REAP is an 8-week summer internship made available to 120 high school apprentices each year in university research laboratories. High school students with demonstrated abilities or interests in STEM are nominated by their schools to participate. The mentor conducts an interview process in cooperation with appropriate high school science teachers and high school guidance counselors.

Participating apprentices spend an allotted time, between 5-8 weeks, during the summer at such university laboratories (research facilities) in their area, gaining hands-on experience doing actual university research and engineering projects under the daily direction of faculty mentors, and thereby being successfully encouraged to pursue college education with continued interest in engineering, math and science.