Time to Start Thinking About Summer Programs

With summer just a few months away, you may be wondering,“What should my student do over the summer?" While the summer months are designed for taking a break from the rigors of the school year, they don’t have to be a break from learning. Through a summer program, you can create an experience that is both meaningful and fun. With many programs to explore, now is the time to start planning.

Why Summer Programs?

Pre-collegiate summer programs are one of the most exciting components of the college planning process; they are also an important component of adolescent self-development. With the cost of college only getting higher and admissions rates getting lower, students and parents are faced with growing anxiety during the admissions process. This is where the value of summer programs truly emerges. They can provide an advantage during the college planning process, and they can also be personally enriching

What Are Summer Programs?

Contrary to popular belief, summer programs are not limited to a few select offerings at a few elite institutions. There are nearly 800+ pre-collegiate experiences at public and private universities across the United States. Most programs take place on campus, offering residential immersion ranging from 1-8 weeks. Such programs present a unique hands-on preview of the college campus, the chosen field of study, and the student-professor dynamic. In addition, they are an authentic (and often first) introduction to living and learning away from home.

A summer program can help students answer important questions about college.

• Do I really know what my desired major entails?
• Will I like living away from home as much as I hope I will?
• Does my desired campus atmosphere support my learning needs?

Students who attend a summer program gain a contextual sampling of college life while exploring potential career interests, all while having a good time.

A summer program can empower a young person to envision and navigate their college and career ambitions. With a wide variety of programs available, many different types of students and families can benefit when the right program is identified. Here are just a few examples of families and students that may find a summer program to be beneficial:

• The teen who wants to experience his first computer engineering class
• The future doctor who wants to meet a pre-med graduate
• The creative future liberal arts major who wants to test-drive a small-town campus
• The parent who wants his/her child to see what type of college ‘fits’

What You Need to Know About Summer Programs

While the outcomes of summer programs are vast and highly personal, our experience supporting over 10,000 college applicants has helped us refine what we consider to be the seven essential summer program expectations.

1. Attending a Specific Summer Program Does NOT Guarantee Admission Into a Specific University. While this may be disheartening, it is also true: getting into an Ivy League summer program does not grant an automatic golden ticket to any college. The experience and achievement will no doubt be academically and fundamentally valuable and will support a solid admissions profile, but it is not an all-encompassing college insurance policy.

2. Costs Will Vary Greatly. If one or two summer programs feel financially unattainable, look further. Some programs offer financial aid or scholarships. Some may be closer to home or shorter in duration, which may mitigate overall cost. Don’t be afraid to ask if assistance is available, and don’t stop looking if it’s not immediately visible.

3. Teachers and Faculty May Vary. Not all summer programs are led by full-time faculty, nor by every professor from every department. Summer program providers may be the school’s world-renowned English professor or a graduate student. In some cases, third-party providers are brought onto campus to lead the course or experience. None of these options are right or wrong; they are just considerations to be aware of as you gather information and set your own priorities.

4. You Should Expect the Unexpected. We’ve heard of students having a lifelong desire to be a scientist, only to learn they hated being stuck in a lab. We’ve seen cases where that first-choice UC campus just didn’t feel ‘right’ after staying there. Summer programs are designed to deliver realities not validate preconceived perceptions. This does not mean an obstacle is now blocking the road; it simply means a juncture has been reached.

5. No Credits, No Problem. Many students and parents alike feel that spending a summer at college is only advantageous if it helps students accrue course credit. While that is a feature of some programs, it is not necessarily the biggest benefit. Discounting a program that does not offer course credits could mean missing out on the immeasurable social, emotional, and contextual elements that generate the highest non-tangible value.

6. Start Researching ASAP. The earlier students start researching summer programs, the more options they will have. Many programs accept high school students at age 14 (there are even some for middle schoolers). If you can make the most of one summer, imagine what you could do with three. Moreover, summer program deadlines vary greatly; waiting to find a program and apply in spring is almost always too late.

7. Strategize with Support. Once high schoolers see how many programs exist, they are often hard-pressed to choose which to apply to. While it’s tempting to use cost, location, and peer interest as primary factors, other factors are vital to consider. A student’s current and desired admissions strengths/weaknesses, as well as his/her actual college list and majors of interest, are the components that lead to the most impactful opportunities. You may consider consulting with a college admissions professional to truly maximize this time.

Our Hope for You

Our hope is that the summer program process awakens your curiosity, enhances your strengths, and helps identify or address areas of weakness. Our hope is to create academically, socially, and contextually prepared classes of college graduates in the years to come. We want countless students to look back and say: that one summer truly made all the difference.

Jennifer Williams Taylor and Joyce Wong authored The Ultimate Summer Program Guide, a comprehensive resource that will help students, parents, and educators navigate one of the biggest decisions in a student’s life. The extensive publication is dedicated to a compilation of over 800+ summer program opportunities across the United States, options that will appeal to virtually every high school student with every aspiration. Subject areas include, but are not limited to: Science, Technology, Math, Engineering, Business, History, Law, free opportunities, and so much more! You can purchase a copy of their book on Amazon. For more information on how they support students through the college admissions process, visit www.collegeconsultingexperts.com.