Frequently Asked Questions

OPENING DAY

Frontiers I (July 6) & Frontier II (July 20)

When participants and families arrive on campus, they should drive to the WPI Parking Garage for the check-in process located at 151 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA. There will be signage and staff to greet and guide participants through the check-in process. Then the move-in process is designed so that participants can drive their vehicles in close proximity to the residence halls for convenience of moving all belongings into their room. We will have staff available to assist in escorting participants to their room with their belongings. Once all belongings are unloaded from the vehicle, the driver should park in the WPI Parking Garage, which is located at 151 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA and then walk to the residence hall to reunite with the participant.

Opening day begins on Sunday with check-in and move-in at their residence hall followed by information sessions for both participants and families. Families will then depart from campus while participants continue with their schedule of ice breakers and games. In the afternoon, students will participate in a scavenger hunt, orientation, floor meeting, dinner, unpacking, and more. Opening day schedules will be listed here closer to program start dates with specific time frames and additional information.

*Participants should expect to arrive after 8:30am on the dates listed above. No early arrivals are permitted!

CLOSING DAY

Frontiers I (July 18) & Frontiers II (August 1)

Closing day activities begin on Friday morning with the minor showcases, followed by major showcases, a closing ceremony, and move-out. Participants must return their room key at the check-out table in the lobby of the residence hall. The WPI Campus Bookstore will be open and is located on the entrance level of the Rubin Campus Center. Closing schedules will be listed here closer to program openings with specific time frames and additional information.

*Participants should expect to depart campus no later than 2:00pm on the dates listed above. No late departures are permitted!

Refer to this map as reference.

Participants will have the same general Monday thru Friday, with their major from 8:30 - 10:30 am and 1:30 - 4:30 pm, their minor from 10:30 am -12:30 pm, and activities from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. A few examples of activities from previous years include Minute To Win It games, billiards, movie nights, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, trivia, resume writing, interview skills, career exploration, and a college fair (Frontiers I only). During the weekends, fun activities on and off campus will be provided.

Morgan Dining Hall provides an array of food, including a complete salad bar, vegan/vegetarian items, sandwiches, chicken tenders, French fries, pizza, and pasta! In addition, whole and sliced fruit, yogurt, baked goods, and soft-serve ice cream are offered for dessert!

We are happy to accommodate participants with food allergies and other dietary concerns. If there is a dietary accommodation, please inform our office by June 1 so that we can provide the best dining experience for your participant.

We have removed the presence of peanuts and tree nuts from this dining hall to allow summer participants with nut allergies more freedom of choice. As part of this policy, no outside food is allowed in the dining hall. If this is a concern, please contact the Office of Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs at pop@wpi.edu.

Special Dietary Concerns:

We offer an allergen-friendly station that features food that is simply prepared and seasoned and served by a trained associate. This station is dedicated to foods prepared without the top food allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, eggs, dairy, and sesame) and gluten.  A main dish, a vegetable, and a gluten-free grain are typically served.

The "Avoiding Gluten" area of the dining hall has a wide variety of packaged gluten-free foods, cereals, snacks, breads, and prepared pasta. A toaster and microwave oven are also available in this area and are used only for gluten-free foods to minimize cross-contact. Non-dairy milk beverages are also available. Please contact Shavaun Cloran, Registered Dietitian, at scloran@wpi.edu with any specific concerns/questions.

It is a requirement for participants to live in a WPI residence hall during the program as it contributes to the overall experience. The participants will be supervised by WPI undergraduate students (RPAs) in the residence halls. Depending on the specific residence hall assigned, each participant will have one or two roommates and be assigned to a room and floor of their gender identity. Students can request a roommate via the housing questionnaire that is completed after admission to the program. Only mutual requests will be honored. Room assignments will be given on opening day at check-in. Each participant will have their own bed, dresser, desk, and closet. Sheets, a towel, and a pillow are supplied; see “Suggested Packing List” for more information.

Residence halls are not air-conditioned, so we highly recommend a fan.

Washers and dryers are available on campus for student use. Participants must download the "Automatic Laundry App" and load funds onto the app. Prices are set at $2,00 per wash and $2,00 per dry. Students can add time to the dryer for $0.25 per 6 minutes. Once funds are added to the app, you will not be able to collect excess funds, so please plan accordingly.

Residence hall rooms include linens (sheets, a light blanket, a towel, and a pillow), however, we suggest that you bring the following items:

• Clothing items appropriate for warm days and layers for air-conditioned classrooms
  • Suggestions include jeans, khakis, shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, athletic apparel, socks, underwear/undergarments
  • Pack at least one pair of long pants and closed-toed shoes (some labs require them for safety)
• Fan
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, tissues, hygiene products etc.), shower caddy, shower shoes/flip flops
• Laundry items (detergent, basket)
• Umbrella and rain jacket
• Outfit for the closing dance celebration 
• Sunscreen/bug spray
• Trash can
• Notebook (a pen and folder will be provided)
• Chargers for all electronic devices you bring (cell phone, watches, etc.)
• Optional: Beach towel or blanket for use on the quad
• Optional: Non-perishable snacks (must be nut-free) and bottled drinks
• Optional: laptop (some courses may require you bring your laptop and it will be included in the letter from your faculty member that will be emailed 2 weeks prior to opening day)
• Optional: Spending money for the bookstore, souvenirs, grub hub, etc. 

*It is strongly advised not to bring any valuables (expensive jewelry, TVs, etc.)

Each student will receive a water bottle which can be refilled at bottle filling stations located throughout campus and in the residence hall.

For our two-week programs, many families and friends would like to send mail to their participants. Mail will be distributed during meals or in the residence hall by summer staff members. Please use the following mailing address.

(Participant’s Name) c/o WPI Frontiers Program
Bartlett Center 
100 Institute Road 
Worcester, MA 01609-2280

All programs are overseen by several staff members with expertise in engineering, teaching, outreach programs, admissions, and student life. Our staff supports summer and academic year efforts in inspiring and reaching youth to spark a passion for STEM. During summer programs, the entire WPI community is involved in supporting our programs, including our WPI undergraduate students who serve as daytime counselors, called Program Assistants (PAs). During the evening, participants are with WPI undergraduate students, called Residential Program Assistants (RPAs) who have demonstrated leadership skills, maturity, and have experience with youth. All faculty and staff have been carefully selected to provide participants with a variety of positive role models and have been through extensive training and a background check. Throughout the program, staff supervision ratios exceed camp association recommendations.

We are happy to make reasonable accommodations for any participants who wants to observe religious observations or attend religious services. To ensure we have ample time to make necessary arrangements, please contact our office no later than June 1.

A summer health care center with registered nurses is open 24/7 to all program participants. If your student needs to take prescription medication while on campus, this should be given to the health care staff when they first arrive on campus at drop-off. Families will pick up the medication from the nursing staff on the last day of the program. Prescriptions must be in their original packaging with the prescribing physician and dosage listed.

Participants provide their own transportation to and from the program. If participants are traveling from a distance, by plane or train, they may arrive anytime after 8:30am (EDT) on Sunday. For departure, students are welcome to leave as early as Thursday evening, and must depart campus by 2:00pm (EDT) on Friday. We do not have arrival/departure staffing from 12:00am (midnight) - 7:00am, so please do not plan to arrive or depart during these hours. We strongly encourage travel plans to align as closely as they can with our published opening and closing times. 

If participants are considering airport options, below is a list of airports that former Frontiers participants have utilized:

Logan airport

Boston Logan International Airport (massport.com)

Bradley International airport

Bradley International Airport | Love The Journey! (bradleyairport.com)

T.F. Green airport

Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport | PVD | Rhode Island

Worcester Regional airport

Worcester Regional Airport (ORH) (massport.com)

WPI does not offer a shuttle service to or from the airport. However, we strongly encourage you book your ride through one of the below companies whom we have worked with in the past:

Joeys Limo

http://www.joeyslimousine.com/

Wachusett Limo

http://www.wachusettlimo.com/

Knights Limo

https://www.knightslimo.com/

Please note participants are not permitted to bring vehicles to campus during the program. 

The WPI Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs strives to provide a safe, secure, educational and fun environment for our summer programs participants. In order to achieve this, we ask that all parents, guardians and participants follow all policies that are outlined. Please visit our Program Policies webpage for complete details.

The WPI Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs strives to provide a safe, secure, educational and fun environment for our summer programs participants. In order to achieve this, we ask that all parents, guardians and participants follow all policies that are outlined. Please visit our Program Policies webpage for complete details.

The Office of Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs offers financial assistance for families with demonstrated financial need. Please see our Program Policies for more details.

In order to reserve the participant's spot in their program, an initial deposit of $500 (Frontiers 1 or 2) or $1,000 (Frontiers 1 & 2 or Jumpstart) must be paid within two weeks of acceptance to the Frontiers program.

We require the following items to be submitted by June 1 so we can fully prepare for all programs:

• Full payment.
• Tell Us About Yourself Form, including general liability releases.
• Frontiers Additional Information, including an ID photo submission.
  • Pictures should be of the head and shoulders, only, and clearly show the face without hats, sunglasses, headphones, or other non-religious accessories. 
  • A plain white background and JPG formatting are preferred.
• POP Health Form, including physical and immunization records.
• Frontiers Travel Details Form.

All forms can be uploaded through your applicant portal. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs at (508) 831-4900 or pop@wpi.edu.

Participants can bring a mini refrigerator if necessary.  Refrigerators cannot be larger than 4.3 cubic feet and/or use more than 120 volts (2 amps) of electricity.