Why Brandeis?
As a medium-sized private research university with global reach, we are dedicated to first-rate undergraduate education while making groundbreaking discoveries. Our 235-acre campus is located in Waltham, a hub for higher education and innovation. Our faculty are leaders in their fields, and as passionate about teaching and mentorship as they are about pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Our students are motivated, compassionate, curious, and open to exploring new and challenging experiences. At Brandeis, you will discover a community rooted in purpose, guided by our founding values, poised to lead in education and research in the 21st century.
Brandeis offers two precollege experiences:
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Experience Jewish Learning and Community at Brandeis!
Connect with other motivated teens from around the globe, learn with Brandeis faculty and staff and explore the Brandeis campus during a life-changing summer of learning, and experiential programming with a vibrant Jewish community of friends. This summer, Genesis will offer a three-week residential program that emphasizes Jewish culture, community and identity. You’ll have the opportunity to take one of two courses:
Rivalry, Redemption and Renewal: Relationships in the Bible
What do the stories of ancient biblical figures like Jacob and Esau, Abraham and Sarah and Ruth and Naomi have to teach us about how we interact with our families, friends and wider community? In this engaging course, you’ll explore the complex web of interpersonal relationships found in our most sacred texts and discover the lessons we can learn from their triumphs and tragedies. If you love to dig deeply into Jewish text and are fascinated by how our Biblical ancestors did (and did not) relate to each other, this course is for you.
Justice Brandeis, Bread and Roses and Beyond: American Social Movements and the Jews
Louis Brandeis, our University’s namesake, was the first American Jew to serve as a Supreme Court Justice and played a pivotal role in shaping American legal and social policy. Following in his footsteps, American Jews have served as leaders and community organizers in many of America’s most significant social movements, from the Labor Movement to Civil Rights and beyond. This thought-provoking course will explore the legacy of Justice Brandeis and how the American Jewish community’s engagement in the struggle for equality and freedom continues to influence American life today.
Genesis overview
With the help of dedicated community educators and teaching assistants, you’ll explore the unique assets of Brandeis University – its world-class institutes and centers that focus on Jewish learning – while deepening your understanding of Judaism through spiritual practice, mini-courses, community-building activities, social action opportunities, guest workshops and much more.
Explore new perspectives; develop and strengthen your voice; pursue your interests within a dynamic community; and discover how Jewish wisdom, study and practice can inform the way you work towards a more just world. You’ll make lifelong friends, connect with amazing Jewish thought leaders and experience life on the extraordinary Brandeis campus.
Learn more about Genesis
Affordable and Accessible
The Brandeis Precollege Online Program offers courses, designed for high school students ages 13 and up. Each course features engaging videos by Brandeis faculty and access to mentors. The program is available year-round, and the online format lets you study anywhere, anytime at your own pace.
Course topics include:
- Climate Change: Inside the Science and Advocacy
- Civil Litigation: Go Behind the Scenes of a Lawsuit
- Women's Health: Biology and Wellness
- Global Health: When the World Gets Sick
LEARN MORE ABOUT PRECOLLEGE ONLINE
While Brandeis University’s Undergraduate Admissions does not favor those who participate in Brandeis Precollege programs in its admissions decisions, it does consider all extracurricular and summertime activities in students’ applications — including academically challenging programs like our Precollege programs, paid employment, internships, volunteerism and more.