About

The Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is Carnegie Mellon University’s signature access-focused STEM immersion program, created to expand pathways for talented high school students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Over six intensive weeks, students live on the CMU campus and take accelerated coursework in areas such as calculus, computer science, engineering, and biological sciences. SAMS is fully funded—tuition, housing, and meals are covered—making it one of the most accessible selective STEM programs available.

CMU does not publish an official acceptance rate, although a 2014 feature noted nearly 900 applicants for roughly 100 spots for an acceptance rate around 10–12%. Given the extraordinary increase in overall competitiveness in the decade-plus since, one can assume that number might well be significantly lower today. The application includes transcripts, essays, recommendations, and evidence of academic readiness; selection centers on academic potential, curiosity, and alignment with SAMS’s mission of expanding representation in STEM.

Students take CMU-taught, college-level STEM courses, participate in hands-on labs, attend research talks, and complete a final project or presentation depending on the track. The academic pace is fast, with a curriculum designed to help students bridge from high school to college-level STEM expectations. Residential life—mentorship, community events, and structured peer support—is a major component of the program, reflecting SAMS’s goal of building confidence and preparation for rigorous STEM degrees.

While SAMS is not a research program in the strict sense, it carries significant credibility due to CMU’s STEM reputation, its competitive admissions, and its history of supporting first-generation and underrepresented talent. Many participants go on to major in STEM fields at selective universities, and SAMS is well recognized—and genuinely admired—by admissions offices for its academic demands, mission-driven, tuition-free design. Applicants should note that SAMS has a fairly broad definition of underrepresented: for instance, students who grew up in a non-English speaking household are specifically encouraged to apply, as are students attending high schools with "historically low acceptance rates to top-tier” universities.

A highly respected, fully funded STEM immersion program with a strong equity mission. SAMS offers rigorous academic preparation, selective admissions, and a well-established track record of supporting underrepresented students pursuing STEM pathways.