The Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) engages talented students from across Wisconsin, the nation and the world at the top-ranked University of Wisconsin–Madison. ALP is an intense, three-week residential summer camp designed to push students to the next academic level in a welcoming learning environment. Students enroll in a single course for an in-depth experience and may work with their school to receive high school credit. Scholarships are available.
Why ALP
There are many options for talented high school students in the busy summer months, but ALP offers the opportunity to learn and live on the beautiful UW–Madison campus. While the campus is big, ALP centers around an engaged and intimate learning environment. Students enroll in one class during the three-week period for a comprehensive experience that’s not possible in crowded high school schedules.
Taught by content experts and experienced teachers, ALP offers college-level classes developed with high school students in mind. Classes are small — no more than 16 students — to allow meaningful mentoring and personal relationships between students and their instructor. Instructors work individually with each student to identify learning goals and ensure that coursework is challenging but not overwhelming.
The customized curriculum ensures an optimal learning environment, with an in-depth study of the topics and research that define 21st-century knowledge. Classes begin with a preassessment of student’s content knowledge and learning strengths. Each student then receives a detailed written and verbal assessment of subject mastery and recommendations for future study. College-level education assistants work with instructors to provide additional support.
Time outside of class is thoughtfully planned and coordinated by residential staff to foster additional social and emotional connections between students.
What to expect
Be part of a truly unique learning environment where students from around the world can interact, learn and grow with each other. Be ready to learn at an accelerated pace and lose all track of time while geeking out on your favorite topic. In the class setting, you will utilize campus resources, become a more independent learner and increase your confidence in approaching challenging academic tasks. By the end of the program, you should notice better time management skills when handling complex projects and an improved understanding of yourself, your strengths and your talents! On the residential side of camp, be ready to form lasting friendships and engage in activities that push your personal boundaries.
Upcoming Classes
- Art, Activism, and Advertisements: How Art Can Be Used to Influence Thinking
- Contemporary Astronomy: Journey Through the Cosmos
- Economics and Society
- Engineering Fundamentals and Design
- Environmental Studies
- Forensic Science
- Human Body and Disease
- Introduction to Computer Science
- Microbiology: Microorganisms and Health
- Organic Chemistry: Applications in Food Science and Nutrition
- Psychology of Learning and Motivation
ALP At a glance
Program Dates
June 30- July 20, 2024
Format
In person
Grade Level
For students finishing grades 9-12
Application opens
November 28, 2023
Application Deadline
May 1, 2024
Cost
Non-refundable application fee: $75
Early bird rate through January 8
Domestic: $4,100
Commuter: $2,500
International: $4,550
Starting January 9
Domestic: $4,300
Commuter: $2,650
International: $4,800
Limited financial aid available. Tuition payments due May 15th and June 1st.
Location
UW–Madison campus
Instruction Hours
95 hours of class time
How to apply
- Look through the course options available and choose your first-choice course. Please note that applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis and courses fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Early registration will increase the likelihood of being placed in your first-choice course.
- Review the ALP field trip information below and decide if you would like to participate in one, both, or neither of the trips.
- Complete the online application, indicating only your first-choice course as your preferred course and any field trip preferences.
- To be considered for admission, students must demonstrate outstanding academic ability and motivation to engage in in-depth study of one subject. Therefore, eligibility for the ALP program will be demonstrated through submission of a current grade report and a completed personal statement answering the following questions:
- How will this program and experience benefit you now and in the future?
- How do you respond when something is difficult for you? What strategies do you use to overcome difficulties?
- You may also submit a letter of recommendation someone who has worked with the student in an academic setting. This could be a teacher, mentor, coach, counselor, etc.
- Submit the application, along with the application fee. You will receive an email confirming your submission immediately and be notified of your acceptance decision via email within 3–4 weeks.
Students have the opportunity to work with their school to receive high school credit for each course and will be graded in accordance with that plan.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please visit our financial aid page.
Weekend Field Trips
Join us for a day of fun and exploration by attending these optional weekend trips to Milwaukee and Chicago! These trips are considered an extension of the ALP Program and are not mandatory. As such, there will be activities planned back on campus for those who choose not to attend. Parent/Guardian approval will be required through the signing of a separate permission form distributed on the program start date.
Chicago, Illinois
July 6, 2024; Fee: $135
Spend a day exploring the iconic downtown area of Chicago, Illinois. Your day may include things like admiring masterpieces at The Art Institute of Chicago, observing aquatic wonders at the Shedd Aquarium, grabbing a picture in front of “The Bean” in Millenium Park, trying American cuisine favorites, visiting Navy Pier, and shopping at Water Tower Place. A formal itinerary will be released closer to the program start date. Some options may be adjusted depending on availability.
Included in the price of this trip: round-trip transportation via chartered coach bus, two meals, admission to the attraction of your choice, and visiting some of Chicago’s most iconic attractions.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
July 13, 2024; Fee: $100
Immerse yourself in science and technology at Discovery World along Lake Michigan’s shore. Root for Wisconsin’s home baseball team as the Brewer’s take on the Washington Nationals at American Family Field, formerly known as Miller Park. You won’t want to miss this day of discovery and fun! A formal itinerary will be released closer to the program start date.
Included in the price of this trip: round-trip bus transportation, two meals, and admission to both Discovery World and the Brewer’s Game.
Sign-Up Information
Space for these trips is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis, determined by when you submitted your completed ALP program application. Trip sign-ups will close on April 1st, 2024, after which you will not be able to sign-up using the ALP program application. Submitting your application by April 1st does not guarantee you a spot on any trip, simply the order in which we will collect payments. Once sign-ups have closed we will confirm your order on the list and whether or not we will expect your trip payment along with the first tuition payment on May 15th, 2024. If your trip payment is not received by this time, the first person on the waitlist will take your place. Students receiving financial assistance through Badger Precollege are eligible to go on these trips on a first come, first serve basis. For more information regarding scholarships or general trip information please contact Jamison Wendlandt at jamison.wendlandt@wisc.edu.
Daily Schedules
Residential Daily Schedule
The residential student experience includes a full day of coursework, activities, and community time. It is designed to be a full immersive pre-college experience.
| Time | Activity |
| 7:30–8:30 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 8:30–9 a.m. | Morning meeting, walk to class |
| 9–11:30 a.m. | Class |
| 11:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. | Lunch |
| 12:30–2:30 p.m. | Class |
| 2:30–4 p.m. | Instructional office hours and study session |
| 4–6:30 p.m. | Free time and Dinner |
| 6:30–7 p.m. | Block meetings |
| 7–9 p.m. | Evening activities, residential time |
| 9–10:00 p.m. | Dorm time |
| 10 p.m.–7:30 a.m. | Quiet hours & room checks |
Commuter Experience
The commuter student experience is offered for students who are interested in the course content only. Commuter students arrive in the morning in time for their first class session and leave after the afternoon class at 4:00 p.m.. Weekend and evening activities are not included in the commuter experience.
| Time | Activity |
| 8:15–8:45 a.m. | Class |
| 9–11:30 a.m. | Class |
| 11:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. | Lunch |
| 12:30–2:30 p.m. | Class |
| 2:30–4 p.m. | Instructor office hours and study session |
| 4 p.m. | Check out** |
**Please note: During the final week of the program, checkout will occur at 5:00pm due to an extra hour of study session and preparation for final projects and presentations.
In addition to academic enrichment, students will have the opportunity to build friendships in a residential community of students from across the US and from across the world. Through group experiences and other opportunities, students can begin to explore life as a Badger and gain insights into preparing for college.
Students will participate in a variety of residence hall activities and connect with fellow participants. These activities are designed to offer the students an opportunity to disconnect from the course material and build meaningful friendships with their peers and classmates. While our programs are designed to challenge and engage students academically, we are also committed to providing a space for students to have serious fun and feel safe and comfortable to be authentically themselves.
Students will connect daily through morning meetings, activities and icebreakers with other students in the program. Group experiences are led by our Residential Assistants and may include small group discussion and collaboration to make each activity interactive. These activities will range in topic from trivia and Pictionary, to connecting over popular games, to more organized workshops that share information about the college application process and college experience. Additionally, as with other Badger Precollege Programs, students will always have access to administrative staff, residential assistants and instructors to help facilitate student success and connection.
A limited amount of need-based financial aid funds are available to domestic students. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide scholarships to international students at this time.
If you are eligible for free or reduced lunch in Wisconsin, submit the DPI Precollege Scholarship Application. Please be sure to complete both sections of the form and have an authorized representative from your student’s school complete and sign Section II: Verification and Recommendation.
If you are not eligible for free or reduced lunch in Wisconsin, submit the first page of the 1040 form of the most recent year’s tax return with Social Security numbers redacted. If extenuating circumstances (i.e. loans, loss of employment) are not reflected on tax return but are impacting your family’s finances, please also submit your financial need story.
Important Dates for Financial Aid
The deadline for all summer financial aid applications is April 1, 2024. Badger Summer Scholars cannot allocate aid to students who have not been admitted to a program*. As such, the student’s program application (including application fee and supporting documentation, such as their grade report, etc.) must be completed by April 1 as well.
The application fee is nonrefundable. Refunds may take up to eight weeks to process, starting from the time a written request is received by the Badger Precollege office.
Cancelation Policy
Badger Precollege reserves the right to cancel classes when necessary, including those for which enrollment numbers are not sufficient, or those for which a highly qualified instructor is unavailable. In the case of course cancellations, we will be happy to help you choose an alternative course. If no acceptable alternative is available, we will refund any tuition paid, minus any non-refundable application fees or deposits.
Refund Schedule
All program applications must be accompanied by the nonrefundable application fee before they can be processed.
| Period | Percent of Refund |
|---|---|
| Withdraw during the period of registration up to one month prior to the first day of the program: | 100% refund
Full refund will also be issued in the following cases, regardless of date:
|
| Withdraw during the period of one month prior to the first day of the program – two weeks before program start | 90% refund
Nonrefundable 10% is used to cover class supplies, books, transportation, and administrative fees and teacher salary costs incurred during this period of program planning. |
| Withdraw during the period of two weeks before program start – opening day of camp | 80% refund
Nonrefundable 20% is used to cover risk management fees, University Health Services fees, class supplies, books, transportation, and teacher salary costs incurred during this period of program planning. |
| Other | 0% refund
Students dismissed for disciplinary reasons are not eligible for any refund. Students voluntarily leaving while the program is in session are not eligible for any refund. |
Support for international participants
At Badger Precollege, we provide international students with engaging coursework and programming while offering different levels of support to ensure the best experience possible. To learn more about visa requirements and other details, click here.
In addition to the traditional program opportunities, international students have access to:
- A Badger Precollege staff member who will work closely with international students to create a fun and educational atmosphere while in the program. They will be available for students to communicate any ideas, concerns or issues relevant to the programs.
- An orientation session that covers all relevant information for the program and any questions that students or their families may have. It will cover technologies used in the program, what to expect within each synchronous course set up, expectations for the program and work done outside of course time, time zone set up and many other topics.
- Specific activities dedicated to creating awareness around different cultures and individual sessions that introduce the culture and community of Madison and the University.
English proficiency recommendations
To be successful in the Badger Summer Scholars program, we suggest that students demonstrate at least intermediate-level English through a minimum TOEFL score of 80 or IELTS score of 6.5 or Duolingo English Test score of 105. If you do not have a test score available but would like to see if your English is proficient for Badger Summer Scholars, you may request a phone or video interview with program staff. To schedule an interview, please email info@precollege.wisc.edu.