2016 Business & Entrepreneurship Program 

One & Two Week Traveling Program

The goal of the program is to empower students to become successful entrepreneurs and provides them with all the planning, creativity, innovation, negotiation and leadership knowledge and skills so that they can establish sustainable and successful businesses in their own community and/or in communities across the world. Students will leave the program with a personal strategic plan to help them "strategically and creatively" get to where they want be in the next 5 -10 years.

Over the course of 2 weeks, our program will guide students through the integral parts of launching a business. We aim to equip students with a comprehensive education of business fundamentals and to provide valuable hands-on experience so they will be ready to enter and succeed in the business world. 

Program Dates & Locations

Session I. June 19 – July 2, 2016

California Business & Entrepreneurship Program

Locations: UCLA | USC | STANFORD | UC IRVINE | UC SAN DIEGO | UC DAVIS | UC BERKELEY | UC RIVERSIDE

Session II. July 31 – August 13, 2016

Ivy League Business & Entrepreneurship Program

Locations:

Harvard | Yale | Columbia | UPenn | Cornell | Princeton | Dartmouth | Brown

THE 2016 SHARK TANK BUSINESS PLAN PITCH COMPETITION @ HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Student's Compete for a $5,000 USD start up grant! 

In addition to teaching students the essentials of business, NAPCA also challenges students to apply their knowledge and create a business proposal of their own. On the first day of the program, students will be organized into teams and presented with the task of generating an idea for a potential business. Throughout the week, these teams will be given the task of utilizing the knowledge they learn each day to develop their business idea, culminating into a final business plan and pitch competition at the end of the program. Students will have the opportunity to present their business plan to a crowd of judges and entrepreneurs. Students will compete for a $5,000 start up grant to help get their business started. 

Courses Offered

Students will take courses in Business & Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Leadership and Management. Benefit from academic instruction and support from top scholars in the field.

Depending on the specific course, you may expect group work, hands-on lab experience, field trips, guest speakers and a Shark Tank Business Plan Competition (modeled after the American TV Show "Shark Tank" – learn more at abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank). Students will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the program. 

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Housing and Meals
Housing and meals are provided throughout the duration of the program. Participants stay in University residence halls, or a local hotel during off campus activities and events. The cost of the program also includes meals on university campuses or at local restaurants. 

Program Tips and Information
1. Book early to ensure your spot. Space is limited, with a maximum of 50 participants per session.
2. Start your visa process early! 

Application and Deadlines

Apply Online: 

summer.napcaonline.org/apply-now

Deadline: Accepting applications until all seats are filled. Seats are limited. Apply Now!

Contact our student support team at support@napcaonline.org if you have any questions. 

NAPCA Residential Experience & Travel Arrangements

• All international students must have a local cell phone number.

• NAPCA cannot offer any early arrival or late departure accommodations. Please plan all flights and hotel reservations accordingly.

• Airport pick up and drop off is available for a fee. Please contact your regional representative.

Language Requirement & TOEFL, IELTS or PTE-A Scores
All international applicants whose native language is not English need to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE-A scores with their application for admission to the NAPCA Summer Academy at Harvard University. Applicants with minimum scores of 600 on SAT Critical Reasoning or 27 on ACT college entrance English are exempt from taking the TOEFL. The TOEFL must have been taken within the past two years.

Important: TOEFL scores must be submitted along with an official transcript and letter of recommendation.

Please be aware that applicants cannot send scores directly from the exam website. To submit TOEFL scores: log in to the TOEFL system and open the “View Scores” option under the “Scores” menu. Download the score report as a JPEG or PDF.

Applicants whose native language is English are presumed to be proficient. This includes applicants from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (except Quebec) where English is both the first language of the country and the language of instruction.

Applying for a Visa

To attend the 2-Week program, international students must obtain a tourist visa for their visit (speak to your Regional Representative). Obtaining a Visa to enter the United States can take weeks or months. Start this process right away. 

*Canadian citizens do not need a Visa but require an I-20 form

Visa Processing Fees Paid to the United States Government: The price may vary from country to country

Resources
For more information regarding visas and other necessary paperwork, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Program Curriculum Snapshot

Below you will find the Course Topics that will be offered in the 2016 Business & Entrepreneurship Program at Harvard University. 

Admission Requirements for U.S. & International Applicants 

1. Grade Level/Age Requirement:   

Middle School and High School students (ages 12 – 18) are eligible to apply for admission to the NAPCA Summer Academy Business & Entrepreneurship Program. U.S. citizenship is not required, but excellent command of the English language, both written and oral, is necessary.

2. International Students English Language Test:

Evidence of English Language Proficiency

All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency by taking a standardized test called the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service. You can obtain detailed information from the TOEFL website, or contact TOEFL Services, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, (609) 771-7100. 

This requirement applies to applicants from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, most European countries, and non-English-speaking countries in Africa.

If you have completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better in residence at a recognized U.S. institution, you do not need to take a standardized test. Instead, you must upload an unofficial transcript from the recognized U.S. institution.

3. Academic Performance: We are looking for students who are serious about academics, with at least a 3.0 GPA or higher (on a 4.0 scale) in their academic courses.​ 

Note: Students who have earned less than a 3.0 GPA may be considered for admission. Please contact us to speak with one of our staff to discuss your interest in our summer academy.

4. Your Personal Commitment: Your commitment to taking ownership of your future is the most important factor in our process of selecting students for admission. 

5. Your Admission Essay:
This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself — your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, inspirations. It tells us something about you beyond your grades. We want to know about your extracurricular activities outside the classroom. Your interests outside of the classroom will help paint the full picture of who you are. We encourage you to take your time on this assignment. Be open. Be reflective. Find your individual voice and express it honestly.

As you respond to only one of the essay prompts below, think about the admissions and scholarship officers who will read your statement and what you want them to understand about you. While your admissions essay is only one of many factors we consider when making our admission decision, it helps provide context for the rest of your application.

Admission Essay Instructions

• Choose one essay prompt out of the three prompts below and respond. 
• Do not respond to more than one essay prompt.
• Responses to your chosen essay prompt must not exceed 1,000 words total (double spaced, 12pt font).

Prompt A: Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. In addition, please explain why you decided to apply for admission and what you expect to learn and experience from participating in the NAPCA Summer Academy.

Prompt B: What is your academic major? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had in the field — such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities — and what you have gained from your involvement. In addition, please eexplain why you decided to apply for admission and what you expect to learn and experience from participating in the NAPCA Summer Academy.

Prompt C: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? Additionally, please explain why you decided to apply for admission and what you expect to learn and experience from participating in the NAPCA Summer Academy.

Notes:

• Please put your full name, school name, grade level, and phone number in the header (top right hand corner) of your admissions essay. 
• Please compose your admissions essay in Microsoft Word and upload in your online admissions application. If your having difficulty uploading your essay in your admissions essay, you can email directly to our office at admissions@napcaonline.org

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6. Recommendations: We require at least one recommendation but please do not submit more than two recommendations.  It's best to select people who can vouch for you, like teachers, counselors, community leaders, your job supervisor, and other academic officials. 

Submit Online Recommendation Form: www.summer.napcaonline.org/recommendation. ​

Please send this link to your recommenders to complete the online recommendation form.

7. Admission & Scholarship Interview (Telephone or In-Person): Within 2 weeks after you have submitted a complete online application including the required documents for admission, the student will be contacted by one of our staff members and will be asked to complete an admission and scholarship interview over the telephone or in-person for those that live near our office.

8. Submit Unofficial Transcript:
Ask your School or Counselor to provide you with an electronic copy (PDF file) of your unofficial school transcript as you will need to upload to your online application. 

Alternatively, students who are not able to obtain their transcript due to circumstances beyond their control, may provide us with their most recently completed academic semester report card. 

9. (Optional) Scholarship Essay & Interview: International Students are not eligible to receive scholarship funds. 
The scholarship essay is not required for admission but if you want to be considered for a scholarship, you must submit a scholarship essay with your online application for admission. Please compose a scholarship essay using the following essay prompt.

Scholarship Essay Prompt
If you are selected to receive a NAPCA Scholarship (i.e., $450 to $1,000) to help cover a portion of your total program fee, can you and your family commit to fundraising the remaining cost to attend the NAPCA Summer Academy? If so, please explain in detail how you plan to raise the additional funds needed to attend the Summer Academy?*

IMPORTANT: Please put your full name, school name, grade level, and phone number in the header (top right hand corner) of your scholarship essay. Please compose your essay in Microsoft Word and upload in your online admissions application. If your having difficulty uploading your essay, you can email your essay to admissions@napcaonline.org.

Scholarship Interview (telephone or in-person)

The scholarship interview typically takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. 

Online Fundraising Used by 96% of NAPCA Students

Many of our students are using gofundme.com, kickstarter.com, and indiegogo.com to do online fundraising to help them secure the funds to attend the program. Students and parents have reported that online fundraising was the best way to secure the additional funds needed to cover their cost to attend the NAPCA Summer Academy. Our students and parents wrote a compelling letter or used the NAPCA Summer Academy Sponsorship Letter to ask for donations. They sent the letter out to their friends and family via email. Additionally, for those students and parents that had a Facebook page, they placed the donation letter on their Facebook page.

We highly recommend this fundraising strategy. It has proven to work for our students and parents. If you need help setting up your online fundraising website, our student support team is here for you.

You can set up your personal online fundraising website in about 10 – 20 minutes. 

To start raising funds online now, go to:

gofundme.com

kickstarter.com 

indiegogo.com

FUN ACTIVITIES, EXCURSIONS & MORE!

Fun activities vary by campus. Check with each program location for a list of their NAPCA sponsored and student sponsored activities.

Download Sample Schedule

Admitted Students will receive the actual program schedule 2 weeks prior to the start of the program. 

Program Cost

Below is the cost of attendance for the 2016 Business & Entrepreneurship Program.

Program Cost: $5,250.00 (Scholarships are available for those that qualify)

• NAPCA only accepts wire transfers (1% fee) and/or credit card payments (3% fee for U.S. students and 6% fee for International students). Please be advised that declined credit cards will incur a $30 charge per occurrence.
• Students must submit proof of health insurance when securing their enrollment.
• Private rooms are available on a first come, first served basis for an additional fee. If we are unable to accommodate your private room request and you have paid the extra fee, you will receive a refund of the additional fee paid for the private room.

Program Cost Includes:

– Academic Program

– Course Instruction & Materials

– Double Occupancy Room (students can request roommates)

– 3 meals a day in University dining hall or in other campus eateries 

– NAPCA Sponsored Fun Activities & Excursions (Evening & Weekend)

– FREE HARVARD UNIVERSITY T-SHIRT

– Certificate of Program Completion

– 24 Hour Supervision & Care (7 Days a Week): Student safety, security and health are our first priority at NAPCA. All NAPCA programs are held at safe campus locations and have access to campus security. Campus security officers will be on duty 24 hours a day and will frequently patrol all campus facilities (classrooms, housing) used by the program. A licensed barber and cosmetologist/hair stylist will be available to students if needed for an additional fee.

Program Cost Do Not Include:

– Required health insurance (varies)

– Airport pick up service and Transportation to and from campus (varies)

– Personal spending money (varies)

– Snacks. All students should bring their own snacks or make arrangements to purchase snacks and water for refreshment and hydration during break periods.

– Mandatory NAPCA Daily Uniform Shirt(s) (price varies). Uniforms can be purchased at the NAPCA Online Student Store.

– U.S. Visa: International students are fully responsible to obtain a US visit visa. Note: Once your U.S. visit/ tourist visa has been issued or if you already hold a U.S. visa, send a copy of your U.S. VISA to the NAPCA Office of Student Accounts: studentaccounts@napcaonline.org.

Definitions 

Refunds

Application fees or deposits are non-refundable. There are no refunds on tuition & fees paid. NAPCA will not refund tuition, room & board, or any other program fees for students dismissed from the program or unable to enter the country due to an improper visa.

Apply Online: 

summer.napcaonline.org/apply-now