Pre-College Programs for High School Students: 10 Best Summer Programs
Not many parents are informed about the benefits of “Pre-College” Summer Programs offered at top tier universities. Although we strongly believe our students must rest to succeed in their academics, students should not avoid additional opportunities, which could potentially alter their chances of being accepted into their “dream school.” Summer programs not only allow students to explore their intellectual curiosity in a specified field but help ease the academic transition from high school to college. Psychologically and physiologically, they provide an exclusive window into understanding how a particular school could become a top choice.
So here we are, attempting to address the infamous question, “What is a summer program, and how does it benefit me?” In this article, the JM Learning team will answer 2 main questions:
It’s not a secret that kids would rather relax than participate in a 6-week intensive, academic summer program in a rigorous university. Therefore, it is our job, as educators and parents, to encourage our students to participate in activities that are not only “fun,” but beneficial.
Pre-college summer programs help students gain a better understanding of what college life is truly like, what their career path entails, and how to succeed in said career path. Participation in such summer programs can often lead to the obtainment of nearly six college credits, which is equivalent to completion of 2 college semester-long courses. Aside from educational benefit, students can also explore individual independence and understand whether or not “going away to college” is for them.
The most significant benefit of a summer program, however, is its striking presence on the students’ college applications. Such programs allow the students to learn of the opportunities offered at their “dream schools,” while also developing a relationship with professors and staff of their chosen school. Those connections will benefit the students in multiple ways:
- A personal link to staff members of the chosen University will allow the students to inquire about information, something not offered during school tours or “open houses.”
- Understanding the way the chosen University operates, academically and socially, will ease the burden of researching the school for the submission of his/her supplemental essays for any university.
Whether a teenager wants to be a doctor, a lawyer, an artist, or an engineer, research is essential to all decision-making. Deciding on a career path as a teenager is never easy, which is why our tutoring center is keen on educating our students from a young age. The JM Learning Prep team believes that “it’s not about the ‘what?’ and ‘where?’, it’s about ‘why?’ and ‘how?'” Once we provide our students with fundamental knowledge, they can begin to make the right decisions. Teenagers should start thinking about what they would like to pursue during their Freshman year of High School; this gives them just enough time to plan, prepare, try, and fail or succeed. Currently, the top five fields to study are STEM, Business, Pre-Med, Law, and Graphic Design. Listed below are two pre-college summer programs for each area, respectively, which are going to have the most significant benefit for your student. These programs were researched and chosen by the JM Learning team.
Click on the links provided for all the details, including courses, tuition, and more…
- Extremely accessible and user-friendly application process.
- It has a vast multitude of options geared towards students with various interests.
- Students live and learn on Brown’s gorgeous Ivy League campus and can choose from nearly 200 non-credit courses.
- Outside of class, students participate in a full program of events and activities and experience the independence of college life with fellow students and new friends from around the world.
$: A minimum length, one week program costs $2,849.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- A fair with more than 75 colleges throughout the country
- Organized visits to New England colleges, such as Brown and Yale
- College counseling sessions with assistant deans who have the expertise to help you select the University that’s right for you
- Workshops to prepare you to write a college application essay or take college exams
- The Harvard admissions talk, “How a freshman class is selected.”
- Scholarships / financial aid available
$$: 7-week residential secondary program costs $12,810.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- The school offers tons of unique courses and opportunities, from working with livestock/animal shelters to learning about social justice through hip hop.
- The program emphasizes having a memorable experience.
- Accepts students from 40 different countries, providing a productive networking experience.
- Participants can earn three to six credits.
$: A minimum of two-week program costs $4,550, not including applicable fees.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- The Tisch School of the Arts is a four-week residential program for credit for aspiring musicians and artists.
- The school offers a ten-day Urban Journalism workshop for aspiring writers.
- Easy commute/ no residential fees for New Yorkers.
- Considered one of the most challenging and rewarding pre-college programs in the U.S.
$: 6-week pre-college program ranging from $5,000-$15,000
To learn more about the program, click here.
- A unique aspect of this program is the different location options: Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington, D.C., or San Diego.
- Programs are either one or three weeks, and students can focus on their interests: Marine Biology, Journalism, Political Science, Engineering, Creative Writing, or Economics, to name a few.
- Great networking opportunities with students ranging from all areas of the globe.
$: the 20-day program will run about $4,300, not including applicable fees.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- The school offers Business, Criminal Justice, Theatre, Game Design, Environment Science, History, Pre-Law, Sports Communication, and more.
- The well-rounded experience is enhanced by the gorgeous Hudson River valley campus at Marist or in Florence, Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance.
- Tagged as a pre-college program, students choose an institute their interested in, such as “Game Design Institute” or “Sports Communication Institute.”
$: Poughkeepsie Campus Session / 3 college credits: $3,500 (residential). New York City Session / 3 college credits: $2,500 (commuter).
*Minimum length costs
To learn more about the program, click here.
- Students interact with peers from across the U.S. and around the world and have ample opportunity to explore the unique recreational activities available on campus and in the culturally-rich San Francisco Bay Area
- Students can choose among 145 different classes across 30 departments within the University. Students can take up to five courses in the summer, gaining more exposure to the subjects that interest and challenge them.
- Summer College students have access to free tutors in most academic areas, academic skills coaches, and academic advisors.
- The application is very user-friendly and comes with an online cost calculator.
$$: A minimum three credit residential program costs $9,226
To learn more about the program, click here.
- The school offers a three-week program welcoming students from all over the world: mixes native and non-native English speakers.
- Limits the number of students from one nationality to 10% to guarantee a truly international experience.
- Students choose from a variety of academic and elective subjects that are taught by highly qualified professionals and benefit from full activities, cultural trips, and workshops program.
$$: An enrollment fee of $500 is required upon application (refunded if the student is denied). The total program cost is $6400.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- Three-week summer service-learning program (grades 9 -12)
- Combines hands-on education, meaningful service, powerful speakers and seminars, and an unforgettable residential experience for a summer that students describe as “life-changing.”
- Students meet in class groups where they engage in service projects that address social problems, listen to guest speakers who advise the students on how to create change in their communities, and they develop a plan to address a specific need in their local communities
- The Civic Leadership Institute is offered at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and the University of California, Berkeley, in Berkeley, California.
$: Full three-week program costs $4,869, not including application fees, service fees, and course fees.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES): an intensive six-week residential academic enrichment program for about 80 promising high school juniors who intend to pursue careers in science, engineering, and entrepreneurship, especially those from minority backgrounds and other underrepresented segments of the population.
- Free of charge
- Students take one math course, one life sciences course, one physics course a humanities course and an elective course
- Placement into the math, life science, and physics courses is determined by diagnostic tests that are administered to all students during the orientation period of the program.
$: FREE! Students only pay for transportation to and from MIT.
To learn more about the program, click here.