<p>My 16-year old/HS junior daughter and I are looking for something for her to do next summer - study or travel or volunteer etc. Can you share what your kids did during the summer that really made a difference to them? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Hi BigGreen, I don't know if your D is interested in doing a summer pre college program, but I did one at Skidmore when I was in high school. I loved every minute of it! My friends and I were attached to the hip by the end of the first week and we still talk to each other every day on line. The RAs there were very helpful and nice, and same with the professors. They always had lectures or field trips scheduled for us to do. Granted, the food could have been better, but oh well. It really helped me get ready for what college life/work is like, and it was one of the best summers I had in high school!</p>
<p>My D took a five week Spanish immersion program with a host family in Spain. Kids from across the USA stayed with families in the same town. It was a bonding experience for all the kids, and they still stay in contact with each other.</p>
<p>Before senior year she went to the PA Governor's School for the Arts, for painting. Five weeks with room and board, including weekends, at Mercyherst Colllege, in Erie, PA. 10 painters were accepted based on portfolio. She had a great time and the state picked up the full tab. </p>
<p>I suggest looking into governor's school options in your state.</p>
<p>The best thing that I've ever done was the Oxford Tradition Programs in England this summer. It's a branch of "Oxbridge Academic Programs", which also runs programs in Cambridge, Paris, and I think somewhere else in France too now...</p>
<p>I've done a lot of "precollege" stuff, like CTY, as well as volunteered in China and India, but this was by far the BEST thing I've ever done. I met people from all over the world - 5 months later, I'm still keeping in touch with my best friends, from Switzerland, Singapore, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and various parts of the US. The students are brilliant, I really felt like I was with people who were going to change the world - and celebrity testament, Susan Sarandon's son and Robin Williams' daughter were in my colleges. The faculty was brilliant as well, 2 of my teachers were Rhodes Scholars, the International Relations teacher was about to start work for the British Secret Service, and their list of accomplisments goes on and on...</p>
<p>It's too late for Governor's School, as applications are already in. But really, I HIGHLY recommend Oxbridge Academic Programs. Brilliant faculty+brilliant students+Oxford University+excellent academic and social offerings=perfect.</p>
<p>pm me if you have any questions about it :)</p>
<p>Northwestern's National High School Institute (in music, theatre, drama, media arts) is terrific -- right amount of rules and restrictions. The NHSI program has been around for decades. Also Putney Student Travel is terrific although pricey. I second/third the recommendation for Governor's School; two of my kids participated and had challenging but fun summers.</p>
<p>After junior year of HS, daughter was uncertain whether she really wanted to be a music performance major. Eight weeks at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute convinced her that she did want to go that route.</p>
<p>I did two summers in Central America - going to school and volunteering on the side. I loved it! I plan to return this summer as well.</p>
<p>I could not afford student exchange programs or anything like that so I had to do it on my own. There were a lot of safety concerns but I think that was part of the experience.</p>
<p>My daughter's summer in Spain was through this organization:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.usexperiment.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usexperiment.org/</a></p>
<p>She got a merit based scholarship to cover the majority of the costs, so if cost is an issue, it may be worth investigating.</p>
<p>Consider Landmark Volunteers - they have two-week volunteering opportunities at several sites around the country. My daughter volunteered at Jamestown/Yorktown and had a great time. It was a variety of work, some menial, some indoors, but she really liked building a split rail fence the best. Check their website at <a href="http://www.volunteers.com%5B/url%5D">www.volunteers.com</a></p>
<p>If your h.s. son or daugher is looking for something to do this summer, please check out my website:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.toguatemalawithlove.org%5B/url%5D">www.toguatemalawithlove.org</a></p>
<p>P.S. -- I do NOT make any money from this, it just helps me pay for my tuition and travel expenses.</p>
<p>If you're in the Northeast and your child wants a good general intro to college S did the Penn State summer program(called Summer Study).No special entrance requirements like for a specialized music or math program,just a decent HS record.He took a 3 credit course,an SAT review, and they travelled on alternate weekends to other areas to look at college campuses.helped him decide he didnt want an urban campus after seeing George Washington.He had a great time,its a very busy active campus in the summer,the town is great,lots of kids (about 400 in the program..they fill 2 dorms)good RA's and program staff.Just a fun general good time,very social, and a good intro into college living on a large campus in a college town.Not for the super serious student looking for a total enrichment summer.My D who was a super serious music student wouldnt have enjoyed it.</p>
<p>What's your daughter like? What are her interests? And what does she want to get out of the experience?</p>
<p>This is a good past thread on the topic:</p>
<p>My daughter, now a high school junior, did a summer program at Columbia last summer and enjoyed it a lot. She commuted on the subway each day, so she didn't have the dorm experience and I don't know anything about that. She took Issues in Biological Conservation, one of her interests. The course struck a good balance between study and fun: class time, field trips (including a two-night camping trip) and labs. There is a two-hour lunch break each day and the kids have access to various activities. They can also use all or most of Columbia's facilities, including the library and the computer lab.</p>
<p>You can check out all the courses offered: </p>
<p>This past summer I was in a 3 wk program at Case Western. It's called Equinox and is also run through Northwestern. I personally took a genetics class, but others are available. It's very inexpensive and I had a blast! (plus, it was great material for those essays)</p>
<p>If your daughter loves art, I highly recommend the RISD summer pre-college program. If she loves languages, the Concordia Language Villages are definitely worth looking into (I tested out of two high school Spanish levels after the program). </p>
<p>If she wants something academic in a particular subject, I've heard great things about CTY and the programs at Oxford and Cambridge...... BUT I've heard from a number of kids that they found it very useful to do a summer program at a school they were considering for college during the summer before junior or senior year. It gives you a good sense of what the school's like, etc. I dunno, just something to consider...</p>
<p>Depends on her interests. My son did a two-week great books program at Thomas Aquinas College in CA. He is a techie and didn't want to go, but had a great time and learned a lot anyway. The classes were interesting, they had planned outings and social activities, plus, the place is just beautiful. It is not too expensive compared to a lot of summer programs--$800. This is a very conservative Catholic school. No coed dorms, no drinking, dress code, safe, well-supervised. Apply early. They only take about 100 students and last year had a waiting list of around 30.</p>
<p>Two years ago, my s, who is not conservative and not Catholic, attended the great books program at Thomas Aquinas, and had a wonderful time. Highly recommended.</p>
<p>For my daughter, it was the Carnigue Melon Pre-College Program. Not cheap, but it changed her life!</p>
<p>Last year, my d (now a junior) did Cornell's 3 week pre-college program. She took the Film Analysis course and did well - improved her writing dramatically. She made great friends, and the coursework convinced her to aim higher for college. If she could handle Cornell, she could handle anything!</p>
<p>My daughter attended the Telluride Association Summer Program (known as TASP on these forums) - and it truly was a life changing experience for her. She was able to think, create, discuss - all in a very challenging and inspiring atmosphere. "Some of the best kids ever" was her comment, and she has kept in touch with them. There are several campuses that have this program - highly competitive to attend though, I believe there were 86 students worldwide. (Her co-attendees were from all over the US, as well as Prague, China, and Ethiopia!) Excellent experience, and FREE. A six-week, intensive college program, though no college credits.</p>