All About Summer Programs!

Hello everyone!

This week’s topic is summer programs. It’s the time of year when high school students all over the globe are trying to find a summer program that’ll stand out on their college application. Read on to learn about the various dos and don’ts of summer programs.

School’s out! Now what do you do? While it may seem tempting to sit around and hang out with your friends all day, you should make the most out of your time, and find ways to foster your interest in various fields. Summer programs are amazing opportunities to learn more about careers and colleges, as well as connect with individuals at institutions all over the nation.

Read on to learn more about summer programs. I also mention a couple of pros and cons, to help make your decision making process even a bit easier!

What are summer programs?

Summer programs are initiatives taken by various universities to foster early interest in high school students. Hundreds of universities all over the US provide different types of summer programs for students to explore. Areas range from the humanities to STEM fields. There will certainly be a program that intrigues you, or relates to the field you’re interested in.

Many summer programs are also research intensive, where they pair you with a faculty member, and you’ll be able to perform independent research under them. These programs are really cool since they allow you to branch out and connect with professionals in a field you’re interested in. Additionally, it’s generally more difficult for a high school student to get involved with university-level research (but not impossible), and these programs make it so much easier for students to get started with research.

Now let’s say you’re not a STEM major, and you’re worried that you won’t find a program designed to suit your interests. Don’t fear! There are also programs out there focused on fields such as creative writing, journalism, humanities, etc.! If you do enough intensive research on colleges all over the US, you’re bound to find a program for you!

Should I apply to Summer Programs?

This is a good question. There isn’t a definitive answer since this answer changes for everyone. Generally, summer programs are a good idea for students seeking to do something eventful and interesting over summer break. These programs do allow students to learn about various fields and can help broaden your interests as well. However, there are a lot of factors to look at before deciding on programs/internships. Read on to learn the various pros and cons of applying to certain summer programs.

Pros:

Let’s start with the positives. For one, summer programs are an exciting event to look forward to over summer break. You’ll get to meet new students (who may be from other states or countries), and you’ll be interacting with faculty that work in a field you’re intrigued by. You’ll learn so much, whether it may be in the form of academic, social, or interpersonal skills.

Additionally, some of these summer programs are residential in nature (not right now unfortunately, due to the pandemic). You’ll basically be able to stay in a dorm and attend activities and seminars on campus. It’ll be a very different experience, and I bet you’ll enjoy the time spent.

What if it’s all virtual? Almost all summer programs in 2021 are virtual, owing to the pandemic. While this is unfortunate, it’s not the end of the world. Program coordinators will surely have thought of ways to have students collaborate and interact, and overall enjoy the experience, as if they were in-person. It’s also way less expensive – most residential programs have lowered their costs tremendously, since there isn’t a need for housing, food or travel expenses.

Cons:

The largest and most important disadvantage of going to summer programs is the cost. Some of them cost thousands of dollars, and if it’s a residential program, then it’ll certainly be a lot more. While some selective and more prestigious programs may be cost-free, most of the summer programs offered by colleges are costly. The expenses can double if the institution isn’t in your home state since you’ll have to include travel costs as well.

If this is a concern for your family, I suggest that you look into doing other activities, like unpaid or paid internships over summer! This won’t affect your college applications in any way, and you may find that you enjoy working in a lab or company over summer rather than staying at an out-of-state college.

In these virtual times, many colleges with virtual summer programs are reducing the cost due to lowered residential and food expenses. You may want to look into these schools, since it’s also a fun and enriching way to make the best out of your virtual summer break.

Closing thoughts:

I hope you find this information useful in your search for enriching summer programs! Keep your options open, and ask your friends and teachers to see if they know about any programs as well. There certainly is a program out there that you’d be interested in, you just need to find it! Feel free to reach out to me anytime with any questions!

Until next time, bye!