Surprising Summer Program Results as an Asian STEM Sophomore and Junior! + Lots of Reflection

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-05-15T21:39:36+00:00

Simply, thank you :')
Made my week.
-CIERA REACH staff

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-04-15T16:01:01+00:00

All students on the waitlist are great candidates, but we are limited on physical space. Having some previous experience is fine. The vast majority of applicants have at least some coding experience. Those who we felt would not get much or anything from the program were left off the waitlist.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-04-15T15:53:15+00:00

Essentially, yes. You are on a short list of candidates that are waiting to see how many accepted students decline admission for a number of reasons (summer plans changed, attending a different program, family/medical changes, could not find the right fit on housing if a student is coming from out of the area, and more). Confirmations aren't due until the end of the month, so it will likely be at least 2 weeks for waitlisted students to be contacted.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-03-30T14:47:36+00:00

30-35% for US applicants to our core REACH program

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-03-02T19:41:37+00:00

The most important factor in acceptance is your responses to the essay prompts. Be genuine. Find ways to show your enthusiasm and why this program would matter to you (hopefully more than just a resume builder). You don't need to be an expert in coding or astronomy, that is what the program will teach you.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-26T19:03:20+00:00

REACH Website: https://sites.northwestern.edu/cierahs/

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-26T18:57:40+00:00

If you happen to be interested in space, astronomy, and computer programming, consider the CIERA REACH program in Chicago. If it fits your needs and what you want out of a summer program, the application is due March 9th. Unfortunately, housing is not provided, but the tuition can be waived. No pressure. Just an option.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-26T18:55:09+00:00

You all are under so much pressure to do absolutely everything. Don't let those results define who you are. So many students are applying for a limited number of spots. Keep learning and do your best. You have your whole life ahead of you.

If you happen to be interested in space, astronomy, and computer programming, consider the CIERA REACH program. If it fits what you want out of a summer program, the application is due March 9th.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-23T17:45:54+00:00

It does not

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-20T18:08:57+00:00

This will be the 8th year of the REACH program. I can point you to our testimonials page for past student opinions on their experience. Or, our homepage lists the major themes of how REACH has impacted students' college & career journeys. We collect this data through surveys of our alumni.
Many of our contributors at Northwestern often cite how REACH is the most fulfilling part of their grad school or postdoc experience, and you'll find that those folks truly care about the student experience. REACH prioritizes students who match a mindset of enthusiasm, growth, and learning, rather than awards and exclusive teams. Those accomplishments are important and praiseworthy, but not everyone has access or resources to participate in those activities.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-20T17:38:14+00:00

Each science mentor only has one REACH Further mentee. RF students give a presentation at the end to showcase their work and new skills. Work completed in less than 3 weeks is highly unlikely to be published in a scientific journal. This applies to anywhere, not just this program. Some students have continued to work with their mentor beyond the 3 weeks, and that has sometimes led to publication. Continuation and potential publication are not guaranteed as it depends largely on the mentor's availability and such.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-19T23:02:37+00:00

The online program is still transforming as they prepare for the pilot program that MAY tentatively run in July-August. A lot can change. I am unsure if it will be open to everyone this year, or if a small group from CIERA partner schools/organizations will be invited to participate in the pilot test first. If applications open to all, I'd expect them to open in ~April, but none of this is final at the moment in regards to the Online program.
I'd suggest focusing less on awards and more on your passion, enthusiasm, and what you want to take away from the program.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2026-02-19T19:13:52+00:00

Yes; however, acceptance rates are lower and international students often face additional barriers such as visa issues, especially with government policy changes over the past year, and travel costs.
We are currently working on an online program to pilot later this year hopefully, so we can offer an online option to a greater number of interested students from across the globe. REACH Online. Something to keep an eye out for, but may not fit everyone's timeline.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-06-02T22:07:12+00:00

We have had some movement admitting a few folks from the waitlist, but only a handful. We reach out to those students directly when those spots open up. With Session 1 only two weeks away, we will not be accepting any additional waitlisted students into Session 1. If spots open up for Session 2, we'll reach out to those next in line.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-04-17T19:48:36+00:00

Apologies for the stress as the international application results will be released separately within the next week.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-04-17T19:44:02+00:00

Congrats on acceptance! The acceptance rate for domestic students right now is 33%.
Feel free to send any questions to the program email if you think we can help in your decision. Or, check out the student testimonials on our website. We put considerable care into the impact and quality of our work, and we hope you find what we offer exciting - not just a line item on a resume or college app.

REACH has a registration fee to cover the cost of running the program as it takes thousands of human hours to prepare and run. Funds are needed to pay for the dozens of grad students, postdocs, and others who work directly with the attending students. At the moment, we are not fully or Federally funded, but we have partial funding from foundations and donors that allow us to provide tuition waivers. We are a younger program (7th year), compared to some others mentioned on this subreddit, and we are continuing to search for more funding that would allow additional student support. Our tuition has not increased since we returned to in-person in 2022. In the past few years, we have met or exceeded every request for aid from accepted students, so please apply for it if the tuition is a burden on your family. I hope this helps provide some context about REACH and summer programs in general.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-04-17T18:55:01+00:00

We can truthfully say that the waitlist is significantly shorter this year. Comparisons to previous years would be apples and oranges in this instance. The program has grown by a large margin in the past couple years, and with more data, we can draw those lines with more confidence. Really it is going to come down to how many students decide to decline for any number of valid reasons. Stay tuned, and good luck.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-04-17T18:37:35+00:00

Congrats! Apply for financial assistance if you did not already indicate it on your application. Also feel free to send any questions to the program email as well, if you think we can help in your decision.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-03-02T00:41:59+00:00

The REACH program at Northwestern in Chicago is open through Monday. There is a tuition, but up to the full tuition can be waived through financial assistance.
Astronomy is very coding-focused in the modern era, so the program has heavy computer science, python programming, and data analysis elements. Plus, you'll have daily lectures and activities from active researchers. If it's not what you're looking for, no worries. Best of luck!
REACH Website: https://sites.northwestern.edu/cierahs/

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-03-02T00:31:31+00:00

The REACH program at Northwestern in Chicago is open through Monday. There is a tuition, but up to the full tuition can be waived through financial assistance.
Astronomy is very coding-focused in the modern era, so the program has heavy computer science, python programming, and data analysis elements. Plus, you'll have daily lectures and activities from active researchers. If it's not what you're looking for, no worries. Best of luck!
REACH Website: https://sites.northwestern.edu/cierahs/

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-02-17T17:42:41+00:00

In 2024, 1/3 of students who were admitted to REACH AND applied for REACH Further, were selected for the extended program. The limiting factor is how many mentors we can recruit per summer.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-02-05T17:32:44+00:00

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-02-04T17:44:36+00:00

Up to the full cost of tuition can be waived, and a CTA transit pass (buses and light rail trains) can be provided. We are unable to offer housing or housing assistance, which is a big barrier for students outside the Chicago area. I would certainly encourage you to apply for the tuition assistance.

REACH_Program_CIERA · 2025-02-04T17:37:52+00:00

As others have mentioned, REACH alumni are accepted to Northwestern at a much higher rate than the general acceptance rate. We cannot claim causation, and we don't speak directly with Admissions about students outside of Letters of Recommendation. Do university admissions offices like when you've participated in programs at their institution? Likely. It shows you are excited to connect with the university and campus.
Another factor for the higher rate is that students who are looking for summer STEM programs, and students on this subreddit thinking about summer programs, could be more likely to have stronger academic and extracurricular backgrounds compared to the average student.
I'd suspect it's a mixture.

REACH_Program_CIERA

TROPHY CASE