Governor’s School of New Jersey in Engineering & Technology at Rutgers University

The Governor's School of New Jersey in Engineering & Technology at Rutgers University School of Engineering is a free, intensive residential summer program that brings together some of New Jersey's most talented and motivated high school students. During the program, rising seniors will take academic courses in robotics, physics, and electives of their choice at the Rutgers University School of Engineering. The cornerstone of the experience is a small group research and design project, completed under the tutelage of an experienced research mentor from academia or industry.  In groups of three or four, scholars investigate and attempt to solve a complex and novel problem.  Each group writes a conference-style research paper and presents its results at the Governor’s School Research Symposium in front of an audience of professors, dignitaries, industry members, and invited guests.  At the conclusion of the research experience, scholars should expect to have made significant connections with their research mentors and to have gained scientific maturity. The project topics vary from year to year and are aimed at having representation from each engineering discipline.  

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The program also includes workshops, site visits to local corporations, and activities with professors, professionals, and peers from throughout the state. To be considered for the program, applicants must be nominated through their high school. Schools can nominate one applicant for every 325 members of their junior class. The program is competitive, offering admission to fewer than 100 students. 

• The student must be a New Jersey resident and be a high school junior during the school year prior to the summer program.
• The student must have a very strong interest in engineering and technology and be committed to the acquisition of knowledge and the pursuit of opportunities in that field.
• The student must be willing to live on campus for the duration of the program.  Saturdays and Sundays make up part of the program; there will be no weekend leaves of absence.
• The applicant must be one of the top students in his or her school. The student should have primarily “A” grades in honors math and science classes and outstanding scores on standardized achievement tests.  Students who have demonstrated very strong abilities in engineering outside the classroom can also be strong candidates for the Governor’s School in spite of weaker standardized test scores.  Competitive candidates often rank in the top 5% of their class and score above the 90th percentile on standardized tests.  A student whose standardized test scores are below the 90th percentile but rank among the best in this/her school may still apply if he or she is otherwise qualified.

• Mid January

• To apply for the Governor’s School of Engineering & Technology, a student must be nominated by his or her high school’s nominating committee.  If the high school’s junior class contains at most 325 students, only one student may be nominated for each Governor’s School program.  If the high school’s junior class has between 326 and 650 students, two students may be nominated for each Governor’s School program.  Three students may be nominated only if the junior class consists of more than 650 students.
• The guidance counselor, nominator, principal, or designated supervisor of the application process should fill out the Nomination Form for the student. After submission of the Nomination Form, the nominator should complete the Nominator Application and the nominated student should fill out the Student Application.
• The Student Application includes a transcript, a list of academic and extracurricular activities and accomplishments, standardized test scores, and the following essays: 
  • Create an autobiographical sketch of your background, history, interests, and ambitions. Be sure to describe what makes you unique. (Max 1000 words)
  • Why would you like to attend the Governor's School of Engineering & Technology? What do you hope to gain from and contribute to the program? Be sure to tell us about your interests in engineering and technology, how they've developed, and any steps you have taken to explore these disciplines. (Max 1000 words)
  • Tell us about your most meaningful extracurricular activity or interest. (Max 250 words)
  • A relevant engineering topic is the design-thinking framework, where innovation is centered in a deep understanding of the problems and experiences people have and how they affect product usage and user experience. This approach helps eliminate exclusionary design, examples of which include poor facial recognition in smartphones for people of color or diagnosis platforms for skin conditions predominantly based on symptoms present in light skin. 
  • Using the design thinking framework, provide an example of an existing disparity and an engineering solution you would like to explore to solve this problem. (Max 250 words)
  • Propose a specific engineering or technology problem you’d like to be working on ten years from now. Why is the problem interesting, and how do you hope to approach it? (Max 250 words)

• Decisions are announced in early April