Alumni share how their NSLC experience shaped their educational journey and beyond.
Harrison Eichelberger
Political Action & Public Policy
American University
2016
Avey Songco
Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
2016
Madeline Baxter
Medicine & Health Care
Northwestern University
2017
Nora Kabbani
Engineering
Georgia Tech
2014
Jeffrey Dabundo
Medicine & Health Care
University of California, Berkeley
2009
Sam Movish
Business & Entrepreneurship
Fordham University
2012
Cierra Coppock
Digital Arts & Design
University of California, Berkeley
2016
Dr. Reid Haflich
Medicine & Health Care
University of California, Berkeley
2005
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NSLC Cancellation & Refund Policy
Cancellation requests may be submitted through the Manage Registration section of your online student portal.
| 30-Day Grace Period | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
|
Enrollments submitted before April 1, 2024, have 30 days to cancel without penalty. After 30 days, or if enrolling after April 1, please see the table below. |
$0 (full refund) |
| Cancel Date | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| By April 1, 2024 |
$350 (6-9 day programs) $500 (18-day programs) |
| April 2 – May 1, 2024 |
$1000 (6-9 day programs) $1500 (18-day programs) |
| May 2, 2024 or after | 100% of tuition paid* |
*The NSLC will not charge additional payments. Payment plans will automatically end at the time of cancellation.
Flexible Monthly Payments
All enrollments submitted prior to May 1, 2024 will be automatically placed on a convenient monthly payment schedule. After your program deposit, any remaining tuition costs will be divided into equal payments automatically charged to the credit card on file.
Want to remove autopay or adjust your payment dates? Contact us to easily make the changes that work best for you. Final payments are due no later than 30 days before the session begins.
Student Protection Plans
Protect your tuition payments against unexpected circumstances by adding a Student Protection Plan. Affordable insurance can be attached to your enrollment during the application process or in your student account any time before your program begins.
Review full plan details here.
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What does my tuition include?
Tuition covers housing and on-campus meals, plus course materials, academic expenses, trips, tours, activities, and off-campus event transportation. Travel costs to and from the program itself are not included, and students are individually responsible for expenses such as spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and off-campus meals.
What does my tuition include?
Tuition covers housing (if applicable) and on-campus meals, plus course materials, academic expenses, trips, tours, activities, and off-campus event transportation. Travel costs to and from the program itself are not included, and students are individually responsible for expenses such as spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and off-campus meals.
Residential Option: Residential students live in a campus dormitory supervised by NSLC staff. Students are housed with one or two roommates on a floor with students in their age range. The front desk of the dormitory is monitored 24 hours a day.
Commuter Option: After Registration Day, Commuter students will check in each morning from 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM and check out each evening from 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Commuter tuition includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, but does not include housing accommodations. During the active program hours between check-in and check-out each day, we kindly ask that students only be signed out from activities for medical or family emergencies.
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What does my tuition include?
Tuition covers housing (if applicable) and on-campus meals, plus course materials, academic expenses, trips, tours, activities, and off-campus event transportation. Travel costs to and from the program itself are not included, and students are individually responsible for expenses such as spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and off-campus meals.
Middle school students choose a Residential or Commuter option when enrolling:
Residential Option: Residential students live in a campus dormitory supervised by NSLC staff. Students are housed with one or two roommates on a floor with students in their age range. The front desk of the dormitory is monitored 24 hours a day.
Commuter Option: After Registration Day, Commuter students will check in each morning from 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM and check out each evening from 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Commuter tuition includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, but does not include housing accommodations. During the active program hours between check-in and check-out each day, we kindly ask that students only be signed out from activities for medical or family emergencies.
International Diplomacy Travel Details
International Diplomacy students will divide their time between two campuses, spending 6 days at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and 3 days at Columbia University in New York, NY.
Session 1 (June 17) and Session 3 (July 12) will arrive at Georgetown University and depart from Columbia University.
Session 2 (June 29) and Session 4 (July 24) will arrive at Columbia University and depart from Georgetown University.
After you’ve been accepted into the program, please visit your student account before planning travel for more detailed information.
What is the NSLC?
The National Student Leadership Conference provides an immersive pre-college experience that prepares students for life beyond middle and high school, allowing them to study in university classrooms, learn to navigate a campus, and experience living with roommates. Students are able to explore a career concentration they are interested in before going into college and declaring a major. Each NSLC program also contains a leadership curriculum designed to teach skills that can apply to all areas of life.
Am I eligible to attend NSLC?
We encourage all 6th-12th grade students who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership ability to apply to our summer programs.
For high school programs, students must be between the ages of 14-18 and have completed at least one year of high school. Students may attend NSLC through the summer following high school graduation.
For middle school programs, students must be at least 11 years of age and currently enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.
How do I enroll?
Click here to get started! NSLC applications are completed online and require a deposit with a credit or debit card. If you would like to place your deposit with a check, please email info@nslcleaders.org.
Is there a deadline to apply?
While we have suggested seasonal deadlines, NSLC will continue to accept applications if space is available in a program or on a program’s waitlist. The online enrollment application will display all current availability.
How are students invited?
Students are selected for NSLC in a variety of ways. Teachers, counselors, and NSLC alumni nominate students from across the United States and around the world each year. Students may also be selected from one of several national talent identification surveys, including the College Board Student Search Service and the ACT EOS.
Do you have scholarships?
Yes! Students demonstrating financial need, academic merit, and school or community involvement are encouraged to apply for a Summer Program Scholarship to offset their summer tuition costs. Click here to learn about the process.
What does tuition include?
Tuition covers housing and on-campus meals, plus course materials, academic expenses, trips, tours, activities, and off-campus event transportation. Travel costs to and from the program itself are not included, and students are individually responsible for expenses such as spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and off-campus meals.
What is your refund policy?
Cancellation requests may be submitted through the Manage Registration section of your online student portal.
| 30-Day Grace Period | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
|
Enrollments submitted before April 1, 2024, have 30 days to cancel without penalty. After 30 days, or if enrolling after April 1, please see the table below. |
$0 (full refund) |
| Cancel Date | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| By April 1, 2024 |
$350 (6-9 day programs) $500 (18-day programs) |
| April 2 – May 1, 2024 |
$1000 (6-9 day programs) $1500 (18-day programs) |
| May 2, 2024 or after | 100% of tuition paid* |
*The NSLC will not charge additional payments. Payment plans will automatically end at the time of cancellation.
Do you have payment plans?
Yes! All enrollments submitted prior to May 1, 2024, will be automatically placed on a convenient monthly payment schedule. After your program deposit, any remaining tuition costs will be divided into equal payments automatically charged to the credit card you used to sign up.
Want to remove autopay or adjust your payment dates? Contact us to easily make the changes that work best for you. Final payments are due no later than 30 days before the session begins.
How do waitlists work?
Once a program has reached capacity, you will see a Waitlisted status appear next to the dates on our application. If you would like to join the waitlist, please complete the enrollment process and place a deposit like normal to add your name. Once a cancellation is received, we will offer the newly opened space to the next student on the list. Your deposit is fully refundable if you do not move into the program or choose to remove your name.
Keep reading our Waitlist FAQs for more information.
Program Scholarships
We understand that family circumstances may not enable all qualified students to attend our programs without financial assistance.
Students demonstrating financial need, academic merit, and school or community involvement are encouraged to apply for a scholarship to offset their summer tuition costs.
Click here to learn about the process.
Harrison Eichelberger
“I did my undergrad at American University, where I graduated summa cum laude in economics and political science. I now work as an economist for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in Washington, DC; specifically, I work on the Consumer Price Index, the benchmark measure of inflation in the U.S. economy. I’m also pursuing a master’s degree in economics from Purdue University. NSLC was instrumental in introducing me to the world of government and politics in DC. Coming from rural Lancaster County, PA, I was unsure of who I wanted to be and where I would best be able to express my interests. But NSLC gave me a window into what my future could be at AU, in DC, working for the government, and pursuing a career in public service. I owe a lot to NSLC.”
Avey Songco
“My name is Avey Songco and I am a first-generation, recent college graduate from Carson, CA. I attended the University of California, Berkeley and received my B.S. in Industrial Engineering, minor in Global Poverty and Practice, and certificates in Design Innovation as well as in Entrepreneurship and Technology. Since graduating in 2022, I have started working at IBM as a Client Engineering Designer in the San Francisco office. Through NSLC, I met so many students who I still consider my friends to this day! I did the Engineering program at UC Berkeley, and it enabled me to experience living on a college campus and competing in engineering challenges. I am forever grateful for my experience with NSLC and their support throughout my college career!”
Madeline Baxter
“I am a Research Assistant at the Office of Race and Equity Research at the Urban Institute. In this role, my portfolio primarily consists of (1) work related to researching the impact of the racial wealth gap and (2) the structuring of our federal equity initiatives and supporting analysis.
“My NSLC experience helped me to define my initial interest in healthcare. Through my time in college at Northwestern University, this interest evolved with a targeted focus on racial disparities in both access and care. This focus on racial disparities is the reason that I am currently working in the Office of Race and Equity Research and pursuing a career in racial equity.”
Nora Kabbani
Where you attended college/your degree
Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA
Studied Industrial Engineering with a Spanish Minor
What you do now
Currently pursuing an MBA in Supply Chain Management at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.
“NSLC has been in my life for over 9 years and has helped me in so many ways. The Engineering program armed me with the tools to pick a college major I was passionate about. Although the friends I made while I was a student at Georgia Tech were from all over the country, I am lucky to say the ones I grew closest to are still in my life today.
Jeffrey Dabundo
Undergrad: Washington State University; Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
Optometry School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry; Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)
Current Position: Associate Optometrist at Bartlett Eye Clinic (private practice in Seattle, WA)
“NSLC was absolutely integral to my career choice as an optometrist. In high school, I knew that I liked chemistry and biology but not really sure what I wanted to do with my life. I attended NSLC as a student of the Medicine and Healthcare program at UC-Berkeley in the summer after my sophomore year of high school. I not only had a blast at the conference exploring the Bay Area and making many new friends, but I also had a comprehensive exposure to career options in healthcare through the various lectures and workshops. This solidified my desire to pursue a career in healthcare. Suffice it to say that I would not be where I am today (and may have not even known what an optometrist is) if it wasn’t for my experience at NSLC. I think back to the seemingly small decision I made as a high school sophomore to attend a 9-day educational summer conference and the positive ripple effect it has had on my life.”
Sam Movish
Where I went to school: The Ohio State University
Major: Strategic Risk Management
What I do now: Investment Analyst for one of the largest retirement plan providers in the United States. Specializing in US-domestic equity and manager research.
“My experience with NSLC has been absolutely instrumental in my career. As an NSLC student, my experience solidified my desire to pursue business as my major, my career path, and my personal passion. My experience further provided a more precise vision, like focusing on finance and investments. When I was afforded the opportunity to come back to NSLC as a staff member, I built upon my classroom learnings to deepen my understanding of core business themes and lessons. In my professional career, the experiences and memories of NSLC have affected me in a very positive manner and have only set me apart in a deep pool of workers. In many of my interviews and job promotions, my time with NSLC is a primary talking point, as it is such a unique and valuable experience.
“The leadership components of NSLC have also been integral to my life and career as a professional. My NSLC experience showed me how to work with others, and not just those with different ideas, but those with different backgrounds, upbringings, and most importantly, those with different primary languages than myself. The lessons of personal reflection and self-growth I had during my time with NSLC are invaluable to me; it’s deeply clear that, without such exercises and experiences, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today.”
Cierra Coppock
“I earned my degree from Western Washington University, where I pursued a double major in Visual Journalism and Studio Art Photography. As a lifelong creative, it was imperative that I merge my passion for photography with a practical career that fulfilled my desire to impact the world around me. Following my graduation, I secured a position at Freehub Magazine, an independent mountain biking publication. Freehub recognized the value of my skills as both a photographer and a journalist. I have been with the magazine for just over a year and recently earned a promotion to the role of Associate Editor.
“My journey into journalism began during my time at NSLC. NSLC, first and foremost, put journalism on my radar. Surprisingly, I initially enrolled solely for the photography program, not considering journalism as a creative field. While at NSLC I had the opportunity to spend time with many like-minded, creative individuals, many of whom I still maintain contact with today. These experiences, coupled with the supportive community that NSLC created, opened my eyes to the potential for a creatively fulfilling career in journalism.”
Dr. Reid Haflich, MD, MPH, DTM&H
College: University of California, Davis
Masters of Public Health: University of California, Davis
Medical Degree: Boston University School of Medicine
Tropical Medicine Degree: Universidad Cayetano, Lima, Peru
“I am an emergency physician at Alaska Native Medical Center working in both urban and rural emergency medicine. I also spend time working on international projects with a focus on emergency medicine development in Rwanda.
“To put it succinctly, NSLC is a very large part of why I became a physician. The program introduced me to a professional discipline that I had never considered or had exposure to previously. Not only did the conference offer opportunities to do hands-on medical simulations and bring in amazing, inspiring speakers, but it allowed me to connect with diverse peers who had similar interests to me. The environment was supportive, challenging and so memorable. If I hadn’t attended the conference, I’m not sure I would have entered college with the drive to further explore medicine, so I proudly credit NSLC for kick-starting my career!”