 

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