Is a Pre-College Summer Program Right for Your Student?

With so many different summer activities available, it can be hard to determine which one is the best option for your high school student. Do you send them to summer camp or make them work a part-time job? Or do you encourage them to embrace an internship or spend time in a pre-college summer program? If you're considering the latter, there are a number of ways in which you can determine whether or not a pre-college summer program is the right option for your high schooler. How? Here are some things to consider.

Is the Program in a Subject They'd Like to Study?

There are many different pre-college summer programs available, and each covers a specific subject in depth. For example, the ones offered by Dean College include Forensics and Sports Broadcasting. Since students will spend a week of their summer either in labs or the recording booth, attending lectures and more, all concentrated on those specific subjects, if they aren't interested in them, they certainly won't enjoy themselves. By enrolling students in a program or course of study that they enjoy, they'll get a lot more out of the session.

Do You Think Your High Schooler is Mature Enough for the Program?

Some high school students are more mature than others. For those who are not necessarily ready to spend time on their own (yet), attending lectures and going to other scheduled activities on a college campus may be difficult, as they’ll may have a hard time adjusting to the pre-college program. On the other hand, those who are mature enough will have an easier time adjusting to the week of interesting lectures, hands-on activities and other extracurricular activities. This is something to think about before enrolling your student in this type of program.

Would They Like to Fully Experience College Life?

A pre-college summer program provides students with an opportunity to experience what life will be like once they go to college. They'll spend a week living in the dorms with their fellow students, eating meals in the cafeteria and attending lectures just like they will freshman year. It's a great introduction to college, as long as your student is ready and wants to see what it will be like. Since it's only for a week, attending the program is a good way for them to dip their proverbial toes into the college pond.

Do They Want to Enhance Their Resumes?

There are many things that stand out on a resume, and attending a pre-college summer program is definitely one of them. Not only will attendees get to earn college credits for completing the program, but they'll also end up with something that they can list on their resumes later on. It shows their dedication to a specific line of work, which is something that colleges and employers like to see.

Ready to learn more about our pre-college summer programs? Request more information, today!