JHU’s Next Generation Scholars Academy

Updated December 18, 2025

Summer at Hopkins is proud to reflect on the successful launch of the Next Generation Scholars Academy, a five-week residential experience designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who are ready to challenge themselves academically, explore their future pathways, and experience college life at Johns Hopkins University.

Launched in summer 2025, the inaugural Next Generation Scholars Academy brought together a cohort of motivated students from across the country and around the world to the Homewood campus in Baltimore, Maryland. Over five immersive weeks, students balanced the rigor of undergraduate coursework with intentional programming focused on self-awareness, access, and wellness, all while living and learning in a vibrant university community.

As part of the Academy, students completed two Johns Hopkins undergraduate courses alongside an exclusive one-credit seminar focused on personal and college success. As official Johns Hopkins University visiting undergraduate students, all coursework is recorded on an official JHU transcript, providing students with meaningful academic credentials they may choose to include as part of the undergraduate admissions process when the time comes.

What distinguished the Academy in its first year was not only the academic rigor, but the depth of the experience. Scholars engaged closely with expert instructors, accessed world-class facilities, and participated in curated workshops, mentoring opportunities, and on-campus and community-based activities. Just as importantly, they formed meaningful connections with peers who shared a similar drive and curiosity, creating a supportive cohort that extended well beyond the classroom.

The Academy’s one-credit seminar anchored the experience by guiding students through structured reflection, college planning, and goal setting. Through activities such as personal statement development, values exploration, wellness planning, and leadership workshops, students were encouraged to better understand who they are, what motivates them, and how they want to show up in college and beyond. These experiences were reinforced through engagement with the broader Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region, offering students perspective on learning inside and outside the classroom.

A defining feature of the Academy was the capstone project, in which students synthesized their academic, personal, and experiential learning. By the end of the program, Scholars were able to clearly articulate their interests, aspirations, and next steps, equipping them to approach the college application process with confidence and authenticity.

“Our first year of the Next Generation Scholars Academy reinforced what we hear from students again and again, they want to be challenged academically while also having the space and guidance to reflect, grow, and plan for what comes next,” said Owen Hooper, executive director of the Office of Summer and Intersession Programs. “Our inaugural cohort demonstrated tremendous growth over five weeks, not just in the classroom, but in how they understood themselves, their goals, and the opportunities ahead of them. As we look to 2026, we are building on that momentum by deepening the academic experience, expanding mentorship and support, and continuing to create a community where students feel both challenged and supported as they take their next steps toward college.”

The success of the first cohort has set a strong foundation for the future of the Next Generation Scholars Academy. As Summer at Hopkins prepares for 2026, the Academy will continue to evolve, building on what worked, listening to student feedback, and strengthening its role as a transformative pathway for high school students seeking an authentic undergraduate experience at a top-tier research institution.

Students interested in applying to the Next Generation Scholars Academy are encouraged to review the Admissions Criteria for Pre-College applicants and explore how this distinctive program can support their academic and personal goals.