Over the past 15 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach. Description: Student Leaders assigns paid internships at local nonprofits to juniors and seniors interested in honing their community and business leadership skills. Description: JCamp provides students with workshops, field trips, and hands-on instruction from professional journalists in a variety of areas, including writing, photography, broadcasting, and more. Program Duration: 4-weeks. Students live in tents, cook their own food, learn outdoor skills, and learn about ecology and the environment. Clark Scholar Program 3. Most summer programs admit all or most students who can pay the (high) tuition. Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP). Though more quality summer programs for high school students exist than we could possibly list, we’ve chosen some of our favorites and organized them by category below. Your child may get the chance to study a subject and/or get hands-on experience beyond what their high school offers. Location: various foreign countries in which students can study one of eight less commonly taught languages, Cost: free (sponsored by the United States Department of State). Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, Cronkite Summer Journalism Institute (SJI). Earn credits and train in acting, dance, design, dramatic writing, filmmaking, game design, photography and imaging, production and design, or recorded music with one of the top art schools in the country, the Tisch School of the Arts. The short answer: probably not, at least not directly. Students gain practical college-level experience in their chosen field; interact closely with outstanding faculty; tackle new social and intellectual challenges; and experience campus life with other exceptional high school … National Crews is moderately competitive, accepting fewer than half of all candidates. A good volunteer abroad program should have clear objectives, be well-connected to and invested in the local community, and promote local self-sufficiency. The Clark Scholars Program is very competitive, with only 12 students accepted each year. Can they fundraise for the NGO from afar, bringing with them donations each time they travel? Students seeking assistance with their summer program search, and with their college applications, are encouraged to contact us at info@collegetransitions.com or at 678-710-3699, to learn about our background and the services we provide. Description: Established in 1958, HSHSP is an in-depth research program for high school juniors designed “to help students develop a deeper understanding of the process of inquiry.” Students spend the majority of their time working on a research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor, though seminars, classes, and special activities are also part of the program. Typically, these programs aim to approximate the college experience by holding classes taught by professors or visiting scholars and housing students in dorms (note: local students may be able to commute instead). Description: IVHQ—which has placed over 100,000 volunteers abroad since 2007—offers supervised Youth Adventure Packages in India and Romania for 15–17 year olds. They also frequently incorporate lectures, networking events, and opportunities to socialize with fellow attendees, and can range anywhere from one to eight weeks in length. Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, Cost: $3,200 housing fee (no cost for commuters); a $1,000 stipend is received at the program’s completion, Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS). They should ask the people who run the organization what is most needed and set goals so that they can develop a long and meaningful connection to the work. Having more free time and more work really improved my time management. IVHQ is known for being an affordable, ethically-run volunteer abroad organization that involves local community organizations in its programs. The vast majority of pre-college summer programs have no bearing on their host college’s undergraduate admissions practices and should definitely not be viewed as a backdoor into that school. Our accelerated two-, three-, or six-week programs offer talented high school students the opportunity to experience campus life, pursue challenging academics, and stand out on college applications. Location: Perimeter Institute, Waterloo, ON (Canada), Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR). (Recommended reading: How to Find Internships for High School Students). Students participate in mini courses, hands-on labs, and mentoring sessions, as well as attend presentations by Perimeter Institute researchers on the latest theoretical physics topics. Offering service and non-service trips alike, program focuses vary from public health to the environment to language and cultural immersion. - Summer at Stanford Sets You Apart. As such, they do NOTHING to improve your admission prospects. Description: Leadership Seminars is for current high school juniors who are academically gifted leaders in their school, church, local community, or other social organizations. MIT offers four of our own (above). Around 225 students are chosen each year to participate. Description: LBW offers current sophomores and juniors an introduction to business through classes with Wharton professors and visiting business leaders, as well as visits to company offices and team-building exercises. The summer drama program includes 28 hours per week of conservatory training in one of four more specified training programs and a seminar on the profession of acting. The Einstein-Montefiore Summer High School Research Program introduces high school students age 16 and older to the excitement of leading-edge scientific research. In this guide, we’ll go over the benefits and drawbacks of participating in pre-college summer programs everywhere from New York to Amherst to Stanford, including the question on everybody’s minds: do these programs actually help your child get into college? Open to current sophomores and juniors, admission to SSP is competitive, with an acceptance rate around 10 percent. Your child will get exposure to a specific campus and type of environment, which will help them make an informed decision about what kind of school they could best succeed at (e.g., an urban setting versus a rural one or a large research university versus a small liberal arts college). However, students seeking an exciting summer experience outside their area, while improving their college applicant profile in the process, are advised to explore the above. Community college courses are much cheaper than pre-college programs, and your child will still show demonstrate academic passion plus some extra initiative. A highlight of the program is the opportunity for participants to create and present their own business plan to a group of venture capitalists and business professionals. WebsitePoints: 20The University of Notre Dame offers a variety of summer pre-college programs for high school students, including study abroad opportunities, leadership seminars, and a summer scholars program. Participants also attend weekly faculty research talks and participate in special workshops, tours, and events. CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY 30-MINUTE CONSULTATION TO LEARN HOW WE CAN HELP, Extracurricular Activities for College Admissions: The Ultimate Guide, How to Find Internships for High School Students. That still gives you plenty of time to kick it with friends and make classic summer memories before you go abroad, or even snag a summer job for a couple weeks and save a few extra Euros. We’ll go into more detail on this, including some exceptions, a little later. Focused on pure mathematics, SUMaC students choose one of two course topics, both of which delve into mathematics topics from historical and contemporary research perspectives. Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. Description: GVI runs programs focused on sustainable development and experiential education which are guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as the goals of local partners. Description: RSI pairs scientific coursework with a research internship to allow students to “experience the entire research cycle from start to finish.” Students work on individual research projects under the mentorship of veteran scientists and present their findings at the program’s conclusion. Get personalized feedback and learn about how we can assist you during the admissions process, Downloadable Resources for your College Transition, “College Transitions was responsive, establishing a great rapport with our son, and keeping the process moving in a friendly and helpful way...fine tuning the essays, error checking he applications, and available to answer panicked questions almost around the clock. Open to current juniors and seniors, SIMR heavily favors applicants from the Bay Area, as it does not provide housing. Ivy League Colleges With Summer Programs for High School Harvard University. Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. There are many good alternatives to attending summer programs that your child ought to consider. Description: Founded in 1932, The Experiment focuses on learning from foreign countries rather than teaching, and emphasizes cultural sensitivity, sustainability, and social responsibility in its programs. Description: An academic enrichment program for outstanding high school students from around the world. Research in Science and Engineering Program (RISE). Location: various college campuses across the United States, Cost: $1,800 (limited financial aid available). In addition to the obvious benefit of earning money, jobs also teach students responsibility, work ethic, humility, and teamwork. Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Description: PSJP is a program for talented current juniors from low-income households. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University The Clark Scholars program at Texas Tech University is an intensive seven-week summer research program open to high school juniors and seniors. Not to mention that volunteer abroad trips for teens usually last only a few weeks, which is typically not long enough to make any real impact, raising moral concerns about how you should treat the situations of those less fortunate. Over the past 15 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into elite institutions. Get hands-on experience and on-the-job learning as you work on technology projects that make a difference in people's lives around the world and find out what STEM fields of study can offer you. Engineering Innovation. Offering a mix of service, adventure, and cultural immersion trips, Rustic Pathways programs “are intentionally designed to challenge students to think critically and experience personal growth” and are designed collaboratively with local partners according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Summer Institute is an award-winning 6-week summer program for self-identified young women currently attending high school in the New York/Newark, NJ area. Your Trusted Advisors for Admissions Succes, Admissions and test prep resources to help you get into your dream schools. The program allows students an opportunity for hands-on practical research with leading researchers and members of the Texas Tech faculty. Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. SAMS includes classroom instruction, hands-on projects, and professional and academic development workshops. If your child is interested in attending a summer program, be sure to research the program’s quality and choose a subject that’s in line with their interests and specializations. Colleges see these programs as a positive extracurricular activity demonstrating an active and enthusiastic commitment to learning beyond the high school classroom. For reasons of health and safety, all 2021 Harvard Summer School courses and activities will be offered online, and we will not be hosting a residential program for high school students. Summer programs give high schoolers the opportunity to pursue their passions and develop new ones. More important than simply attending the program, though, is that your child capitalize on the experience personally and in their college applications. RSI accepts 80 students each year. Penn Summer High School Programs. Description: SSP is an immersive, research-based program that has been running since 1959 and is governed and operated by its own alumni. The program really provided me with a college experience that was totally different from high school. Choose from courses such as economics, law, natural history, philosophy, and politics! Description: At the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, students take a workshop and seminar in a single course of study—poetry, fiction, or a creative writing survey. Your child could spend their summer in a wilderness program, on volunteering trips abroad, attending an arts camp, or participating in a specialized summer institute for an extracurricular activity at which they excel, like an academic team, robotics, or debate. The Russia nerd should come out of the program with, well, better Russian—and new passions for Tolstoy, perhaps. Contacting Brown Summer High School. The following is a list of top summer programs for high school students: Boston University – Research in Science & Engineering (RISE), Carnegie Mellon – Summer Academy for Math + Science (SAMS), Cronkite Institute for High School Journalism: Summer Journalism Institute, Foundation for Teaching Economics – Economics for Leaders (EFL), Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (HCSSIM), Indiana University – Young Women’s Institute, Jackson Laboratory – Summer Student Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Minority Introduction to Science and Engineering (MITES), MDI Biological Laboratory Summer Research Fellowship, Michigan State University – High School Honors Science, Math and Engineering Program (HSHSP), Monell Center Science Apprenticeship Program, National Institutes of Health – Summer Internship in Biomedical Research (SIP), Ohio State University – Ross Mathematics Program, Princeton University – Summer Journalism Program, Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS), Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR), Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC), Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP), University of Iowa – Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP), University of Notre Dame – Leadership Seminars, University of Pennsylvania – Leadership in the Business World, U.S. Coast Guard Academy – Academy Introduction Mission (AIM), U.S. Military Academy – Summer Leaders Experience. Originally founded in response to a shortage of diversity in the media, JCamp emphasizes multicultural perspectives. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University offers a seven-week Secondary School Program... Cornell University. Around 90 students are admitted each year—usually ranking in the top 10 percent of their class—and are eligible to receive one college credit. Your child will be able to get a firsthand feel for what college life is like, which may make transitioning to college easier when the time comes. Location: Georgia Public Broadcasting, Atlanta, GA. Students must be current juniors and must be nominated by their high school in order to apply. Summer programs for high school students, particularly pre-college summer programs located on college campuses, have greatly proliferated in numbers over the past few decades to the point where there are now hundreds of programs to choose from. Or if your child is interested in health and your family regularly visits relatives in India over summer and winter breaks, connecting with a family friend who runs a health related NGO or oversees medical mission trips in the region may be a fine option for your child. Though pre-college summer programs can be found at most elite colleges these days, their own selectivity and rigor varies quite a bit. Your child might be able to earn college credit or use a course to place into a higher level in college or high school. Participants have the opportunity to explore several different areas of engineering during workplace tours, group … The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University offers summer high school sessions in drama and dramatic writing for rising high school juniors and seniors. Some parents, in response to this trend, have blown thousands of dollars on summer programs that may provide for an enriching experience, but do little to distinguish their child from the rest of the applicant pool. application, , (directions) (2008) (news release) "for students 16 years of age or older who are enrolled at least half-time in high school, have finished high school, or … Description: Young Writers is a creative writing program for 16–18 year olds in which students spend five hours per day in multigenre workshops. We’ll discuss this shortly. Location: Middlebury College, Middlebury, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, VT or select foreign countries (2020 countries are China, France, and Spain), Cost: $5,595–$8,245 (limited financial aid available for the domestic program), Student Conservation Association National Crews. Description: National Crews gives 15–19 year olds the opportunity to work on parks restoration projects and trail maintenance in crews of 6–8 students. Summer > immersion programs. Description: MITES is for academically talented rising seniors—often from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds—who are interested in careers and advanced degrees in science and engineering. BU Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) 2. International and domestic high school students from diverse backgrounds converge on Wurster Hall for four intensive weeks to explore architecture, sustainable city planning, and urban design in the studio, lecture hall, Fabrication Shop, and at special sites across the bay area. Less competition may be good news, but it also means that attending a summer program at, say, Harvard, doesn’t confer nearly as much prestige or achievement as getting into Harvard itself. In some other cases, programs are organized by an individual university department, such as the school of professional studies, that has little connection to undergraduate academic standards, and certainly doesn’t have a direct line to the admissions office. A college-level program for high school students with an aptitude in math and science and an … Description: LaunchX is an entrepreneurship program that supports students through the process of launching an actual startup. Not only should you assess their policies and procedures in regard to travel, safety, and supervision, we highly recommend making sure that their projects are ethically run and are actually of benefit to the local community. The Best Classrooms. Open to current sophomores and juniors, 30–40 students are accepted at each site. Students also get to tour local newsrooms as well as work in state-of-the-art on-campus broadcast facilities. Open to all current freshman, sophomores, and juniors, JCamp admits around 40 students each year. ", "Our daughter was dreading the admissions process before we signed on with CT, but her and our fears were quickly laid to rest ...our team was always available and helped us to organize everything..in the end, Katy was admitted into several top colleges WITH merit aid. Around 80 applicants are accepted each year, a quarter of whom are returning students. Not only does this type of scenario have the benefit of being free (excluding travel costs, of course), your child might also have the opportunity to volunteer for a longer period of time, maybe even an entire summer, greatly increasing their potential impact. Location: various campuses across the United States, Michigan State University High School Honors Science/Engineering/Mathematics Program (HSHSP). Here are the best summer programs for high school students abroad. Description: SAMS is for current sophomores and juniors from underrepresented backgrounds who wish to “develop mastery of critical concepts in higher-level collegiate math and science” while earning college credit. Get the free 110-page guide we use to help our students routinely get admitted to schools like Stanford and Princeton: How to Get Into America’s Elite Colleges: The Ultimate Guide. Conclusion: Finding the Most Competitive Summer Programs. Description: Economics for Leaders “teaches leaders how to integrate economics into the process of decision-making in a hands-on, experiential environment.” Students typically spend mornings attending economics lectures and afternoons and evenings in leadership workshops and exercises. Don’t spend money just because you want your child to be able to drop “Harvard” or “Stanford” in a college app.