Summer Program
Bridge to Calculus/Bridge to Science is an intensive summer program at Northeastern University. Open to rising juniors and seniors in Boston Public Schools, students will engage in precalculus and AP Calculus preparation, and also explore biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, and artificial intelligence—building confidence and readiness across the board for the year ahead.
Summer Program Overview
Bridge to Calculus/Bridge to Science is an intensive program designed to prepare students for AP Calculus by strengthening the precalculus foundations and problem-solving skills needed to succeed in one of high school’s most challenging math courses. Through a carefully structured curriculum, students build confidence with advanced mathematical concepts while gaining exposure to how these skills connect to real-world applications.
Each day, students participate in focused sessions centered primarily on precalculus and calculus preparation, alongside applied math and financial literacy. The Summer Program also introduces students to select their enrichment class from physics, biology, chemistry, AI, or statistics. Fridays focus on workshops, faculty talks, and alumni panels that connect students to a wider academic and professional world.
The Summer Program runs for seven weeks–June to August, Monday through Friday–at Northeastern University.
Open to rising juniors and seniors in Boston Public Schools, participating students will:
- Strengthen pre-calculus and calculus skills
- Build confidence for AP Math and future college courses
- Apply math to real-world financial decisions
- Choose a personalized enrichment track
- Engage with Northeastern University faculty and alumni
Program Structure
Pre-Calculus and Calculus
Students begin each morning with intensive math instruction, building both foundational and advanced skills. Topics include:
- Line and quadratic functions
- Exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, rational, and polynomial functions
- Function inversion, transformation, combination, and graphing
Math Skills, Math Debates and Financial Literacy
In this Project-based session, students start by building strong foundational Math skills and taking part in structured math debates to sharpen their thinking and communication.
Students also apply mathematical concepts to real-world financial scenarios through collaborative, project-based activities. Topics include:
- Interest rates and investing
- Banking and saving
- Credit and credit cards
- Student loans
- Career path considerations
Enrichment Opportunities
Students select one enrichment track to explore in depth throughout the program. Available areas include:
- Biology and Chemistry
- Physics
- Statistics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Photography
- Game Programming
- Video Editing
Friday Sessions
Fridays are anything but ordinary. Each week, students step outside the regular schedule for immersive experiences that connect the classroom to the real world.
Topics include:
Robotics Workshop
Students take hands-on engineering challenges in a collaborative team setting, putting their problem-solving and critical thinking skills to practical use in an exciting, real-world context.
Special Talks
Northeastern University faculty, along with external speakers, deliver engaging talks that expand students’ mathematical horizons. Topics include Game Theory, Graph Theory, the development of Algebra across cultures, linear algebra, and others.
Alumni Panels
Bridge to Calculus/ Bridge to Science alumni from a wide range of backgrounds return to share their stories- how the program shaped their academic journeys, the paths they’ve taken since, and their advice for making the most of the experience.
I joined the BtC/BtS Summer Program to prepare for AP Precalculus and really enjoyed learning about the unit circle, exponential functions, and even explored AI, which I’m already thinking about applying to my future career in medicine. The program was really connecting, fun, and beneficial for me.
Rising Senior, John D. O’Bryant High School
What to expect for Summer Program 2026
Past Summer Enrichment Instructors
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Kutub Gandhi is a PhD student at Northeastern studying games, specifically how games can make us think about ourselves and the world around us. In his spare time he loves going rock climbing, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and exploring Boston!
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Luis Garcia is a PhD student at Northeastern researching human-computer interaction through games. He’s interested in developing game AI that players can interact with meaningfully. For fun, Luis likes reading, making procedural art, and petting his cat, Ziti.
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Luis Brens is a photographer. Born in the Dominican Republic, Luis graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with two bachelors in photography and Printmaking. He has been a professor of photography at Northeastern for over decade. Luis likes motorcycles, outdoor sports and is very passionate of music.
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Adrian Feiguin
Adrian Feiguin is professor of physics. His field of expertise is computational condensed matter, focusing on quantum mechanical problems with strong correlations. He conducts research on several topics ranging from quantum transport, to exotic phases of matter in cold atom systems.
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Kledia Spiro is Post Graduate Teaching Fellow. She creates videos, performances, installations, and paintings. Kledia was born in Albania and was part of an olympic weightlifting team. She uses strength and weightlifting as a symbol of survival, empowerment, and celebration.