
Summer Programs for High School Students
Many wonderful summer opportunities are available for high school
students. You can study on a college campus, participate in a foreign
exchange program, explore volunteer service or other interests.
Peterson’s Summer Opportunities for Kids and Teenagers includes
information on 3,200 summer programs in the United States and abroad.
This comprehensive book is a great resource.
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Academic Summer Programs
Abbey Road www.goabbeyroad.com
UC Berkeley Academic Talent Development Program http://atdp.berkeley.
edu
UCLA Summer Programs
www.summer.ucla.edu/HighSchool/overview.htm
Cal Poly Summer Career Workshop in Architecture http://www.calpoly.
edu/~arch/events/scw/scw.html
Stanford University Summer College http://summersession.stanford.edu
Cornell University Summer College for High School Students www.
summercollege.cornell.edu
Georgetown University http://summer.georgetown.edu/
Harvard University www.ssp.harvard.edu
Northwestern University High School Institute www.northwestern.
edu/nhsi/
USC Summer Seminars for High School Students http://cesp.usc.
edu/faqs.shtml
Academic Study Associates Per-college Programs www.asaprograms.
com
Education Unlimited www.educationunlimited.com
Summer Discovery Per-college enrichment www.summerfun.com
Washington Workshops Foundation Advanced Congressional Seminars
1-800-368-5688
THINK Summer Institute for exceptionally gifted 13-16 year olds at the
University of Nevada, Reno campus. www.DavidsonGifted.org
Adventure
Visions Community service and outdoor adventure www.visions-
adventure.com
Outward Bound Adventure-based courses www.outwardbound.org
Engineering/Technology
Santa Clara University Summer Engineering Seminar
Stony Brook University College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Summer Research Institute
University of Pennsylvania Technology and Business http://www.upenn.
edu/fisher/summer/apply.html
Film/Video
California State Summer School for the Arts Inners park Program www.
innerspark.us
Northwestern University National High School Institute www.
northwestern.edu/nhsi
ULA Dept. Of Film, Television & Digital Media http://www.tft.ucla.edu/dof.
cfm
School of Cinema & Performing Arts Tribeca Film Center New York
http://www.socapa.org
Foreign Exchange Programs:
American Institute of Foreign Study www.pre-college.com
Experiment in International Living www.usexperiment.org
Rotary Exchange Programs Local Rotary Chapter
Youth for Understanding www.youthforunderstanding.org
AIFS Foundation www.academicyear.org
ASSE International Student Exchange www.asse.com
AYUSA Study Abroad www.ayusa.org
Government/International Relations
Global Scholar at Washington & Lee University www.globalscholar.org
Georgetown University http://summer.georgetown.edu/
Julian Krinsky Model UN www.jkcp.com
Washington Workshops Foundation Advanced Congressional Seminars
1-800-368-5688
Journalism
Northwestern University National High School Institute www.
northwestern.edu/nhsi
Georgetown University http://summer.georgetown.edu/
Language Immersion
Abby Road www.goabbeyroad.com
Concordia Language Villages www.Concordialanguagevillages.org
Science
Brandeis Summer Odyssey Courses in Science & Engineering www.
brandeis.edu/odyssey
UC Davis Young Scholars Program http://ysp.ucdavis.edu
COSMOS www.ucop.edu/cosmos
Smith College Summer Science & Engineering for girls www.smith.
edu/summerprograms/ssep
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program http://smysp.stanford.edu
VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY SERVICE
Global Works http://www.globalworksinc.com
Landmark Volunteers http://www.volunteers.com
Writing
Carleton College Summer Writing Program www.carleton.edu/summer
Choate Rosemary Hall Writing Project www.choate.edu/summer
Education Unlimited www.educationunlimited.com
Northwestern University National High School Institute www.ctd.
northwestern.edu/summer
UC Santa Barbara Per-college Programs www.summer.ucsb.edu
Young Writers Workshop Bard College at Simon's Rock www.simons-
rock.edu/young-writers
Questions and Answers:
Q. My son was accepted to a selective summer program at Harvard. If he
participates, will this give him an advantage when he applies?
A. Many college have wonderful summer programs for high school
students. Independent programs also can rent space on colleges
campuses. It is much easier to get accepted to a summer program at
Harvard, Yale, Stanford and other selective colleges than to get accepted
during the fall.
Check out the program on the college website. Some programs are very
selective and others are not. College professors have been impressed
with some students in their summer classes and it could help. The
professor could write a letter for the student. The summer program
should be listed on the college application and some programs may be
listed on the student's transcript. Check with your high school for their
policy. It's important to pursue a program in your area of interest.
Q. My daughter who is an excellent student has received several
invitations to participate in special summer programs in Washington,
D.C. Are colleges impressed with these programs? They are very
expensive.
A. The college admission officers know that thousands of letters are
mailed to high school students each year regarding summer programs in
Washington, D.C. The letter always makes in sound like the student was
selected for the program. These programs are expensive and the student
should only participate if he/she is interested in the subject matter. It's
important to do something meaningful with your time during summer. It
could involve participation in a summer academic program, community
service, work, internship or special program, travel or a foreign exchange
program. Follow your area of interest.
Summer Programs for High School Students