Boston Leadership Institute

★★★★Aike Sun

I attended BLI's three-week economics program, and honestly, it is very fulfilling! We learned about the basic economic concepts, and started our own "companies". It is a very good camp, and I would highly recommend it.

★★★★★Hailey Coffey

I attended the 3 week oncology research program, and all I can say is that it was nothing short of incredible! Dr. Lee Lawton was my teacher, and she was phenomenal. She lead the class with expert pace, and helped us through new material and labs. I completed this course entering high school, so it is perfect for anyone wanting a head start in high school biology. In addition, the field trips were super fun - we went to MIT, the Broad institute, and the museum of science in Boston. You will get amazing lab experience out of this, and I guarantee you that you won’t regret it! I highly recommend this - apply today!! Below are some things we looked at under a microscope, field trips, and a sheep brain dissection that we did.

★★★★★Abbigail Deren

Attending the Intro to Surgery program at BLI this summer was one of the best experiences of my life! As a 17-year-old passionate about medicine, getting hands-on exposure in a professional setting was both inspiring and exciting. The instructors were incredibly knowledgeable and supportive, and I learned so much about surgical techniques, anatomy, and the real-world medical field. Staying in the dorms added to the experience—I met amazing people from all over, and we quickly became close friends. The mix of learning, collaboration, and fun outside the classroom made this summer unforgettable. I feel more confident than ever in my goal of becoming a surgeon. Highly recommend this program to anyone even slightly interested in medicine!

★★★★★Swim? Cool.

This place was absolutely amazing! I was able to make so many friends and the experience is amazing. My teacher, Dr. Jeffery Robin, was absolutely amazing. One of the best teachers I ever had. We did amazing surgeries in the Biomedical and Surgery section. Greatest experience in my life!

★★★★★Brandi Preuss

I attended the 2024 3-week Astrophysics program at the Gann/Bentley location, and I do not regret a single second. Despite travelling alone for the first time and having troubles with delayed flights, the staff helped make sure those problems were sorted out. Even though our instructor (Scott) was not the person mentioned on the website, he was very knowledgeable, engaging, and understanding. He made lessons fun and interesting, and I feel as though it seriously grew my interest in physics. We had a prefect balance of lecture, critical thinking tasks, group activities, and hands-on projects, as well as a few relevant and fun field trips. I really liked that there wasn't a strictly set curriculum, but rather an outline of topics to cover, and from there we learned about what interested us, and therefore many student questions were analyzed and answered. On weekdays after classes, we were given adequate free time, but were not forced to either stay in our dorms nor engage in activities. Fun activities were planned, even some that were week-long themes, including games and sports, which I think helped build friendships between students. I feel as though our counselor (Vanya) had equal consideration for the students' happiness, safety, and freedom to consider both on our own. On weekends, we did not have access to the dining hall, but I think this was well made up for by the plentiful catered food. On Saturdays we took fun field trips that appealed to all of the kids in the various programs, like exploring different parts of Boston. Sundays were free days, but that did not have to mean days of doing nothing- we could still explore campus, spend time with friends, and organize games. I was struggling with my mental health prior to my trip, but engaging in my favorite subject and being surrounded by friendly, welcoming people changed that completely by giving me a sense of purpose. I also feel as though the entire experience can help build a student's confidence and independence, as well as give them a feel for the responsibility of college life. I think what made this experience positive for me was the people, both students and staff. Of course, something to consider is that the people will be different each year and for each program. Whether or not this program is right for you depends entirely on the field of interest and personal preferences. For me, it was entirely worth it.