Make the Most of Summer: Why College Summer Programs Are a Game-Changer for Students

There’s roughly 10 weeks of summer vacation each year. It’s good to use that vacation to relax, to enjoy time with family and friends. However, this break can also be a time for other activities. It can be a chance to grow, to learn, to explore. It can be a chance to get ahead.

One way that high school students can pursue these opportunities is with summer pre-college programs. These are short learning programs that students can pursue over the summer at a college or university, a chance to explore a subject that they might be interested in—before they enroll at a college. 

It might include four days on a college campus learning creative writing, an intensive eight-week language course, or two weeks of structured academic exploration.

In this blog, we’ll talk about how pre-college summer programs offer a unique way to blend fun with learning and the four ways it can help students. 

Summer Pre-College Programs Can Help with Personal Development

A first and obvious question about summer college programs is: Why do them at all? What advantage do they offer relative to the usual summer experience? Do they add anything relative to summer jobs and other possible experiences that a student can take over the summer?

The short answer is: yes. Pre-college summer programs offer a variety of advantages to those who take them and many of these advantages relate to helping students discover more about themselves and the kinds of college experiences they want to pursue.

As Harvard notes, pre-college programs let students expose themselves to college life. It allows them to understand what it might be like to live in a dorm on a campus with students their age. It allows them to discover their passions in a real classroom, whether they’re undecided or already have a deep interest in a particular subject. They’re able to challenge themselves and learn without the pressure of a letter grade.

All these things contribute to academic enrichment and personal development. Students can keep themselves intellectually engaged while building essential skills in time management and social confidence in a new environment. Pre-college programs can help students build the qualities they need to succeed.

Pre-College Programs Can Boost a College Application

Aside from bolstering a student’s own confidence and abilities, pre-college programs also help when it comes to the college application process itself.

College admissions is more competitive than ever. Admissions boards face tens of thousands of prospective students who all may claim some compelling reason for why they should be accepted.

Standing out from this crowd is essential to getting accepted. The easiest way to do this is to show initiative and drive, to prove that a student can not only survive at college but succeed in it. Pre-college programs, by their very nature, are a great way to prove this. Students need to stay engaged to successfully apply for them and remain committed to the program for several weeks. This can be a perfect test for college admissions offices to see how a student might do if enrolled full time.

Moreover, pre-college programs offer additional benefits as well. They can be a chance for students to seek out letters of recommendation if they form a particularly strong connection with one of their college professors. It might also help build a student’s resume—adding an impressive entry to their list of scholarships, jobs, and other achievements.

Pre-College Programs Can Help a Student Explore Their Interests

The third major benefit of pre-college programs is that they can let students pursue something they like doing. 

Whether it’s a creative writing program, a few weeks in a scientific laboratory, or a study abroad to be immersed in a language, pre-college programs allow students to test themselves and explore their interests. In some cases, it can allow them to get a jumpstart on possible careers in medicine, engineers, or the arts.

If a student doesn’t know what kind of skill they want to develop, that’s no problem. Many pre-college programs pride themselves on helping students discover new passions and help students find themselves.

Pre-College Programs Can Build Friendships and Connections

Finally, pre-college programs offer students a chance to build relationships with people who share their interests. It can allow them to form lasting friendships, to form professional connections. They can meet with the kinds of people who they may share a dorm with in the future or, alternatively, who they might work with in a professional environment. 

Classmates can help with early networking. They can offer opportunities to engage with students who are equally engaged and likely to be involved in the same field as a student.

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In this blog, we described a few of the important reasons to pursue a pre-college program. To find the one that matches them, students should think about what their interests are (what excites them), the location they think they would excel in (e.g. local v. out-of-state), the duration (e.g. one week, one month), and the costs that might be associated with them.

Overall, they offer an opportunity to grow and do something that will engage students. Anyone interested in pursuing a pre-college program should do so quickly, as spots can fill up fast.

Start researching programs today to create an unforgettable, productive summer. Also, remember that Class 101 is still offering its Summer Power Up Program to help with other college planning summer activities. Learn more here.