Summer Academic Programs
Resources
Peterson's Summer Opportunities for Kids and Teenagers, is an excellent resource and is available for check-out from the office. The same information is available on Peterson's website. Their database of summer schools and activities for teenagers is a great way to search for summer programs. Allen's Guide to Teen Summer Camps is another website that offers a wide range of summers programs. Students and parents are welcome to view the numerous publications and brochures available in the SAS Counseling Office and on the bulletin board outside of H301.
Special "Invitation" Summer Programs
Each year a large number of SAS students receive an impressive looking envelope which contains letter saying, "You have been nominated to attend a special summer program in the US." It's not until you get to the fine print that you realize you must pay US$5,000 or more to take advantage of this special opportunity.
These programs all have one thing in common - they tend to be extremely expensive. Somebody has to pay for those very, very impressive invitations, right? Because of the cost, parents need to weigh what their children will be receiving in return for this amount of money. You need to know that attending a program such as this will in no way enhance your chances of admission at selective colleges. Attendance will possibly make you more knowledgeable, enlightened, and informed; it will not necessarily make you a better candidate for admission to selective colleges and universities.
Secondly marketing strategies for these, summer "invitation" programs are extremely sophisticated. Each year faculty members are asked to nominate students for programs and some teachers do make nominations. That's why students receive invitations that say, "Your AP Biology teacher feels that you would benefit tremendously from this program," or "Your counselor has nominated you out of all of the students in your class for this program." Faculty members often have little information about the cost or quality of the programs when making nominations. Occasionally students are told they have been "nominated" when, in fact, all that has happened is that the company has merely purchased the student's demographic data from another company such as The College Board.
Finally, the invitations make it appear that a student is very special to receive this invitation, that there is some kind of pre-selection process going on just to be invited to participate. However, just what criteria is being used to target certain students could be as cold and calculating as the "parent income" category on the SAT registration to as innocuous as "kids with good PSAT scores." Regardless of the criteria they use, do not feel for one moment that receiving an invitation is the "distinct honor" that the program wants you to believe it is. Your feedback and questions regarding summer programs are welcome and appreciated by the counselors. Bottom line: any "special" programs with highly selective criteria will be handled through the counseling office and not through direct mailing from a private organization.
Boarding School Programs
Summer school programs based in boarding schools throughout the United States are generally four or five weeks long and cost between US $5,000 and $8,000 for tuition, room and board. Students usually get to choose a major and one or two minor subjects. The programs often include activities such as sports in the afternoons, weekend excursions to nearby cities, optional college tours, and SAT or TOEFL preparation. Many international students enroll in these programs, so they provide a chance to interact with students from around the world. Boarding schools provide a good deal of structure, and thus the programs are ideal for students in the first few years of high school.
Below are some examples boarding schools offering summer programs. Programs such as these can be found by searching on Peterson's or individual school's websites. Obviously you'll want to carefully review any program.
College-Based Programs
These programs can be of two types:
- Actual college courses offered for college credit on a shorter, more intense schedule than during the regular academic year.
- Programs based on college campuses that are designed for rising juniors and seniors in high school.
Courses are generally four or five weeks long and can cost between US $5,000 and $6,000 for tuition, room, and board. While the counseling office is not in a position to endorse any particular summer program, we have had a number of students attend the Summer Discovery program. They offer college based programs at UCLA, University of Connecticut, UC Santa Barbara, University of Michigan, Georgetown, University of Vermont, and Cambridge. The OxBridge Program in England is another quality program.
Students often wonder if attending a program on a college campus somehow enhances the chances of admission to that school later. Here is a quote from an Ivy League Director of Admissions: "Summer program attendance does not give students any preference in admissions. There is no dotted line running from the summer program to the admission office. While these programs can offer students a great opportunity to experience life on a college campus, it won't enhance admission chances any more than a number of other things a student can do in a summer. "
Leadership Programs
Organizations such as the National Student Leadership Conference offer one- to two-week programs for high school students in Washington, D.C. and other major US cities. Students interested in developing leadership skills can also consider a variety of programs emphasizing debate, public speaking, and leadership development. Each year many of our students receive very, very impressive invitations to take part in a National Leadership Youth Forum and other similar types of programs. Many of these programs offer summer study in medicine, law, and leadership. Most are expensive, but many students do enjoy going to them.
Organized College Tours
Touring colleges is an excellent way to verify information and get a first-hand view of colleges that you may be considering. Many families visit colleges on their own during the summer. Not every family is able to schedule time and handle the logistics of individual college tours, so an organizations exist to assist with summer visits.
TS College Tours is a tour opportunity provided by SAS Counselor Trevor Sturgeon. The program is unique in that it focuses exclusively on international school students and the tours are led by experienced international school counselors. TS College Tours is run as a separate, private business and is not affiliated with SAS. College Visits also offers high school students the opportunity to join their group tours of college campuses in selected regions of the U.S. Additional information about college visits is available here.
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