Launchpad 2024 Application

Launchpad 2026 Application

Thank you for your interest in Launchpad! Please take the time to carefully fill out this application and double check the spelling of your name and contact information. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Applications are due at 10:00 PM on Sunday February 15th!
Personal Information
Full Legal Name*

First NameLast Name
Preferred Name (optional)
Birth Date*

MonthDayYear
E-mail*
This can be your school or personal email, whichever you check
Phone Number*
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Stop! Before you move forward hit the "save" button below!

This will let you come back and finish your application if you don't have time right now. After you hit save you can hit the "x" to continue with your application.

Parent/Guardian Information

Please fill this out as accurately as possible as we will need your parent/guardian to complete a separate form.
Parent/Guardian Name*

First NameLast Name
Parent/Guardian E-mail*
example@example.com
Parent/Guardian Phone Number*
Who is this person (mother, uncle, grandmother, caregiver, etc.)?*
Would you like to include a second parent/guardian contact? (Optional)

YesNo
Parent/Guardian #2 Name

First NameLast Name
Parent/Guardian #2 E-mail
example@example.com
Parent/Guardian #2 Phone Number
Who is this person (mother, uncle, grandmother, caregiver, etc.)?

Lightspeed Application

Based on your age, you are eligible to participate in the Lightspeed program. Please review the below information carefully prior to making your decision
Who is eligible to apply for Lightspeed?

You must be a current high school senior on track to graduate Spring 2026 OR be 22 years or younger with a high school diploma/GED.
You must live in Philadelphia, PA
You must have legal work authorization to work in the United States OR be in the process of obtaining work authorization and will be authorized by December 31, 2026.
You must be available to participate in a full-time (30 hr/week) workforce development program from July 2026 to August 2027.
You must have prior programming experience (we'll get into this more in the application)

What if I don't meet the requirements?

If you do not meet the requirements, we encourage you to apply to joing Launchpad Foundations, which has no pre-requisites and is open to any high school junior or senior.

How is this different from the traditional Launchpad application?

Students applying for Lightspeed will be completing an accelerated version of Launchpad. You will be asked to learn Python during summer 2026 and attempt a Python certification exam in August 2026. If you are successful and receive your certification, you will be offered a slot in LiftOff - Launchpad's full-time, twelve month full-stack web development training program.

If you do not pass the exam, you will be offered a slot in 101 - Launchpad's part-time, twelve-month tech training program. Upon successful completion of 101, you will then be offered a slot in LiftOff.

Lightspeed will attempt to prepare you for a full-time role in the tech industry in just 12 months, compared to the usual timeline for Launchpad which is 2.5 years. Due to this accelerated timeline, we are looking for highly motivated learners who are coming in with some prior background with technology and exceptional work readiness. The traditional Launchpad program does not require any prior learning or experience.

More questions about Launchpad? Take a look at our website - www.launchpadphillly.org - or reach out to info@launchpadphilly.org
Based on this info, what program would you like to apply for?*

I'd like to apply for the accelerated Lightspeed programI'd like to apply for Launchpad Foundations

Personal Statement

Please take your time writing the personal statement. If you would prefer to record a video, you can send that to nick@launchpadphilly.org and zay@launchpadphilly.org. If you submit the video, please include here "I sent a video" as your response and include what email address the video was sent from.
In 300 - 500 words, describe a time where you solved a problem. How did you identify the problem, how did you plan your solution, was your solution effective, and what did you learn from the experience? The problem can be related to school, work, or personal. It can be connected to technology, social dynamics, your community, or something else!*
In 300 - 500 words, tell us why you are interested in Launchpad and how you think Launchpad can help you reach your passions and career goals. *
If you are unsure what to write about, consider the following questions: What am I passionate about? What makes me interested in technology? What is my background? What are my goals? What was a time I had to overcome an obstacle?
Should be Empty:

Launchpad 2026 Application

Personal Information

Stop! Before you move forward hit the "save" button below!

Academic Information

Demographic Information

Parent/Guardian Information

Lightspeed Application

Lightspeed Questions

Launchpad Foundations Questions

Personal Statement