Counselor's Corner: March 1

posted Feb 28, 2013, 6:43 AM by Unknown user   [ updated Mar 15, 2013, 7:26 AM ]
Summer Programs for Students

Looking for something extra to do this summer?  Many universities and other organizations offer summer enrichment programs for high school students (and a few for middle school students).  These programs include a wide variety of academics, visual arts, performing arts, leadership-building, organized tours of college campuses, and more.  Some programs are designed to give students "an early taste of college life":  sleep in dorms, eat in college cafeterias, attend college-style classes, and see what college social life is like.  Others allow students to experience and enjoy in depth whatever area of interest they may have whether it is politics and government in Washington DC, reading and analyzing "Great Books" at Oxford University, Graphic Design at Cornell, or the Arts in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  A few of these programs offer college credits (though there is no guarantee that these will transfer to the school your son or daughter eventually attends after high school). 

The cost of such programs varies widely so careful research is important.  Scholarships may be available though there is often stiff competition for those.  Information on a variety of programs is available in the Counselor's Office but much can be found with a simple Google search.  I would recommend staying with a well-known university or program and/or carefully researching any program that seems interesting.  

One word of caution:  attending a summer program at a university such as Yale, Oxford, or Harvard does not necessarily improve a student's chances of someday being offered admission at that institution.  So don't choose a summer program for that reason; choose one that sounds truly fun, interesting, and maybe even educational!  A sample of programs is below:
  • Cornell University Summer College Program - 20 programs/60 courses
  • Harvard Secondary School Program - for a taste of college life
  • Washington University in St. Louis - a taste of college life
  • Great Books program at Oxford, Amherst, Stanford - for those with a passion for great classic literature, ancient and contemporary
  • Blue Ridge Summer Institute for Young Artists - music, theater, creative writing, and visual arts
  • Columbia University summer programs - college courses / life in New York City OR art, history, politics, and language in Barcelona OR Middle Eastern culture and history at King's Academy in Jordan

Many other programs are available.  Feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to find out more about a specific program. 

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