My kids have all taken at least one (the younger two each took classes for two summers) academic summer classes - and at least half of their high school does the same. Why? They attend a Jesuit school where that requires a Theology class each year - and these are real classes with tests, papers and grades. Knocking out a class over the summer lets them have a free period, while still having the ability to take four years of Math, English, Language, Social Studies, Science, a Fine Art or elective here or there (some do all four) and two years of gym. The classes are from 8 to 12 every day for 6 weeks, giving them plenty of time for work and fun. They would not be allowed to “preview” - that is a new extreme. These are for credit, grades go into their GPA and on the transcripts. Yes, it costs money, but not a ridiculous amount and the kids who get financial aid can get it for summer classes as well.
@Marian is correct. The students do not take it in their own school. In our community they take it in local private schools or in local universities that offer summer HS classes.
Regarding the J-1 visa program, the other reason the boardwalk stores on the Jersey Shore do this program—in addition to saving on taxes—is because local kids quit. They quit if they don’t like the job. They quit if they get a better offer. They quit to go on vacation with their family. They quit to go back to college mid-August. But foreign students don’t quit because they have to work to maintain their visa status and they can’t get another job.
By the way, J-1 is an exchange visitor program for the purpose of cultural exchange and travel. They are allowed to stay on for a limited amount of time after completion of the “exchange.” This is the same visa under which au pairs come into the country.
Slacker parent here, and proud of it.
Our kid worked a construction site job this summer as a carpenter’s asst. He learned to assemble cabinetry, install mouldings, and finish hardwood floors. He’s going to build wooden folding deck chairs for us (from scratch) as a fun side project.
@brantly, I agree with you. Store owners would probably have to contribute some cost or fully pay the J-1 sponsor who will issue the DS-2019 form. So the single digit savings in tax won’t be a reason enough.
On the other hand, likely bright and challenge loving European kids with guaranteed 4 months of hard working would be very valuable to the business.
On the other hand, U.S. kids are not likely to work full 3 months of the Summer vacation with the minimum (or prevailing wage which is close to minimum for these jobs) as you pointed out.
Why would you think US kids wouldn’t work during their summer vacation? It’s the norm in my neck of the woods and I live in a pretty high socio-economic area where even many kids whose future kids’ kids have trust funds work…at minimum wage…during the summer. Sounds more to me like this desire to have one’s kids take academic classes instead of working is perhaps another one of those NE aspiration qualities that pop up now and then on these forums. It’s all fine, but in my opinion it doesn’t add more value than working during the summer in the long run and to say that it is a “better” use of a teenagers time is definitely debatable.
Our HS does not offer courses for credit to HS students…except to those who have failed a course and need to take it again. Even with that…some courses are not offered at OUR HS,mand students need to travel elsewhere to take them.
If a student at our HS wanted to take summer classes for credit, they would first need to get this approved. If they did it at our school, it would be with the students who needed remedial help because they failed the first time.
More to the point, how mind numbing boring the kids must be.
Good old CC broad brush is hard at work here I see.
Plenty of humblebrags!
Marked as “retake” on their transcript, indicating they are the slow kids.
I’d say do whatever you want and disclose. Colleges can independently verify your disclosure via some sort of fact-checking dot com.
You think it would be more useful not to share our experiences. When kids are too young to work legally your options are limited. Some kids like academics in the summer, some don’t. I’ve had one of each, both did fine. It’s hard to parse out whether a kid did well in the admissions game (a perennial topic of this site) because he or she did academics in the summer or the kind of kid who likes doing academics in the summer, is also the kind of kid some colleges are looking for. Luckily it takes all types, and many colleges are looking for some of each kind of kid.
We already had a long thread on the topic of retaking a course you take in the summer. I still consider it a form of legal cheating that is basically unfair to students who can’t take summer courses before a regular course.
@momofthreeboys
They will work. But too many of them may suddenly quit as @brantly suggested, making them less reliable workforce. Not that they should be. But the store owners may be making sound business decisions.
Where do you draw the line? Should people who took test prep classes for ACT/SAT be required to disclose that? You know, indicating that they are the “slow kids?” How about kids who had paid consultants help them with their college apps? You know, indicating that the “helpless kids.” Or kids who have paid tutors help them study for tests? Again, the “slow kids.” How about it your parents or a sibling helps you study or on a project? Disclose that too?
Well I’d certainly draw the line at retaking an entire course, which is expressly prohibited by most high schools and colleges.
Yes, I think the common app should ask how you prepped for the SAT, and require mention of tutors and classes. They should also ask whether any paid consultants assisted you in your application, and to list people who read your essays.
They do ask about parents’ education and I am sure they assume that kids with more educated parents are receiving more academic support at home.
DD’s school refuses to allow kids to take classes over the summer unless they are for recovery credit. Anything else doesn’t even count on their transcript.
Different high schools have different rules. How do you propose those differences be reconciled?
From what people are saying here, kids are not retaking the entire course as they are taking sessions which are at different schools. How similar do they need to be to be prohibited? There are math, science and computer camps that cover concepts that are covered in high school classes. Must those be disclosed as well?
To my knowledge, there isn’t a significant amount of discussion about adding disclosure about prep for standardized tests, tutors or consultants assisting with apps. Maybe I have missed it? Seems to me such changes would add a lot more complexity and time to what is already a complex and time consuming process of applying to college.
Wonder how many kids are actually taking summer classes to get ahead. I suspect there are not a lot of kids taking full on classes in the summer and then retaking the same class during the school year. As you slide down the scale towards less specific academic endeavors over the summer (which it seems to me are not really a problem), I suspect the number of kids increases. Depending on the numbers involved, any changes may be addressing a problem that isn’t really one.
And its tough to know because we only know the kids/parents/situations that we know. Everyone I know may be doing something but it doesn’t mean everyone is. No one I know may be doing something else but doesn’t mean no one else is. Because of that reality that which appears to be a problem may well not be one overall. And that we appears fine may be problematic.
What we need is study police, to take points off from kids who study too much, prep too much or get too much help, so that kids can compete fairly based on who are actually smart, unhindered by those bookworms.
On the J1 issue, the cost to live in most resort areas during the peak season is high. Employers generally offer employees some sort of dorm arrangement. This seems like a deal for a “traveller” who sees it as a cheap alternative to a hostel; less so for an American kid, especially if it comes out of wages. At that point, the unpaid internship seems only marginally worse in economic terms, but vastly better for the resume.
Not saying this is always the case, but often so in seasonal businesses. And yes, that 3 month commitment is a problem for most students. Just ask employers…
Oh, and I’m sorry, but if a child has to “pretake” classes in the summer in order to do well in them during the school year, then I don’t think that child would be considered elite college material. I can’t even imagine the stress he would be under once he actually gets to Harvard (or wherever).