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Frequently Asked Questions
Why was GWI (Girls With Impact) created?
Our CEO and Harvard Business School professor Lynda Applegate recognized a gap in business among teen girls.
Jennifer Openshaw, as chief marketing officer for and co-author of Mercer’s global When Women Thrive research platform, was part of the global conversation about bringing more women into the workplace. But she felt that to create a real pipeline of young women and to truly change the trajectory of women in the workplace, we need to start with this generation: teen girls.
What will I gain from being a part of GWI?
Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Leadership
Being part of Girls With Impact provides young women with the skills, confidence, and network to thrive in any career path they choose. Our Impact Driven programs are designed to help participants build essential business, leadership, and career-readiness skills that set them apart in college, internships, and the workplace.
Through live, interactive classes and mentorship, participants gain real-world experience in strategic communication, entrepreneurship, and personal branding. Graduates leave with micro-credentials and digital badges that strengthen resumes and LinkedIn profiles, providing a competitive edge.
In addition to skill-building, students gain access to a strong network of peers, industry leaders, and expert mentors who provide guidance, career connections, and opportunities for growth. Whether launching a venture, preparing for job interviews, or developing professional skills, GWI equips young women with the knowledge and confidence to step into leadership roles and take charge of their futures.
Who are the programs for?
Our programs are for young women and gender expansive youth ages 14-24. Students from anywhere in the world may join our program, although class times are based on eastern time zones in the USA.
Our programs
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Below are the steps a student will go through:
1 - Reserve a place – students fill in a short form and complete checkout with or without provided scholarship code to reserve their place
2 - Introduction - Students recieve class information 2 weeks prior to the session start date
3 - Attend Classes Online – Students meet for a live, engaging online class led by their coach
4 - Updates - Students and Parents are updated with course status throughout the live classes
5 - Graduation - All students are emailed their digital micro-credential. Academy students and their guests are invited to join a graduation event, live-online.
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The Innovation Academy: The live, online Academy program consists of 9 live classes.
Our summer live, online academy is 5 weeks
The Career Accelerator: The live, online Career Accelerator program consists of 4 live classes.
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A computer with internet access, smart device / Ipad to join the weekly live classes via video conference
A computer with internet access to be able to complete the weekly assignments
Webcam on the computer is preferable but not absolutely necessary
A quiet place to attend class each week
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30 young women max. This allows us to have an engaging class with a powerful back-and-forth exchange
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They are:
Professionals experienced in entrepreneurship and business
Hold an MBA and/or other related degrees
Excited and committed to help young women succeed
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Yes, standards are:
Respect for others – listen without interruption and respond to communications within a 24-hour time period
Attendance – Attend class on time and at the specified times
No distractions — No eating or texting during class
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Girls With Impact has two Mentorship programs available for all graduates after they complete the Academy Program. Student may opt into either of these programs at any time. See here for additional details on our mentorship programs.
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Students must either attend, or watch the recordings, for ALL classes. The program is structured so that each class builds on the next and missing a class would result in key components of the program being missed.
We provide students with bite-sized pre-recorded modules of each session within their Google Classroom course shell. If they have missed a class or expect to miss a class they can keep up with session by watching these modules.
If a student is not going to be present for a live class, please inform your coach in advance.
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We say 2 hours a week for a lifetime of success.
Classes are 50-60 minutes each.
Weekly exercises or “BringBacks” to move your project forward take about 1 hour.
The entire program is 10 weeks. Live classes are weekly for 9 weeks.
Note – summer program is 5 weeks total (2 classes/week for 5 weeks, 4 hours/week commitment).
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Often, yes. Talk to your guidance counselor or other school representative first. Tell them that the curriculum offers 20 hours of instruction
Simply email us at ops@girlswithimpact.com for any documentation needed
Fees and Financial Aid
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Yes. Just as with the YWCA, swimming or other programs, it helps cover our professional coaches, technology, platform, curriculum, start-up kits and more.
Tuition fees are on a sliding scale, up to $995, based on financial need. This equates to about $30 per hour for the orientation, 9-week Academy, mentoring and review and in-person graduation. All course materials are included in this fee.
This program is worth substantially more for the education, network and business/venture development as well as the increased likelihood of scholarships and job earnings. Our program has been valued at $2,000.
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Financial aid is offered to students in the USA from low-moderate income households.
If you meet our financial aid requirements you will be awarded a funded / part funded place.
Please see here for our financial aid process.
Please indicate your need for financial aid by emailing ops@girlswithimpact.com.
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Tuition fees are refundable (or transferable to a later program) up to 3 weeks before the start of the orientation phase of the program.
Within 3 weeks of the start of the program tuition fees may only be transferred to a later program and cannot be refunded.
Fee transfers to another Girls With Impact academy program may only be conducted one time.
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You will be informed if you qualify for financial aid based on your application.
About GWI
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Girls With Impact is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization with tax ID: 831742762
Donations to Girls With Impact are tax deductible. Tuition fees are not tax deductible
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Please click here to see our privacy policy.
I have a question not addressed here – what can I do?
Please email us at support@girlswithimpact.com. We’ll get right back.