Finding the Right High School Summer Programs

By Manuel Jourdain, Associate College Counselor

College seems to become more competitive each year for high school students and their parents. Creating a four-year plan for classes in high school is where parents start. Students will take competitive AP courses and Honors classes to help their curriculum and transcripts stand out in college admissions. Depending on the high school opportunities available, students will participate in clubs, sports, and performance art programs after school. Once summer comes around, many students will have a plan ready. Popular activities like internships, jobs, and community service are great ways to keep summers busy and build out high schoolers resumes and activities sections for the common application. For some families looking for resources and opportunities are not as easy. I want to discuss the different types of programs available and some options to consider for a 9th-11th graders summer. 

The most popular and competitive programs are often the academic ones. Universities and Colleges host their own summer programs for students where they can live on campus, develop leadership skills, and explore what life would be like as a college student. These are marketed as pre-college programs and are available at many different colleges. The most popular ones are often at the Ivy League colleges and competitive private schools.  Some other academic experiences are available for students that want to explore and develop skills for specific majors. Some popular ones are Google Code Jams, Girls with Impact, and Polyphony Lit Summer Scholars Program. Whether you have interests in STEM, humanities, or the arts, there are summer programs for you to take part in and build your resume. 

Another opportunity to get exposure for students into a field of interest or career is by participating in internships. Many internship opportunities can start at local institutions in your community. Reach out to your favorite places to visit and want to see things from behind the scenes. Many internships begin organically, and others can be applied to in popular programs such as the NASA internship, National Institutes of Health Summer Internships for Biomedical Research, and Internworks. Whether big or small, internships can provide meaningful experiences for students to discover potential career opportunities. One of my students this past year discovered that he had a passion for art but no longer wanted to pursue it as a career after completing an internship with a production company this past summer. It helped ground him towards his passion, and he has since invested much more time working in the areas he loves like community service.

Community Service opportunities seem plentiful, and some are even available virtually. Many students currently participate in community service in different ways. It's great to give back directly to your community by volunteering in local food shelters, church service groups, and park clean-ups. Many high schools have community service requirements tied to their graduation requirement, and school opportunities can be an initiative for students to explore their interests in giving back. Many students will also want to continue volunteering throughout the summer, and consistency in a college application in extracurricular activities is often favored. Some great places to explore community service projects are Amigos Community Impact Project, Teens Give, VolunTEEN Nation, and Learning Ally. All organizations listed and more are great places to start looking for meaningful summer and yearly activities for your teen. Volunteering has helped many students I work with discover passions and feel purposeful to pursue their education. 

All the opportunities I have listed are a great way to make your teen's resume and college profile stand out. To create a diverse portfolio of activities, I recommend keeping a student's summer busy with different opportunities. Keeping on top of deadlines, organizing an application, and researching their summer plans are all important to helping your teen compete in the college process. In our Early Insights Program for 9th and 10th graders, we support high school students in identifying and applying for summer programs. Using our career and major exploration assessments and activities, we ensure every student has a personalized plan of action to make them feel confident and engaged going into their summer activities.