Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who can participate in the program? Can high school students register for a course individually?
A. The High School Science Discovery Program is a cohort-based program and open to public and private schools willing to bring a group of at least ten students to participate in one of our courses. The program is not currently open to individual high school students.
Q. Is the program offered in the summer?
A. MBL’s High School Science Discovery Program is offered during the academic year, November through March, not during the summer months.
Q. Are there prerequisites to participate in the program?
A. We recommend that participating students have at least completed basic biology as a prerequisite. Most participating students are juniors and seniors, but some sophomores have participated as well.
Q. Are there scholarships available?
A. Funding opportunities are sometimes available. We will work with administrators and teachers from participating schools to determine need-based scholarships and/or fundraising opportunities.
Q. Do I have to stay on campus?
A. This is a residential program for students and chaperones. Each participating school group stays on the MBL campus in Swope Center.
Q. What’s the housing like?
A. Students and chaperones are housed in dorm rooms in a secure wing of Swope Center. Students are housed in double rooms with a roommate and chaperones are housed in single rooms. The dorm rooms have a single bed per person, desk, and full bathroom.
Q. Is there a cafeteria on campus?
A. The Dining Hall is located on the second floor of Swope Center. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served for the high school groups. A variety of food selections are offered to accommodate dietary needs and preferences.
Q. Who are the chaperones?
A. Each participating school provides one chaperone per ten students. The chaperones are typically science teachers from the school or administrators.
Q. Do the chaperones participate in the course with the students?
A. Chaperones are strongly encouraged to participate in the course with the students.
Q. Do I need to bring a laptop?
A. Yes, laptops are required for the courses. The MBL is happy to provide a laptop for any student who does not have their own. Laptops should be a PC or MacBook. Chromebooks are not compatible with some of our required software downloads for the courses.
Q. Will I receive laboratory safety training?
A. All students and chaperones are required to complete an online Laboratory Safety Training session prior to course commencement. A link is sent to each participant and chaperone approximately two weeks prior to the start of the course.
Q. What is a typical day like?
A. Most of the courses begin by 8:30 or 9 am so participants attend breakfast prior to that. There is a combination of lecture and lab components for each course with a lunch break in the middle and an emphasis on hands-on experience each day. The course ends around 5 pm each day.
Q. Are there extracurricular activities?
A. The courses are supplemented with tours of our Marine Resources Center, Rare Books Collection, and other tours when time permits. A Career Panel Discussion is scheduled for one evening. Other evenings are free for students to watch a movie or play games in our Meigs Room, second floor of Swope Center.