Broad Summer Scholars Program Essays Guide 2026

The Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) is a highly competitive 6-week summer research program at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard that accepts fewer than 20 high school students annually. The program matches students with Broad scientists to conduct original, cutting-edge research projects in areas such as cancer biology, psychiatric disease, chemical biology, computational biology, infectious disease, and more. With a $3,600 stipend and no cost to attend, it is one of the most prestigious and accessible summer research opportunities available to Massachusetts high school students.

To be eligible, applicants must be rising seniors attending a high school in Massachusetts within commuting distance of the Broad, and must have earned a B or better in science and math classes. Importantly, no previous research experience is required, students with limited exposure to STEM are especially encouraged to apply. Past BSSP alumni have gone on to become Rhodes, Gates Millennium, Fulbright, and Goldwater scholars, and have won prestigious competitions like the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. This article will guide you on how to approach the various essays required as part of the application process.

1-2. Course Completion Questions

The first two questions ask about courses you have completed or expect to complete. These are straightforward factual questions. Be thorough and accurate. List all relevant science, math, and technology courses, including honors or AP courses, any college-level courses you've taken, and online courses from platforms like Coursera, edX, or Khan Academy. If you've completed any certifications or specialized training in STEM subjects, include those as well.

3. What is most appealing to you about spending your summer at the Broad Institute? (~200 words)

As with all essays of this nature, specificity is key. Being vague, silly, or whimsical for the sake of whimsy will not suffice for a serious research program like BSSP. There are a limited number of valid goals and aspirations a young researcher should expect from this program. These include: learning how to navigate peer-reviewed literature in genomics and biomedical sciences; understanding how statistics can be used to generate insights from data and quantify how reliable or meaningful those insights are; learning to communicate scientific findings effectively to both colleagues and laypeople; identifying a problem that sparks your imagination due to the depth and complexity of its exploration and related challenges; and fostering the desire to push your limits by tackling problems that have yet to be solved.

I may have overlooked a few other valid motivations, but as you can see from the examples provided, the only truly valid ones are intimately tied to the research process itself. The key isn't to cram all of these motivators into a short ~200-word essay. Instead, focus on selecting the reasons that you prioritize the most given your lived experiences and show the reader a snippet of those experiences to establish a strong personal motivation for those reasons. Show the reader that you have done your homework about the Broad specifically, mention its collaborative environment, its connection to MIT and Harvard, or specific research areas that excite you.

4. Please indicate up to four areas of research that interest you.

This is a straightforward question, but you should approach it strategically. The areas you choose should align with your stated interests from the previous essay and demonstrate that you've researched what the Broad Institute actually does. Research areas at the Broad include cancer biology, psychiatric disease, chemical biology, computational biology, infectious disease, genomics, and more. Choose areas that genuinely excite you and that you can speak about knowledgeably if asked during an interview. Don't choose areas just because they sound impressive, choose areas where you have some foundational understanding or genuine curiosity that you can articulate.

5. If you could study and solve any problem facing human health, what would it be and why? (~200 words)

Like all good essays, you want to establish a personal connection to the problem you wish to tackle through STEM. When choosing the problem, avoid stating something without a clear definition, such as "the cure for cancer." Consider: what does a cure mean for a disease that can recur due to random mutations? Given all the different types of cancers, how could there be a single cure for all of them?

Instead, focus on a very specific subproblem within a broader issue that most people consider urgent. The subproblem you select should be one that only someone deeply invested in solving the broader problem would be aware of. Once you've identified both the broader problem and its subcomponent, provide your personal motivation for wanting to address the larger issue, then explain why solving this particular subproblem is critical to achieving that goal. Discuss what makes the problem challenging to solve and explore some promising current approaches that you believe warrant further investigation. Convey to the reader the potential impact of solving this subproblem. Conclude the essay by reflecting on how learning about the intricacies of this problem has shaped your understanding of making a real-world impact through STEM.

6. Please indicate the type of research setting you prefer.

This question asks whether you prefer wet lab (hands-on bench experiments) or computational research (using computers to test hypotheses and analyze data). The prompt explicitly states this will have no impact on the selection process, so be honest about your preference. That said, if you have a strong preference, briefly explain why in a sentence or two. If you are genuinely open to both, say so, this flexibility can actually be appealing to mentors. Consider your answers to previous questions about programming experience and research interests to ensure consistency.

7. Briefly describe any past research experience, if applicable. (~200 words)

For this essay, the key is to show the reader, not just tell them, what you learned. For example, don't say you learned how to code Python, but show them you coding in Python, and give them a front row seat into how your mind works as you are solving a problem in Python. This doesn't need to be a beautifully written essay. The important thing is that you convey how you can solve problems, specifically which types of problems you solved, using the skills you learned from your research experiences. Make sure to show the reader your understanding of the research process, how you formulated questions, designed experiments or analyses, and interpreted results.

If you don't have prior research experience, don't worry, the program explicitly states that no previous research experience is required. In this case, you can leave this section brief or use it to discuss relevant classroom lab experiences that gave you a taste of scientific inquiry.

8. Describe any past experience with or interest in computer programming, modeling, simulation and data analysis, if applicable. (~200 words)

Don't let the open-ended nature of this question fool you. If you have programming experience, they are looking for concrete examples. Give them a front-row seat either in or outside your mind as you apply computational thinking to solve problems. If you enjoy working with data, you could discuss how you've used Python, R, or other tools to analyze datasets, create visualizations, or build models. If you've participated in competitions like USACO or hackathons, or completed projects involving simulation or modeling, describe these experiences vividly.

If you don't have direct programming experience but have interest, explain what draws you to computational approaches. Perhaps discuss how computational biology or bioinformatics fascinates you, and what steps you've taken to begin learning. Honesty is better than exaggeration, the Broad offers exposure to computational techniques as part of the program, so lack of experience is not disqualifying.

9. Describe your main extracurricular activities. (~200 words)

The objective here is to demonstrate how deeply you engage with your interests. Highlight activities that not only bring you joy but also benefit from your application of scientific or mathematical thinking. For instance, if you enjoy reading science fiction, you could delve into how it inspires you to use your knowledge of biology or physics to analyze the plausibility of the feats described in the story. Alternatively, if you're passionate about a sport, you might discuss how you apply analytical thinking to improve your performance or strategy.

Be sure to include science-related activities as instructed. If you've participated in science clubs, competitions (Science Olympiad, biology olympiad, etc.), or independent projects, describe these with specificity. The key is to show depth of engagement rather than breadth of activities. Admissions committees at elite programs prefer students who have pursued one focused interest deeply, going all in through research, competitions, and tackling real-world problems, over students who have a long list of superficial involvements.

10. Describe how you have contributed to your school, community, or other groups through extracurricular or volunteer activities. What motivated your involvement? (~200 words)

This is a classic community essay. Begin with a strong, vivid anecdote showcasing what a community meant to you. From there, express clearly what compelled you to go above and beyond in your participation. You should connect what this community meant to you with your reason for exceeding expectations in your involvement. Next, tangibly show how your participation made a visible change in your community. For this essay to be successful, you want to show a striking before and after. Given the short word count, it is acceptable if the "after" is shown vividly while the "before" is discussed more briefly.

The key is that after reading this essay, reviewers can visualize the type of community member you'll be at the Broad over the next six weeks. Show them how you interact positively with others and contribute to group dynamics.

11. What are you most proud of? (~200 words)

This is a perspective-based essay, which means it is vital that you put forward a well-thought-out, salient response that demonstrates you will add to the intellectual vibrancy of BSSP's incoming cohort. For this essay, I would pick an accomplishment where you created a positive tangible impact in the lives of others (bonus points if that impact can be quantified), solved an incredibly difficult problem, such as during research, or achieved something significant despite facing some type of obstacle.

Start the essay with a vivid first-person depiction of the moment of accomplishment or the obstacle you faced. From there, describe how this achievement shaped a perspective you hold or how it has altered your goals and aspirations for the future. Conclude the essay by explaining what this accomplishment means to the current you, in light of everything else that has happened in your life since.

12. Describe a time when you experienced failure or something didn't go as planned. How did you handle it? (~200 words)

As is always the case, show, don't tell. It's key that you put the reader in your shoes as you faced the greatest duress while tackling this challenge. You want to set up a metaphorical dragon that you eventually slay. After showing them the worst you faced during this challenge, provide context on how you came to encounter it.

After they are fully aware of the stakes and why you are in this situation in the first place, show them exactly how you overcame this challenge. It is key that you are descriptive and give them a front-row seat into your mind. Your reasoning should be clear and analytical. Even if the challenge is not STEM-related, you should approach it with the mindset of a scientist or engineer, breaking it down into mini-problems, trying to cut through the noise, paying attention to evidence, and adapting based on results. Finally, the lesson you learned should be articulated clearly, and then explain how it has shaped you personally or shaped your goals or understanding of research. This is particularly relevant for a research program, where setbacks and failed experiments are part of the scientific process.

13. Describe factors that have limited your prior exposure to STEM research, if applicable. (~200 words)

The goal of BSSP is to provide a transformative STEM opportunity to those from backgrounds with limited opportunities to pursue STEM at the level they wish. It also aims to help those who, through inadequate representation in media and history, may be led to believe there isn't a place for them in STEM.

If this question applies to you, the key is to show the reader that you would benefit from BSSP in such a way that its mission is accomplished as it pertains to your continued pursuit of a STEM education. If you faced obstacles, whether your school offers few or no advanced STEM courses, you lack access to laboratory facilities, you need to work or have caregiving responsibilities, you have limited access to STEM mentors or role models, or you have limited familiarity with STEM career pathways, ensure that you present them in ways that demonstrate they could not have been easily overcome by just "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" or using the internet.

If this question does not apply to you, it is perfectly acceptable to leave this section blank or write a brief statement indicating that you have been fortunate to have access to STEM opportunities. Do not fabricate obstacles, reviewers can tell when responses are inauthentic.

If you want help applying to the Broad Summer Scholars Program or any other summer research program, or would just like someone to help you strengthen your overall extracurriculars, schedule a free consultation with an admissions expert today.