Apply for Summer Stretch

  • Lottery for Summer Stretch 2026 will begin at 4:00 PM on Sunday, February 15th.
  • Students must currently be in the 7th-10th grades (during the 2025-2026 school year) when they register.
  • Applications are only considered once they have completed the online application and submitted appropriate documentation.
  • Classes that are under-enrolled by Friday, April 17, 2026 may be canceled.

Lottery Admission Process

To increase access and equity, we are moving from a first-come, first-served model to a lottery system.

How the lottery works

  • Apply anytime during the first two weeks to enter the lottery.
  • Select a first-choice and a second-choice course on your application.
  • After the lottery closes, students are placed into courses.
  • When courses fill, students are placed on the waitlist.
  • Families receive placement results by the Thursday after the lottery closes.
  • Open spots after the lottery are filled from the waitlist on a first-come, first-served basis.

Summer Stretch Lottery Dates

  • Registration opens February 15 at 4:00 PM
  • Lottery period closes February 28 at 4:00 PM
  • Placements completed on March 2

Qualifiers

Pathways to Qualify for a Stretch Course (only ONE is required):

  • Enrollment in an identified highly capable program that specifically serves highly capable students. Acceptable documentation is a letter of placement or report card in a gifted program or school;
  • Participation in the Rainier Scholars program;
  • Smarter Balanced (SBA) scores from current or previous school year in the 90th percentile or above in at least one subject area; 
    • 5th Grade test: ELA 2649, OR Math 2638
    • 6th Grade test:  ELA 2660, OR Math 2666
    • 7th Grade test:  ELA 2692, OR Math 2694
    • 8th Grade test:  ELA 2707, OR Math 2719
    • 10th Grade test: ELA 2754, OR Math 2740
  • Other standardized test (ITBS, SSAT, SCAT, CoGAT, ERB/ISEE) scores from the current or previous school year in the 90th percentile or above in at least one subject area; 
  • PSAT, SAT or ACT scores from the current or previous school year in the 85th percentile or better in at least one subject area 
  • MAP scores from the current or previous school years in the 99th percentile in any one subject;
  • Recommendation from a teacher who can speak to the student’s ability to be successful in the program.
    • When you apply, provide the teacher’s name and their school email address. A recommendation form will be automatically sent to the teacher.
    • Please note that teacher recommendations can not be provided for family members. 
  • Previous enrollment in our Summer Challenge or Summer Stretch program.

Documentation must be uploaded to your account. It can be in the form of a photo, PDF, or jpeg. File size must be under 2 MB or it will not upload. 

Math Prerequisites

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to the qualifiers listed, students wishing to take Geometry, Algebra 2, and Precalculus must demonstrate successful completion or current enrollment with good standing in the prerequisite course, using the following course order (report cards are sufficient):

Algebra 1* → Geometry → Algebra 2 → Precalculus

*Note: Algebra 1 requires no prerequisite course.

How to Make an Account

How to Apply

Appeals

If a student was not accepted into the program and would like to appeal that decision, parents have a week to submit an appeal. If you wish to appeal, please log into your account, where there is a link to an appeal form. Once the appeal has been completed and submitted, and the required documents uploaded to your account, the admissions team will reconsider your application and, if necessary, forward the appeal to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, which has the final word on all appeals.