YOU JUST GOT SETTLED IN AT SCHOOL and already we’re talking summer! But if you have learned anything from reading My College Guide, it’s this: it’s never too early to start planning for college. While it might be tempting to spend your summer at the beach, the mall or parked in front of the TV, that’s not going to give you the college admissions edge! Start searching for a pre-college program that will boost your academic profile, fuel your passions and maybe even net you college credit.
INDEPENDENT PROGRAMS:
YOU’VE GOT OPTIONS!
There are many independent, nonprofit organizations that offer pre-college summer courses on a variety of topics and in a variety of ways. Some include heavy travel and a broad range of subjects, while others zoom in on a specific field with plenty of hands-on experience. Here’s a small sample of pre-college programs to help you get started.
Dig in! The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) lets students take a closer look at subjects (www.nslcleaders.org). “For example,” states David Lowitz the director of marketing and outreach at NSLC, “students in our medicine and health care program have lectures from surgeons learn surgical knot-tying practice suturing and taking patient histories and work with current medical students. They even get a chance to go behind the scenes at hospitals medical schools and research centers to gain a better understanding of the practice of medicine.”
Politically minded? You might want to check out the Junior Statesmen Summer Program (www.jsa.org). Leadership public service and politically related topics could bring out the budding politician in you.
Love to travel? Pack up your bags for this one. Summer Discovery provides students with the option of exploring not only the country but the world (www.summerdiscovery.com)! You can choose from two-week excursions to six-week adventures and even different concentrations.
UNIVERSITY-BASED PROGRAMS: COLLEGE LIFE EARLY
Many schools have pre-college summer programs which give you a chance to not only see what college life is like but what life at a particular college is like—before you even graduate from high school. Many colleges offer programs that let you live and learn right on campus. You can experience real college courses and dorm life as well as the joy that we call cafeteria food! We’re only joking. But we aren’t kidding about the opportunity to earn college credit!
The University of Arizona’s Summer of Excellence Program enables high-achieving high school students to experience college courses pulled straight from the actual college course list. According to the college’s website the most popular course subjects include theater arts sociology and math. Students can even join extracurricular activities.
Taste of College? The name of the University of Rochester’s pre-college program says it all! High school students enjoy a whole month of college fun—and a college credit.
These are such a small sampling of the pre-college summer programs that are out there. Make the most of summer and get a head start on your future!
