If you know anything about Georgia Tech (and if you’re exploring the R.E.A.L. program and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, you probably do), you know they’re committed to developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

And it’s no surprise they do that through innovation. It’s actually one of their missions to build “an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation in an inclusive and collaborative environment focused on innovation and access.”

To build that community, Georgia Tech has committed itself to accessibility and equity. As part of that commitment, the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) launched the R.E.A.L. Experience in 2004—an early engagement initiative that helps high school students get hands-on with STEM fields.

If you’re a high school student who’s eager to explore research, engineering, and authentic learning at one of the nation’s top STEM schools, then the R.E.A.L. Experience might be just what you’re looking for.

Curious to learn more? Below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about this program for emerging researchers, including what it is, who it’s for, what opportunities might look like, how to know if you’re eligible, and how to apply.

Ready to get R.E.A.L.? Let’s go!

What Is GTRI’s R.E.A.L. Experience?

The R.E.A.L. Experience—which stands for Research, Experiment, Analyze, and Learn—is Georgia Tech’s structured pathway for high school students who are craving deeper exposure to STEM fields. Think of it as an immersive five-week-long preview of the academic and research culture at Georgia Tech.

At its core, the program is designed to:

Introduce high school students to real research in various university laboratories
Offer mentorship and opportunities to learn from Georgia Tech faculty and researchers
Help students build foundational skills in areas like engineering, computing, and interdisciplinary problem-solving
Encourage curiosity, creativity, and hands-on experimentation
Support attendees’ pursuit of STEM careers in postsecondary education

If it feels like you’re always asking “How” and “Why,” this program is probably right up your alley. But don’t just take our word for it: More than 400 high school students have participated in this program, and 75% have subsequently pursued STEM in college.

What Opportunities Does the R.E.A.L. Experience Offer High School Students?

This is where things get fun. The R.E.A.L. Experience isn’t one-size-fits-all and doesn’t follow a predetermined syllabus. Instead, it allows students to explore their interests and customize their experience with their student team, their teacher, and their Georgia Tech sponsor.

While no two R.E.A.L. Experiences are alike, all participants can expect to gain exposure to:

1. Research Shadowing or Lab Participation

Students spend time on campus observing research teams, learning basic lab safety, and seeing what scientific inquiry looks like in real life. For some, that’s looked like developing an augmented reality facial recognition program. For others, it’s designing and modifying a suction-based robotic end effector. Through R.E.A.L. and GTRI, you’re limited only by your imagination.

2. Project-Based Learning Experiences

Some students might explore structured engineering and computing challenges that involve designing, testing, creating, or tackling real-world problems. Love iterating solutions or breaking things down to see how they work? Students get to do just that here.

3. Interactions With Georgia Tech Faculty

Students get access to fully stocked university laboratories, allowing them to work with GT staff to explore coding, robotics, data science, mechanical engineering concepts, or other STEM areas. Not only are these great skill builders, but they’re solid confidence boosters, too.

In short, the R.E.A.L. program offers ample opportunities for student participants to learn, build, explore, and figure out what lights them up and what they want to explore more in college and beyond.

Who Is the R.E.A.L. Experience for?

The short answer? This program is ideal for curious, motivated high school students who want a deeper dive into STEM and Georgia Tech's research culture.

The (slightly) longer answer? The R.E.A.L. Experience can be a strong fit for students who:

Are genuinely excited about STEM fields
Come from underrepresented populations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education
Want to engage in meaningful hands-on learning
Are looking for structured research or engineering experiences before college
Want guidance from (and collaborative relationships with) faculty and trained mentors

Worried that you don’t have enough STEM experience to participate? That won’t be a problem here.

This program isn’t just for students who are planning to max out every STEM class available to them in their high school curriculum. Students with interest, curiosity, and initiative—even if they’re still relatively new to STEM—are encouraged to explore the R.E.A.L. program opportunities.

After all, the program is designed to use what they already know and further develop their skills to tackle real-world challenges.

The R.E.A.L. Experience Student Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the R.E.A.L. program, Georgia students must meet these eligibility requirements:

Be 16 years of age or older on or before the start date of the R.E.A.L. program
Be paired with a teacher from their respective high school who has been accepted into the Georgia Immersive Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program
Be available to work 20 hours per week for the duration of the R.E.A.L. experience (and be available to work the same hours as their GIFT teacher)
Attend (with their parents/legal guardians and GIFT teachers) an in-person orientation session
Complete online Lab Safety Training and submit proof of completion prior to the start of the R.E.A.L. program.

Sound good? If you have genuine interest and curiosity, are willing to put in the effort an intensive research experience requires, and have a burning desire to learn, you’re exactly what the program is looking for.

How Can Teachers Host a Student Team?

Teachers who’re interested in hosting a student team of two to three students must first meet GIFT fellow requirements and then meet the R.E.A.L. program requirements, which include:

Being willing to supervise their student team while students are on Georgia Tech’s campus
Determining students’ immersive experience schedule
Attending the in-person orientation session

Why the GTRI R.E.A.L. Experience Might Be Right for You

The Georgia Tech Research Institute’s R.E.A.L. Experience offers high school students a rare combination of access and depth in a summer program—giving you a chance to step outside of book-based theory and inside a world of research, creativity, and discovery.

Programs like this aren’t just résumé padding (though they obviously help there, too). They’re truly unique opportunities to help you:

Understand what kind of STEM work excites you by engaging in hands-on research and applications
Build confidence in new environments and with new people
Make future college essays stronger (like “Why are you interested in your first-choice major?”)
Explore whether Georgia Tech or similar institutions feel like the right fit for you and your future goals (and if you’re thinking of applying, check out this guide to the Georgia Tech college essays)
Learn what your future could look like if you pursue a STEM career

Whether you’re dreaming of engineering, curious about computing, or still figuring out where your strengths lie, participating in programs like the R.E.A.L. Experience can give you a head start, a clearer direction, and a more personalized story to tell when application season rolls around.

And if you ask us, that makes this R.E.A.L. experience a pretty sweet deal.

If you don’t live in Georgia or this doesn’t look like quite the right fit for you, there are plenty more opportunities to explore. Have a look at the links below to see more great ways to spend your summer:

Julia Byrd published her first “book” on the elusive Pika in elementary school and has been writing fervently ever since. She’s thrilled to unite her quirky love of grammar and master’s in psychology to help students tell their most meaningful stories. Her favorite punctuation mark is the apostrophe because, in the words of Imagine Dragons, it’s “a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see.”

Top values: Collaboration | Family | Productivity