Splash (academic outreach program)
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Background
Splash! is a academic program organized and coordinated by Learning Unlimited of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Splash! is a yearly academic outreach program that invites high school students to visit MIT and attend classes created and taught by MIT students, alumni, and members of the local community. Splash! is run by MIT's Educational Studies Program (ESP).[1] ESP is a student group at MIT; attendance at Splash! gives one no more advantage in the MIT admissions process than any other extra-curricular activity.
Classes offered over the program's two days present a wide variety of options and are often considered reflective of the MIT culture. Splash! classes are generally two hours long and range from discussions and interactive projects to intense academic seminars. Attendees are encouraged to take as many classes as they would like.
Splash also happens at Stanford University twice a year.
A typical syllabus for the weekend might include classes such as the following, excerpted from the Splash! 2005 curriculum:
- Wikipedia: Investigate Your Homework or Be the Teacher!
- Persuasion Tactics
- Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos
- Learn the Salsa
- Duct Tape 101
- Robot Physics
- How to Build a Thermonuclear Bomb Using Things Found Around the House
- Time travel
- How the Brain Works
- Life of War: Becoming a Spartan
- Make Sculptures Out of Chocolate
- Video Games: An Insider's Look
- How to Achieve Immortality
- Fundamental Tactics of Zombie Survival
- Slack Linning
- AI
- Lego DNA
- Sleep and society
- Visiting SLAC
The cost for registration in 2005 was $20, excluding meals. As of 2013 that cost had risen to $40.
Beginning with Splash 2013, Splash is open to grades 9-12. Previously, Splash has been for students in grades 7-12.
In 2011, the program was expanded to Yale University, where it is now being held every semester. The cost is $15 plus an optional $5 for lunch. Over the past several years there have also emerged Splashes at numerous other universities, including Boston College, Brandeis University, the Claremont Colleges consortium, The University of Chicago, Cornell, Columbia, Smith College, Princeton, and Stanford.[2]
Locations
Spalsh! is offered (as of October 2015) at 24 campuses around the United States.[3]
References
- ^ MIT Educational Studies Program web page
- ^ Splash at Yale
- ^ "Learning Unlimited's List of Splash! Programs". Retrieved 27 October 2015.