Everything You Need to Know about COSMOS
If you’re a STEM enthusiast looking to make the most of your summer by strengthening your knowledge base and gaining practical experience, then this is for you. Attending programs like COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science), which we’ll be exploring in detail, can enhance your profile and college applications – it shows admissions officers that you’re committed and passionate about your subject of choice. These programs can also give you a headstart on your career, as they’ll equip you with essential skills you’ll need in the future.
What is the COSMOS program?
The California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science or COSMOS is an intensive four-week summer residential pre-college program for high school students passionate about STEM. Established by the California Legislature in 1998, COSMOS aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.
The program is hosted across five University of California campuses and focuses on providing a lab-intensive hands-on experience. As a student at COSMOS, you will work with researchers and scientists to explore advanced STEM topics, beyond what you might study in high school. Each of the UC campuses has its own specializations or subject “clusters”, giving you a great degree of freedom to choose which specific niche you wish to pursue. While you must be a California-based high schooler to be eligible for this program, you will have the option of attending it at one of the five UC campuses - UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz.
Is COSMOS prestigious?
COSMOS is a fairly selective program – only one third of the applicants are admitted, and more than half of the cohort has a GPA of 4.0 or above. While its prestige and selectivity is somewhat offset by the fact that the program is only open to California high schoolers, attending this program does make you stand out to college admissions officers and recruiters.
A COSMOS student is generally regarded to be academically talented and motivated. This is further enhanced because you will work with renowned researchers, lecturers and scientists in the university’s state-of-the-art labs. We would consider this a prestigious program that you should consider applying to, especially if you’re looking to build on your core STEM knowledge while boosting your profile for college applications.
Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible to apply for COSMOS, you must:
be a high school student residing in the state of California;
be in grades 9-12 by Fall 2024;
have demonstrated an aptitude for STEM subjects; and
have a good GPA. While it’s not technically a part of the eligibility criteria, a typical COSMOS applicant has a minimum GPA of 3.5 or above.
The application process:
When applying to COSMOS, make sure you’ve submitted the following:
The completed online application, which includes one personal statement.
At least one teacher recommendation, preferably from a STEM teacher, though two are recommendations would be better.
Unofficial transcripts generated after the application opening date. Students in grades 8 and 9 graders must also submit a copy of their 7th and 8th grade report cards, respectively.
An application fee of $42.
Key dates you should keep in mind:
Applications open on January 10, 2024, at 8:00 AM and are due by February 9, 2024, 11:59 PM.
If you’re applying for financial aid, you must submit your application for aid by February 10, 2024.
Admissions notifications will be sent out on March 28, 2024.
Offer acceptances are due by April 10, 2024, along with a deposit.
How much does COSMOS cost?
In addition to the above mentioned application fee of $42, the total cost of the program is $5,007. This covers all expenses and has to be paid in two parts – one-third as deposit when you accept your offer, and the remainder a week later. COSMOS also offers financial aid for students in need, covering up to full coverage of the tuition depending on the aid available and the number of individuals in need.
How is COSMOS structured?
The COSMOS 2024 session will be held July 7 - August 2, for 4 weeks. The program is structured a little differently from general STEM programs, where instead of working on a specific project, students can choose a “cluster” they want to intern in. There are five UC locations that conduct the COSMOS program - UC Los Angeles, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz - each with its own set of clusters. Clusters can be as diverse as:
Quantum mechanics and nanotechnology: In this cluster, you will learn programming in C to do quantum mechanics on a computer. You will learn the mathematics of quantum mechanics as well, and this cluster will conclude with you creating a program to determine how an electron’s location involves a probability of being at a range of positions.
Sustainable transportation - engineering, environment, and policy: In this cluster, you will explore the science behind sustainable transportation through system design, vehicle technology, public transit and micro-mobility. This is a multidisciplinary cluster, exposing you to the workings of physics, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, economics and statistics.
Music and technology: This cluster focuses on the principles of sound synthesis, sound design and beat making. You will also work with technologies like midi controllers and microcontrollers. The cluster also involves hands-on work recording, editing and mixing your own compositions.
Video game programming and game AI design: If you’ve always been hooked on games and wondered how such complex pieces of art and programming are made, then this is the cluster for you. Here, each week you will code a new game on the Unity engine in C#, getting practical experience while understanding the theory of game design and AI design.
This is only a small subset of all the clusters available for you to choose from – you can find the entire list of the clusters here! Each campus has its own clusters, as they are tailored to the strengths, laboratories, and researchers available at each location. You will have to choose which campus you want to attend COSMOS at, based on the cluster you’re interested in.
While the specifics of what you’ll learn in each cluster may differ, the overarching pedagogy is the same– you will do plenty of work in the laboratory and attend theory lectures to ensure that you get a holistic learning experience. Many clusters also have field trips and excursions to other laboratories or museums or other institutions.
Here is what makes an ideal COSMOS applicant
1. Be able to demonstrate a strong passion for the STEM field: Your application should reflect a genuine interest and enthusiasm for STEM subjects. COSMOS is looking for people who’ve done school projects, participated in STEM competitions, attended advanced courses, and generally gone beyond the pale in pursuing STEM. Your recommendation letter and overall profile count for a lot in the final decision taken. COSMOS is not a course you can enroll in on a whim, it’s an endeavor you need to focus on.
2. Have a stellar academic record: At least 50% of students who are accepted into COSMOS have a GPA of over 4.0. The admissions committee pays particular attention to your high school transcript when making their decision. Needless to say, your school grades in STEM subjects have a significant role to play.
3. Have strong recommendations: While passion and academics will get you far, what will really help seal the deal is what your teachers and mentors say about you. It would be best to get your recommendation letters from STEM teachers who can attest to your skills and potential. These teachers have seen your successes and failures, they understand what makes you tick, and can speak to your abilities. These letters have the power to tell the admissions team, from a fairly unbiased perspective, why you deserve to be part of COSMOS.
4. Be able to demonstrate commitment: COSMOS is a rigorous, time-consuming program that demands both strong base knowledge and the ability to learn quickly in a short period of time. This is not a program to enroll in out of curiosity or to learn the basics of STEM, it is an advanced program you pursue to hone your skills and develop new ones. You will need to be able to convey to the admissions team that you’re prepared for the level of rigor this program demands.
Attending a program like COSMOS is more than just an academic endeavor – it's a stepping stone to a future filled with possibilities in the field of STEM. If you live in California and are serious about your STEM education, this is one program you should strongly consider!
If you’re interested in artificial intelligence and machine learning, consider applying to the Veritas AI programs!
Founded by Harvard graduate students, Veritas AI gives you the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of computer science and AI. You get a chance to work 1-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Oxford, and more to write research papers or build unique projects. Last year, we had over 1000 students apply to do AI work with us, and our alums went on to study computer science and AI at top universities. You can find the application form here.
Image Source - COSMOS Logo