Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MCF AI bootcamp?

• A 4 half-day bootcamp on Saturdays in Fall 2021 (Oct 23rd, Oct 30th, Nov 6th, Nov 13th)

Who is the bootcamp for?

• Any current high school student (9th-12th grade) in the U.S. interested in learning more about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

• No prerequisite courses and no knowledge of coding is required.

Who is eligible to participate?

• All high school students that live in or around our host cities are encouraged to apply. MCF is focused on serving students on free and reduced lunch as well as recruiting girls and students of color to participate in our bootcamps.
• Are you a middle school student? Sign up for our mailing list to learn more about potential middle school programs in the future.

What is the time commitment?

• 5 hours each Saturday (11am-4pm CST) on Oct 23rd, Oct 30th, Nov 6th, Nov 13th 2021.

Where are the bootcamps being held in 2021?

• Addison, TX (Elevate Credit and Headstorm) [DISD & CFBISD]
• Dallas, TX (Walmart - Virtual)
• Fort Worth, TX (Elevate Credit)
• Plano, TX (Perficient)
  
• Austin, TX (Dell - Virtual)
• Philadelphia, PA (CSL Behring)
• Pittsburgh, PA (The Readiness Institute at Penn State)
• Atlantic City, NJ (ThoughtSpot)
• Providence, RI (Hasbro)
• Chicago, IL (McDonald's)
• Birmingham, AL (Protective Life)
• Detroit, MI (Argo AI)
• Des Moines, IA (Granular)
• Pasadena, CA (Virtual)
  
• Raleigh, NC (Raleigh Founded)
  

Do I need to live in a city above to attend a bootcamp?

• Yes. Based on the progression of vaccine rollout, we plan to possibly host camps in person in Fall 2021. It is imperative that students live in or near the city of which they are applying.
• Would you like to hear when we come to a city near you? Sign up for our mailing list.

Where can I apply?

• You can apply here.
• Please only apply once. Submitting duplicate applications will NOT increase your chances of being selected.

When is the application deadline?

• Applications are due on August 20th, 2021.

What does the schedule for a half-day bootcamp look like?

• 11-11:45am CST- Guest Speaker and Q&A
• 11:45-2pm CST- Interactive Lesson (Topics: Chatbots, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Natural Language Processing)
• 2-4pm CST- Lab Exercise with support of Host Company Mentors

What is required of students who are selected to attend the bootcamp?

• Attend the bootcamp every Saturday from October 23rd-November 13th from 11am to 4pm CST
• Engage, ask questions, and immerse yourself during the bootcamp to receive the best possible student experience
• Contact the MCF team or your Bootcamp Leader should any issues arise.