LaunchX Admissions: Frequently Asked Questions

By LaunchX Admissions

October 21, 2022

Congratulations on applying to LaunchX! Whether you are still in the process of applying, waiting on your admissions decision, or trying to decide whether to accept, we understand you will have a lot of questions. We’re here to help!

Please see below for the most commonly asked questions. Don’t see your question below? Check out the LaunchX website FAQs page for more.

First, a few logistics:

• The early application deadline is December 21st with the admissions decisions being announced by February 24th.
• The regular round deadline is February 15th with the admissions decisions being announced by April 21st.
• If you came across LaunchX after our application deadline, subscribe to our newsletter to get information about how to apply next year.

Now for some of our common questions about the program and application process:

What will be the locations and dates of the 2023 LaunchX program? 

We have exciting news. We’ll have two entrepreneurship summer program options this year AND an innovation program.

For our entrepreneurship summer programs, we will have both options of a campus program as well as our online program. 

The entrepreneurship programs dates are locations are:

• Online Program – July 3rd – Aug 4th
• Research Triangle, NC – June 19th – July 14th
• Ann Arbor, MI – June 26th – July 21st

Our innovation dates and location: 

• Ann Arbor, MI – July 24th – August 4th

All of the LaunchX programs are incredible, with the same opportunities to connect with our community of passionate innovators and entrepreneurs, leverage the LaunchX resources, build your startups, and innovate for the future. To learn more about each program, visit our summer programs page.

Who teaches the classes at LaunchX?

LaunchX classes are taught by LaunchX staff. There will also be guest speakers and mentors by several acclaimed university instructors, industry experts, and entrepreneurs.

Can I change my application once I’ve submitted it?

You cannot change your application once it has been submitted. The only exception is if you become aware that the link to your video does not work. If this is the case, please email info@launchx.com.  If we find that your video link is not working or is not accessible when we review your application, we will email you at the email you used to set up your application (make sure you check it and are getting emails from us), and you will need to respond with the updated link within a day so that we can continue with application reviews on time.  Otherwise, we will review your application without the video and score it accordingly.

My friends have received interview requests, but I have not. Does that mean I have been rejected?

We send interview decisions on a rolling basis as we review applications. If you have not received one, please wait until we assess your application, which has no bearing on when you submitted your application relative to the deadline (most people submit within the last couple of days).  Note: we offer interviews until late into the process!

I have received an interview, and I am trying to set up a time on Calendly.  Are the times offered in my time zone?

All interview times are stated in Eastern Standard Time (EST). We have interviewers in many different locations to allow for our applicants’ time zones across the world.  Please review the times shown and adjust to your time zone to ensure it will work with your schedule and plan accordingly.  You will not be able to reschedule the interview if you miss it, regardless of the reason.

I’ve been admitted and am thinking about accepting. What does my fee cover?

• For the online program: the fee covers the staff to deliver the LaunchX experience, the technology resources such as our Learning Management system, online activities and events throughout the summer, prototyping materials, and other costs and resources required to bring this program to fruition.
• For the campus program: the fee is inclusive of all weeks of the program experience, plus room and board. The program fee covers staying in a university dormitory, 2-3 meals per day throughout the program, classroom activities, some prototyping costs for each team’s startup, several optional social activities, and the staff needed to deliver this program. The program fee does not cover travel to or from the program.
• For the innovation program: the fee is inclusive of all weeks of the program experience, plus room and board. The program fee covers staying in a university dormitory, 2-3 meals per day throughout the program, classroom activities, some prototyping costs, several optional social activities, and the staff needed to deliver this program. The program fee does not cover travel to or from the program.

Is it possible to get financial support?

Admission to LaunchX is need-blind. We will award financial need support to those that qualify. Accepted students who have expressed interest (see the first section of the application) will need to fill out a financial need application and provide their parent/guardian’s financial information which includes the last two years of taxes, income verification, assets, and costs of the family.

Can I pursue other programs and activities or travel while I attend LaunchX?

No. We expect LaunchX students to be fully committed to the program for the full program duration. With the rigorous schedule of LaunchX, there’s no time to be actively involved in other activities during the program. Students may not be attending LaunchX while also engaging in other full-time or part-time programs, attending school, working at a job, engaging in travel plans that coincide with class time, or otherwise engaging in an activity that has a significant demand on their time. Essentially, starting a company takes a lot of time, and is especially difficult under such time constraints as LaunchX. We have a strict attendance policy and absences are counted by number of classes missed, not number of days missed (i.e. 1 missed day may result in 3 or 4 missed classes, totalling 3 or 4 absences). We want students to get the most out of this experience, and we also want teams and the community to grow together.  We do not want to burden any teams with a teammate who is not fully committed, nor do we want to have a student’s learning experience adversely impacted through not being fully present.

Why have I been denied?

We have a large number of wonderfully qualified students that apply to LaunchX. While we cannot provide individualized feedback to each specific applicant regarding their admissions decision, please know that several admissions committee members reviewed every application. We encourage you to apply again next year!

I was denied, but I am still interested in LaunchX. When can I apply for the 2024 sessions?

We encourage you to take part in our online course or purchase our workbook that is available on Amazon. The application for summer 2024 will open in fall 2023.  Stay tuned!

We look forward to having many of you join us this summer!