Is TASS running in summer 2027?
No. In September 2026 the Telluride Association board announced that it “will not offer TASS summer sessions in 2027” (An Important Message About TASS 2027). The board said the decision followed challenges during the 2026 program year, including the early end of the 2026 Ithaca session after an unexpected staffing shortfall. Its review covers curriculum, staffing, student recruitment and safety, communication with families, and day-to-day operations. Telluride has not given a date for TASS to return, and its application timeline page says there is no current application cycle.
For a sophomore or junior who was planning to apply this fall, that means there is no TASS application to prepare for summer 2027. Telluride says it will post updates on its website as the review moves forward, so families should check there before planning for summer 2028.
What was TASS, and who could apply?
TASS was a free five-week residential seminar for high school sophomores and juniors, run by the Telluride Association (Telluride Association Summer Seminar). Telluride covered tuition, books, room and board, field trips and facilities fees for every student, charged no application fee, and offered help with travel costs and aid to replace summer earnings. Participants had to be at least 15 at the start of the program and no older than 17 at the end. US and international students could apply, though international students had to be sophomores.
Students chose one of two programs each year. TASS-CBS explored history, politics, literature and art from people of African descent, and TASS-AOS examined how forms of power shape social structures. Each weekday brought a three-hour college-level seminar taught by two faculty members, plus essays, a public speaking program and a residential community that made its own decisions about activities, service projects and a program budget. In 2026 the programs ran at Cornell University in Ithaca and the University of Maryland in College Park (TASS FAQ for Applicants).
| Detail | Last published cycle (summer 2026) |
|---|---|
| Applications opened | October 15, 2025 |
| Applications due | December 3, 2025 |
| Interview notification | January 30, 2026 |
| Interviews | February 2026, held virtually |
| Final notifications | March 2026 |
| Program dates | June 21 to July 25, 2026 (scheduled) |
| Sites | Cornell University and University of Maryland |
| Cost | Free, with no application fee |
| Summer 2027 | Not offered |
How did the TASS application work?
The application centered on essays, followed by a virtual interview for some applicants and final decisions in March. Telluride told parents that the writing “must be entirely your child’s own” and asked them not to edit or reword it (TASS FAQ for Parents). Telluride’s TASS pages do not publish an acceptance rate, so any percentage quoted elsewhere is an estimate rather than a Telluride figure.
In our experience, the strongest applications came from students who already wrote and read seriously outside class and could discuss a specific idea, book or question in depth. That same preparation carries over to the alternatives below.
What should humanities students apply to instead in 2027?
Several selective programs still run in summer 2027 and suit the students TASS used to draw:
| Program | Why it fits | Cost | 2027 deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) | Two-week sessions with social science and cross-disciplinary tracks | $7,500; aid up to full tuition | January 6, 2027 (Regular Decision) |
| Iowa Young Writers’ Studio | Two-week residential writing workshops for grades 10 to 12 | $2,500; some full and partial grants | January 25 to February 7, 2027 |
| NSLI-Y | US Department of State language scholarship abroad | Scholarship | November 12, 2026 |
YYGS closes its Regular Decision round at 11:59 pm ET on January 6, 2027 (YYGS Application Dates). The Iowa Young Writers’ Studio accepts applications only from January 25 to February 7, 2027 (Iowa Young Writers’ Studio), and NSLI-Y closes at 4:00 pm ET on November 12, 2026 (NSLI-Y).
In the view of Oriel Admissions, a humanities student does not need a named program to show the same strengths TASS rewarded. A long research paper with a teacher or local professor, sustained writing for a publication, or a community project built around a question the student cares about can show intellectual depth just as clearly. Our guide to the most prestigious summer programs for high school students compares every 2027 option, and our list of free summer programs for high school students covers no-cost choices.
Does a past TASS acceptance still count on a college application?
Yes. Students who attended TASS in 2026 or earlier can list it in the activities or honors section, with a short description of the seminar and what they wrote or led there. In the view of Oriel Admissions, the description should show the work itself, such as the seminar topic, an essay the student developed or a decision the community made, rather than rely on the program name alone.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
No. The Telluride Association announced in September 2026 that it will not offer TASS summer sessions in 2027 while its board reviews the program, and its application page says there is no current application cycle.
The board said the decision followed challenges during the 2026 program year, including the early end of the 2026 Ithaca session after an unexpected staffing shortfall. It is reviewing curriculum, staffing, recruitment and safety, communication with families, and program operations.
Telluride has not announced a return date. It says it will share updates on its website as the review progresses, so families planning for summer 2028 should check there.
Telluride does not publish an acceptance rate on its TASS pages, so any figure quoted elsewhere is an estimate. TASS was free and selective, and its last cycle closed on December 3, 2025.
Yes. Telluride covered tuition, books, room and board, field trips and facilities fees, charged no application fee, and offered help with travel costs and aid to replace summer earnings.
High school sophomores and juniors who were at least 15 at the start of the program and no older than 17 at the end. US and international students could apply, but international students had to be sophomores.
Yale Young Global Scholars, the Iowa Young Writers Studio and the NSLI-Y language scholarship all run in 2027 and suit humanities students. Oriel Admissions also suggests an independent research or writing project, which can show the same depth without a program name.
List it in the activities or honors section with the program name, the seminar topic and a concise description of what the student wrote, discussed or led. Specific contributions say more than the program name by itself.
Sources: Telluride Association (TASS 2027 statement), Telluride Association Summer Seminar, TASS FAQ for Applicants, TASS FAQ for Parents, TASS Application Timeline, Yale Young Global Scholars, Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, NSLI-Y. All read October 26, 2026.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy. Our team brings deep expertise across every dimension of the application, and our distinctive 360 approach develops strategy, positioning, activities, essays, and interviews as one coherent whole. To discuss your family’s admissions strategy, schedule a consultation.
