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The admissions committee looks for candidates that display ambition, passion, and creativity. We are looking for students who show to us that they could be successful entrepreneurs. There are no minimum grade or activity involvement requirements.
Optional materials are opportunities for applicants to further prove their propensity towards entrepreneurship to the admissions committee. Additional materials provide a fuller view of a candidate which helps the admissions committee better assess the potential candidate.
Admission decisions will be emailed to applicants using the email address provided in the application materials. A select number of students will be placed on the wait list.
Decisions must be made by the deposit deadline of May 15, 2013. If any admitted student does not submit a deposit by this deadline, his/her spot in the program will be forfeited.
Unfortunately, we cannot yet accept international applications for our 2013 program. We are working to accept international applications for future programs.
We will award scholarships using the same criteria we use for admissions decisions. To be considered, please write in the "Additional Info" section of your application that you would like to be considered for one of our merit-based scholarships.
Launch is a four-week residential summer program during which students have the opportunity to experience a demanding academic atmosphere through designing and launching a business. The business and leadership skills taught are applicable beyond just the challenges of starting a company, and are aimed at increasing student effectiveness as students prepare for future careers.
Teaching formats include instructive lectures, business simulations, and the actual design and launch of a company. Lecture and simulation topics will cover a range of business skills and leadership skills that will translate directly into practical application on student startups.
Classes will be taught by MIT and Harvard Business School professors, successful entrepreneurs, professionals from top tier consulting firms, and Harvard Business School alumni.
No. The curriculum is set up to allow teams to brainstorm potential business ideas, critically assess ideas, and adapt their chosen idea to improve viability and value.
Students will be put in teams of three for the duration of the program. Teammates will be co-founders of their startup business, sharing workload and responsibility for the objectives that they develop together for their team.
Homework will usually take the form of teams working on their businesses, plus some lectures will require pre work. There will not be formal grades, but teams will be given informal feedback on their work in simulations and on their businesses throughout the program.
Classes and structured group work will typically occur Monday through Friday from 8am-6pm. Work often extends into the evenings and weekends, varying to some degree on specific group needs. Weekday evenings and weekends may also include field trips and special events. We pack the four weeks with as many opportunities to learn as possible, so we expect you to be 100% focused on Launch. If you have friends or relatives in the area, we suggest you visit with them either before or after the program. On the very rare occasion that a student wants to leave campus with family or friends from outside of Launch, permission from parents must be arranged by contacting Launch administration at least 48 hours in advance.
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