I'm a junior interested in making the most of my summer. Are there any summer college programs for high schoolers that stand out as particularly valuable or interesting?
Absolutely, there are several summer programs for high school students that are well-regarded for their educational value and engaging content.
Firstly, the Summer Discovery program stands out for the variety of areas it covers. Hosted by different universities such as UCLA or UPenn, the programs range across various fields including business, STEM, arts, and more. They also offer both in person and online options.
If you're interested in the humanities, consider the Great Books Summer Program at Amherst College or Stanford University. The program provides a deep dive into literature and philosophy in a seminar-style setting that promotes critical thinking and discussion.
For students interested in computer science, the Stanford AI4ALL program is terrific. It introduces artificial intelligence principles and guides students to conduct their own research. Note that this is a selective program so it can also add considerable value to your college applications.
On the other hand, if the life sciences are more your speed, you might be interested in the Research Science Institute (RSI) program at MIT or the Summer Science Program (SSP) which is hosted by multiple universities. Both programs allow students to delve into scientific research. RSI especially has a reputation for being intense and highly selective thus making it a top-tier extracurricular.
Lastly, if business and entrepreneurship are your areas of interest, you can consider the Wharton Summer High School Programs which offer programs in finance, leadership, entrepreneurship and more.
Remember, the best programs are typically those that align with your long-term academic and career goals, so I would encourage you to consider what areas you are most interested in and do some research based on that. And just a quick note: sometimes the best summer experiences don't come from formal programs at all, but from independent projects, internships, or other self-directed endeavors, so don't feel that you must attend a formal program.
Hope this gives you a good starting point, best of luck with your summer planning!
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