What do you want to do with your summer? Many high school students beat summer boredom by participating in pre-college programs at colleges and universities nationwide. There’s no better way to explore possible college majors and careers––as well as college campuses!
HOW DOES A SUMMER PROGRAM BENEFIT ME?
From learning how to deal with professional athletes during a realistic sports management simulation or honing your cooking skills with master chefs, to studying how current events affect the American economy, there are summer programs for students with almost any interest.
Most colleges and universities offer some type of pre-college summer program. Independent nonprofit organizations, such as the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC), also offer summer programs.
“A pre-college program can help students focus their academic and career path by giving them a better understanding of a particular major or career area and providing them with guidance on classes, internships, extracurriculars, job opportunities, etc. that will help them succeed,” says David Lowitz, director of marketing for the NSLC.
Some pre-college summer programs provide opportunities to earn college credit. For-credit programs are typically longer in length (usually at least six weeks) and involve participation in an actual college course. The number of credits you’ll earn depends on the course and the university’s policies.
But pre-college summer programs aren’t focused solely on the classroom experience.
“A pre-college program offers students an opportunity to preview the best of college life: from compelling courses taught by renowned faculty to life on a vibrant campus, to becoming an active participant in the university [and] local and global communities, to developing friendships with other students from around the world,” says Elizabeth Elkins, senior program associate of marketing for Emory University’s (GA) Office of International and Summer Programs.
Students who participate in pre-college programs often stay in the on-campus dorms, eat in the dining center, tour different areas of campus, get to know professors and meet other college-bound students. If you live close by, you might be able to commute.
“One of the biggest benefits is that it gives you the opportunity to be on a college campus and have a short-time experience,” says Carmen Flagge, senior admissions counselor and coordinator for pre-collegiate programs at Iowa State University. At Iowa State, fun events outside the classroom are prearranged, such as morning runs at the rec center and a “dive-in” movie at the rec center pool.
WHAT TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE OUT THERE?
Pre-college summer programs range from daylong workshops to one- or two-week courses to summer classes that can earn you college credits. Some programs offer more hands-on activities, while others provide a traditional lecture-style classroom format.
The NSLC offers programs in 16 different areas, including business, medicine, engineering, political science, journalism and theater. The programs are held on one of eight university campuses. They’re hands-on, designed to give students a “day-in-the-life” experience of a potential career and include exposure to essential leadership skills.
“Students in our NSLC medicine program will learn surgical skills, such as suturing from a practicing surgeon, and have an opportunity to practice these skills while at the program,” says Lowitz. “In our engineering program, students work in small teams to design and build a variety of projects, like remote-operated vehicles or wind turbines, during competitive engineering challenges. In our intelligence and national security program, students represent a member of the National Security Council … and have to respond to an ever-evolving national security crisis where their group’s decisions impact the outcome.”
At Iowa State, you can choose from nearly 23 different programs ranging from a three-day athletic training workshop or a one-week course on what zombies and neuroscientists have in common to a six-week summer internship program where students are matched with a faculty mentor to conduct research in an area that interests them.
At Emory University, you can choose from a variety of two-week non-credit courses or six-week courses for college credit, as well as three-week institutes. Two-week courses cover topics such as neuroscience, law, pre-medicine, sports medicine, psychology and writing (including a course on writing personal essays for your college applications). Six-week for-credit courses include introductory courses in subjects from art and computer science to international politics and foreign languages.
Some colleges offer super-intensive programs, too. For example, Carnegie Mellon University (PA) offers an intensive National High School Game Academy experience, where students attend a lecture-style course in the morning and spend their afternoons in a studio applying various video game development skills they’ve learned.
WHICH PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR ME?
Most colleges have information about pre-college summer programs on their websites. Start by doing a Google search for the terms pre-college summer programs and the name of a university in your area. If you can’t find the information you want online, call a university’s admissions office to inquire about its pre-college programs.
When choosing a program, NSLC’s Lowitz says the most important thing to consider is the student experience. “Is the program mainly a classroom/lecture experience where students spend most of their time in a university class, or is the program more experimental with simulations, site visits and guest speakers? Both types of programs can be beneficial. It really depends on what the student is hoping to get out of his or her experience.”
Lowitz recommends asking the college or program provider for a full sample schedule so you can know what activities to expect.
Flagge suggests not getting too stuck on the type of program but rather choosing a program that matches your interests. For example, you don’t need to go to math or engineering camp to have a good experience and impress college admission counselors with your summer activities. “All learning is good. Sometimes it’s just enough to allow a student to be curious and explore things they’re interested in,” Flagge says.
And while participating in a program at a college you’re considering attending is a good idea, keep an open mind about attending programs at other schools too. “Any time you have an opportunity to visit a college, do so, even if it’s not the school you think you’re interested in attending,” says Flagge. “You may not end up at the school you had the experience with, but it will help you to think about college and help the college decision process. You never know until you get there whether or not it will be a good fit for you.”
Costs of programs vary greatly, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on program length, location, availability of college credit, whether room and board is included and other factors. Some colleges or programs offer limited financial aid, usually based on need, to help students and parents pay for summer programs.
For example, Elkins says Emory encourages students to seek scholarship funding through the university’s available aid and through foundation partnerships. Flagge says that if students currently qualify for the free or reduced school lunch program at their high school, they can get a 50-percent discount to attend a pre-college program at Iowa State. Contact the college or organization running the program to get details on all program costs and financial aid or scholarships available.
Lastly, keep application deadlines in mind and apply as early as possible. Many pre-college programs fill up fast, so start looking for information as many as eight months before you want to participate in a program. You may need to start submitting applications by February or March in order to participate in a summer program.
So what are you waiting for? Start exploring your options for pre-college summer programs today!
Dana McCullough is a freelance writer based in Milwaukee, Wis.
