Cambridge Coaching's Index of Top Summer Programs

Cambridge Coaching’s Index of Top Summer Programs

Summer is the time to put your skills and interests to work, and of course, have fun! By intelligently using your time away from school, you can help strengthen your resumé, as well as broaden your own life experience. Find an internship, study abroad, volunteer for community service, learn an entirely new skill, or use the time to get ahead on test prep. By committing real time to something you’re passionate about, you won’t just be able to tell an admissions committee that you’re a motivated, engaged, ambitious student—you’ll be able to prove it to them.

In order to help you figure out how to design a fun, productive summer, this guide includes information on different summer programs and opportunities in a variety of categories, including community service, cultural exploration & language immersion, the arts, writing, academics, health & science, and outdoor adventure. Once you’ve looked over this list, the next step is to talk to a parent, teacher or admissions coach to help you figure out which kinds of programs are right for you.

Table of Contents I. International Community Service Page 2 II. Cultural Exploration & Language Immersion Page 7 III. The Arts Page 11 IV. Writing Page 14 V. Academic Page 16 VI. Health & Science Page 20 VII. Outdoor Adventure Page 22

I) International Community Service

Programs • Amigos de las Américas • Global Leadership Adventures • Global Routes • Global Works: Summer Service Adventures • Habitat for Humanity: Global Village • Putney Student Travel • Visions Service Adventures

A Note on International High School Service Programs: At Cambridge Coaching, we take an ambivalent attitude toward these programs. They are undeniably fun, educational, and inspiring, and can be wonderfully broadening for globally minded high schoolers—we wish we could go on them! Yet they are often mistakenly treated as keystones of a strong college application, or replacements for serious service work at home, when they are neither. In fact, these programs have become so popular and common in recent years that their application-enhancing power is so diluted as to be negligible. While we absolutely support our students in any effort to expand their own worldviews and gain vital exposure to foreign cultures, we discourage them from writing their application essays about their experiences on these service programs.

Amigos de las Américas (Cambridge Coaching Recommendation!) • Mission Statement: “Amigos de las Américas inspires and builds young leaders through collaborative community development and immersion in cross-cultural experiences.” • Website: http://www.amigoslink.org/summer-program • Topics: International community service • Location: Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panamá, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay • Length: Varies, four to nine weeks • Dates: Offered June and August • Costs: Ranges from $5500 to $6400 (includes international airfare); fundraising infrastructure available to participants. • Additional Info: The three major components of the program are cultural exchange, community service, and youth engagement. As opposed to many other programs, which are based around groups, students are installed in a remote village with 1-2 other students, and no supervisor. • Tutor Testimonial: “I have a daughter who did Amigos last year. It is the best thing she has ever done.”

Who Should Do It?: You are looking for the most challenging, independent service program available (Amigos is commonly referred to as the “Junior Peace Corps,” and carries similar difficulties and rewards). You have a demonstrated interest not only in community service, but also in Latin America. You are functional in Spanish and want to improve. You are considering a career in development, or some other industry, which will involve fieldwork. You have plans to return if you enjoy it, since returning Amigos can be hired as Project Staff, and earn useful leadership experience.

Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) • Mission Statement: “GLA’s goal is to provide life-changing experiences that will cultivate a global perspective and open-mindedness in students that will ultimately inspire them to become great leaders and global thinkers and seek positive change in their own communities.” • Website: http://www.experiencegla.com/ • Topics: Children’s issues, environment & ecology, sports, poverty alleviation, public health, traditional culture, animals & wildlife, language learning, leadership activities • Location: Bali, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Galapagos Islands, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, Tanzania, Thailand • Length: Varies, one to six weeks • Dates: Offered June to August • Costs: Ranges from, $2199 to $8499 • Additional Info: Trips include service, workshops, and excursions, and the program emphasizes leadership activities and experiences in developing countries within authentic, non-tourist communities.

Who Should Do It?: You are clearly a globally-minded person, with demonstrated interest in foreign countries and cultures (clubs, classes, etc). You are particularly interested in one specific country or region, and want to expand your knowledge of that place in college through immersion. You have a record of volunteering that either begins or will continue at home.

Global Routes • Mission Statement: “Global Routes offers teen summer community service travel programs for high school students. Global Routes deepens these roots of our shared community as we foster personal and international development. Undertaking voluntary work overseas allows North American youth the opportunity to push past stereotypes and misconceptions to build strong relationships and self-understanding, as well as buildings.” • Website: http://www.globalroutes.org • Topics: Service, adventure, farming, leadership

• Location: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Grenadines, India, Nepal, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand/Cambodia • Length: Varies, two to five weeks • Dates: Offered June 28 to August 5 • Costs: Ranges from $3275 to $6475 • Additional Info: Community service travel programs including cross cultural immersion, community service, homestays, and travel adventures

Who Should Do It?: You have clear interest in the developing world, but you would like to spend more time traveling the country, and less time immersed in a single community doing volunteer work.

Global Works: Summer Service Adventures • Mission Statement: “Students who travel on Global Works summer community service trips are adventurous, curious, open-minded, and inspired young adults— comprised of a diverse group of students from across the United States and abroad. A common trait in our enrollees includes a desire to learn more about other people and cultures and an adventurous spirit!” • Website: http://www.globalworkstravel.com/ssa/ • Topics: Community service & adventure activities, with added options for: cultural exchange, language immersion (Spanish, French, Mandarin), or focus programs (soccer, surfing/ocean conservation, pre-med/public health, pre-business) • Location: Argentina, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Panama, Peru/Ecuador, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Spain, Zambia/Botswana/South Africa • Length: Varies, two to four weeks • Dates: Offered June 30 to August 3 • Costs: Ranges from $3795 to $6295 (does not include international airfare) • Additional Info: During the trips, students will visit between three and five diverse communities, with up to 70 hours of community service.

Who Should Do It?: You want to combine diverse tourism with service, as well as low-impact language training. Since GW is similar Global Routes; families should compare specific programs, to see which fits the student best. Of interest are the pre-med and pre-business programs.

Habitat for Humanity: Global Village • Mission Statement: “Volunteer internationally to build decent, affordable shelter alongside members of the community. Learn about poverty housing, development challenges and Habitat’s ministry and mission to help eradicate them.” • Website: http://www.habitat.org/gv • Topics: Domestic and international volunteer program • Location: Varies, including Armenia, Bolivia, China, Hungary, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Poland, Vietnam • Length: Varies, typically one to two weeks • Dates: Offered year-round, with summer trips in June, July, and August • Costs: Ranges from $1800 to 2200 (does not include airfare; includes an unspecified donation to HfH) and varies depending on the trip details. • Additional Info: Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization; Groups can create a specific individualized trip with at least six months advance notice.

Who Should Do It? You are interested in a shorter-term experience that involves engagement with small rural communities and physical labor. You are a very service-oriented person, so you aren’t interested in a tourist component or packaged tour. You want to work with all ages.

Putney Student Travel • Mission Statement: “For 63 years, Putney Student Travel has offered high school and middle school students the opportunity and insight to shape their world through travel, unique cultural engagement, friendship, and fun. Our summer programs for high school and middle school students include community service, language immersion, adventure travel, pre-college enrichment, and global awareness.” • Website: http://goputney.com/ • Topics: Community service, cultural exploration, global awareness in action, language learning, pre-college • Location: Australia, Belize, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador & The Galápagos, England, Fiji, France, Ghana, Holland, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, • Length: Varies, 2 to 5.5 weeks • Dates: Offered June 19 to August 8 • Costs: Ranges from $3790 to $9690 • Additional Info: Program has large community service component; Each trip has a specific focus/theme on a particular topic and location

Who Should Do It?: You want to combine immersion and service by staying in one place and completing a project. You are less interested in tourism, are happy living in very basic accommodations, and want to be more deeply involved in a community.

Visions Service Adventures • Mission Statement: “Visions is a summer volunteer program that surpasses the superficial, an experience that is carefully structured and well supervised without seeming so. You live in the heart of a community, working side-by-side with your hosts, getting to know the people whose lives you impact. You work hard, play hard and make a difference. You gain an appreciation for our multicultural world and return home a more informed world citizen.” • Website: http://www.visionsserviceadventures.com/ • Topics: Construction projects, social service (including environmental & agricultural projects, volunteer work with children, and more) • Location: Alaska, British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador & Galapagos, Guadeloupe, Mississippi, Montana Blackfeet, Montana Cheyenne, Nicaragua, Peru • Length: Varies, 9 to 30 days • Dates: Offered June 28 to August 21 • Costs: Ranges from $2450 to $5950 • Additional Info: Can also create customized volunteer travel programs year-round for all ages

Who Should Do It?: You speak French or Spanish and want to combine an intensive service projects with language immersion (English-language domestic programs are available, as well as one in Cambodia). You’d like some tourism, but only as a respite from a good day’s work, and protracted exposure to the local community.

II) Cultural Exploration & Language Immersion

Programs • Abbey Road Programs • China Institute in America: Summer Study in China • CIEE • The Experiment in International Living • Putney Student Travel • The Road Less Traveled • Rustic Pathways • Summer Programs Abroad

Abbey Road Programs • Mission Statement: “Abbey Road’s mission is to provide quality academic summer programs that facilitate cross-cultural understanding, personal growth and academic enrichment.” • Website: http://www.goabbeyroad.com/ • Topics: Cultural immersion, language immersion, college prep, leadership • Location: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, USA • Length: Varies, two to four weeks • Dates: Offered June 11 to August 4 • Costs: Ranges from $3995 to $7995 • Additional Info: “The Abbey Road Experiential Learning Method© incorporates aspects of the communicative approach into its methodology while promoting language learning, use and interaction in real, non-simulated situations.”

China Institute in America: Summer Study in China • Mission Statement: “From its inception in 2005, China Institute’s Summer Study in China program has maintained a reputation as one of the nation’s foremost study abroad programs for high school students learning Mandarin Chinese.” • Website: http://www.chinainstitute.org/education/language-learning/high- school/summer-study-in-china/ • Topics: Language immersion, cultural immersion • Location: Beijing or East China • Length: One month • Dates: Offered July 4 to August 3 • Costs: $6000 (not including international airfare) • Additional Info: Scholarships are available based on a student’s financial need

CIEE • Mission Statement: • Website: https://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/language-learning/ • Topics: Language learning, cultural learning • Location: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Taiwan • Length: Varies, from four weeks to eight weeks • Dates: Offered May 22 to July 24 • Costs: Ranges from $3850 to $6930 • Additional Info: Some intensive language programs can grant college credit, and financial aid may be available

The Experiment in International Living • Mission Statement: “The Experiment in International Living provides summer programs for high school students who want to connect deeply and engage meaningfully with the richness and complexities of another country.” • Website: http://www.experimentinternational.org/ • Topics: The arts, the environment, sustainability and food systems, cultural discovery, and peace, politics, and human rights • Location: Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, German, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua & Cuba, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand • Length: Varies, 3 to 5 weeks • Dates: Offered June 29 to August 8 • Costs: Ranges from $4200 to $6900 (not including international airfare) • Additional Info: Program was established in 1932; focuses on awareness of global issues and community service surrounding a specific trip theme

• Topics: Community service, cultural exploration, global awareness in action, language learning, pre-college • Location: Australia, Belize, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador & The Galápagos, England, Fiji, France, Ghana, Holland, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, • Length: Varies, 2 to 5.5 weeks • Dates: Offered June 19 to August 8 • Costs: Ranges from $3790 to $9690 • Additional Info: Program has large community service component; Each trip has a specific focus/theme on a particular topic and location

The Road Less Traveled • Mission Statement: "The Road Less Traveled is life-changing. An extraordinary teen summer travel opportunity for to join with others, explore humanity, and build deep relationships and an appreciation for our world’s vast adventurous scenery and its people.” • Website: http://www.theroadlesstraveled.com/ • Topics: Adventure, community service, environmental community service, language, scuba, leadership, educational travel • Location: Alaska, Belize, Colorado, Costa Rica, Dutch Caribbean, Ecuador, Florida Keys, Hawaii, India, Italy, New Orleans LA, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Taiwan, Tanzania, Utah • Length: Varies, 2 weeks to 4 weeks • Dates: Offered June 24 to August 18 • Costs: Ranges from $3395 to $6795 • Additional Info: Program focuses on helping young people to view the world in a different way and see the impact that youth can have in shaping the future

Rustic Pathways • Mission Statement: “We enrich the lives of our students and our staff, benefit the parts of the world we serve, and build cultural bridges that lead to greater global understanding and cooperation.” • Website: http://www.rusticpathways.com/ • Topics: Adventure, community service, language, life skills • Location: Australia, Burma, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Fiji Islands, Ghana, India, Laos, Mongolia, Morocco, Peru, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, United States • Length: Varies, from one to three weeks

• Dates: Offered June 10 to August 11 • Costs: Ranges from $1695 to $6695 • Additional Info: Financial aid grants may be available based on demonstrated financial need

Summer Programs Abroad • Mission Statement: “SPI’s interactive language immersion programs combine inspiring global leadership experiences, volunteer service projects, and exciting travel excursions where language and culture come to life!” • Website: http://www.spiabroad.com/ • Topics: College credit opportunity, language immersion, leadership, cultural enrichment, community service projects, homestay • Location: China, Costa Rica, France, Italy, Spain • Length: Varies, from two weeks to one month • Dates: Offered June 13 to July 26 • Costs: Ranges from $3595 to $6395 • Additional Info: Includes opportunity for immersion through an authentic homestay experience

III) The Arts

Programs • BU Summer Theater Institute • The Putney School Summer Programs • Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Pre-College Program • Sarah Lawrence, Exploring Musical Theater • Tisch Summer High School

BU Summer Theater Institute (BUSTI) • Mission Statement: “The Boston University Summer Theatre Institute is a five-week conservatory experience for highly motivated high school theatre artists. Designed to mirror the freshman BFA experience within the College of Fine Arts School of Theatre at Boston University, the Institute allows all participants the opportunity to test their interests and abilities in a professional training environment.” • Website: http://www.bu.edu/cfa/busti/ • Topics: Acting, design, voice, singing, and stage combat, • Location: Boston • Length: Five weeks • Dates: Offered June 29 to August 2 • Costs: Ranges from $5678 to $5836 • Additional Info: Curriculum includes a variety of technique classes, master classes, and creation of an original piece of theatre

The Putney School Summer Programs • Mission Statement: “The Putney School Summer Programs offer students age 14-17 the opportunity for in-depth exploration in the visual arts, performing arts, and creative writing, as well as sustainability through our Farm Program.” • Website: http://summer.putneyschool.org • Topics: Animation, ceramics, culinary arts, dance, drawing, ESOL, farm, fashion design, fiction writing, filmmaking, glass arts, graphic novel & printmaking, metal jewelry, music composition, painting, photography, poetry writing, sculpture, songwriting, theater, vocal ensemble, weaving & fiber arts, writing intensive, writing for performance • Location: Putney, Vermont • Length: Three weeks • Dates: Offered June 29 to July 18 or July 20 to August 8 • Costs: Boarding students $4125/session • Additional Info: Students enroll in two half-day workshops (one in the morning, one in the afternoon)

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Pre-College Program • Mission Statement: • Website: http://ce.risd.edu/pages/pre-college-program • Topics: Animation, architecture, ceramics, comic book art, drawing, fashion design, film/video, furniture design, game design, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, interior design, jewelry, painting, photography (digital or traditional), printmaking, sculpture, textile design • Location: Rhode Island • Length: Six weeks • Dates: Offered June 28 to August 9 • Costs: Ranges from $5180 to $7772 • Additional Info: Application time period begins in January; a limited number of scholarships are available

Sarah Lawrence, Exploring Musical Theater • Mission Statement: “Participate in an exciting and rigorous program this summer with a special focus on musical theatre. In acting, you will work on scenes from musicals and explore, take risks, and make mistakes in an environment free of judgment. Learn to connect character and singing through creative and healthy use of the vocal instrument. Discover ways to convey meaning through movement with a focus on honing your personal choreographic voice. Take part in the vibrancy of a creative ensemble which will work toward the development of a “work in progress” performance piece.” • Website: http://www.slc.edu/ce/pre-college/summer/residential/exploring-musical- theatre.html • Topics: Acting technique, vocal technique, vocal coaching, choreography • Location: New York • Length: Three weeks • Dates: Offered July 12 to August 2 • Costs: $4400 • Additional Info: There is no official registration deadline, but space is limited

Tisch Summer High School • Mission Statement: “During the summer the Tisch School of the Arts offers high school students the chance to participate in intensive training in New York City. Through these programs students gain an enriching and enlightening experience, and a better understanding of the nature of a professional training program.” • Website: http://specialprograms.tisch.nyu.edu/page/hsStudents.html

• Topics: Drama, dramatic writing, film, photography • Location: New York • Length: Four weeks • Dates: Offered July 13 to August 9 • Costs: Ranges from $9956 to $10322 • Additional Info: Students earn six college credits through NYU

IV) Writing

Programs • Iowa Young Writers’ Studio • Emerson College Creative Writers Workshop • Writer's Village: A Creative Writing Intensive at Sarah Lawrence

Iowa Young Writers’ Studio (Cambridge Coaching Recommendation!) • Mission Statement: “At the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, you will choose a single Core Course of study—Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Writing (a survey that includes poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction)—as your focus for the two weeks of the program. After you’re accepted to the program, you’ll have the opportunity to look over several course descriptions and pick one depending on what, and with whom, you would like to study.” • Website: http://www. iowayoungwritersstudio.org • Topics: Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Writing • Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA • Length: Two weeks • Dates: Offered June 15 to 28, and July 6 to 19 • Costs: $2000 (need-based aid available) • Additional info: Very small application window. Applications to the Studio will be accepted via Submittable, an online submissions manager, during a two-week Application Period in February. See website for details. • Tutor Testimonial: “This program is the reason I applied to the Writers Workshop. I loved the Young Writers Studio so much -- I met incredible people, both mentors and peers, and wrote more in those 2 weeks than I've practically every done (including 100 lines of iambic pentameter in 24 hours about an octopus!).I realized through this program what it might mean to take writing seriously, but still have serious fun with it-- and meeting other kids who thought about writing the way I did was incredible.”

Who Should Do It? You are a highly motivated writer who is looking for short-term immersion in the high school extension of the most prestigious creative-writing program in America. You are focusing on one particular branch of writing. You are looking to produce an immense body of work in a short time, and are comfortable receiving criticism in a workshop environment. You have completed sophomore year, or are a highly-motivated freshman with outstanding credentials.

Emerson College Creative Writers Workshop • Mission Statement: “Creative Writers Workshop offers rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors an opportunity to develop writing skills in an intensive pre-college writing program. Applicants selected for the program attend classes designed to help young writers concentrate on fiction, nonfiction and poetry, screenwriting, graphic novel, and magazine writing. During the five-week program, students write, workshop, revise and develop a portfolio of their work. • Website: http://www.emerson.edu/academics/professional-studies/programs-high- school-students/pre-college-studio-programs/creative-writers-workshop • Topics: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and the subgenres of each. • Location: Boston • Length: Five weeks • Dates: Offered July 5 to August 9 • Costs: Ranges from $2,825 for commuters to $5,920 for residents • Additional info: Rolling admissions; apply early, since space is limited.

Who Should Do It? You are looking for an intensive, workshop-oriented creative writing program in Boston. You are also open to workshop-type constructive criticism. You are looking not merely for writing workshops, but also the chance to broaden your exposure to various genres through classes like “Slam Poetry: Form, Voice, and Performance” or “Introduction to Magazine Writing.”

Writer's Village: A Creative Writing Intensive at Sarah Lawrence • Mission statement: “Immerse yourself in the craft of creative writing. Led by members and guests of Sarah Lawrence’s celebrated writing faculty, you will participate in a fiction workshop and a poetry workshop. Participate in readings, craft talks and free writing periods that are designed to supplement your learning.” • Website: http://www.slc.edu/ce/summer/writers-village.html • Topics: Poetry, fiction • Location: Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY • Length: Three weeks • Dates: Offered July 13 to August 2 • Costs: Ranges from $2,500 for commuters to $4,400 for residents. • Additional info: Students are asked to submit a five-page manuscript and is used for placement only and is not used as a consideration for enrollment. Students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Who Should Do It? You are looking for a well-structured, medium-term writing workshop in the New York area. You want to study with experienced writers in a collaborative, but also independent setting.

V) Academic

Programs • Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth • Calder Classics • Ivy League Summer School Programs (Columbia/Harvard/MIT) • Debate Institute at University of Michigan

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (Cambridge Coaching Recommendation!) • Mission statement: “Our goal is to allow highly able students to immerse themselves in their academic passions, to meet others like themselves, and to grow both intellectually and personally. Students in CTY’s summer programs take one course during a three-week session. These courses meet all day, Monday through Friday, and allow students to immerse themselves in a focused area of study.” • Website: http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/about • Topics: Most academic subjects, civics and leadership, policy, and global affairs. • Location: Numerous universities and locations, including Baltimore, Princeton, Berkeley, and even Hong Kong. • Length: Three weeks • Dates: Multiple sessions, dates depend on location and program • Cost: Ranges from $3500 to $4100 ($5145 for Marine Sciences course in Baltimore) • Additional info: Since CTY is intended for high-achieving students, applicants must pass an assessment test. “We highly recommend that students who wish to attend our summer programs participate in CTY's Talent Search. By doing so, students increase their chances at being assigned to a course in our summer programs.” • Tutor Testimonial: “Johns Hopkins CTY is pretty much the most awesome program ever.”

Who Should Do It? You are interested in the nerd camp to end all nerd camps, as part of the most recognized and respected academic summer program in the US. You are interested in pursuing one of four programs: Intensive Studies, Academic Explorations, Civic Leadership, or Global Issues in the 21st century. You want to immerse yourself in a college- like atmosphere and pursue highly-advanced studies in subjects you will probably major in in college.

Calder Classics (Cambridge Coaching Recommendation!) • Mission statement: “Calder Classics is an educational boutique that offers customized learning experiences. We are founded on the premise that modern life is enhanced

through an interaction with the achievements and legacy of the ancients. We are the “class” in classics!” • Website: http://www.calderclassics.com/ • Topics: Greek and Latin language, and ancient art, architecture, history, and culture. • Location: Rome, Florence, Pompeii, and New York City • Length: Study abroad programs vary from 10 to 14 days; NYC program is five weeks. • Dates: Offered from June-August • Cost: Ranges from $3,000 for the NYC Ancient Greek program, to $5,000 for the two- week Rome and Florence programs. • Additional info: Each location emphasizes something different, whether art history (Florence), archaeology (Pompeii), or ancient history (Rome). All programs involve intensive Latin classes during the day.

Who Should Do It? You are passionate about mythology, ancient history, classical art, or similar disciplines, and have plans to major in the humanities (not just classics by any means). You have a basic grounding in Latin, and are interested in taking the SAT II Latin test.

MIT-Affiliated Summer Programs • Mission statement: “MIT does not offer a traditional open-enrollment summer school program where any high school student can come to campus to take courses and live in the dorms. However, several partner organizations run small, specialized programs on campus. If you'd rather study the human genome or build a robot than memorize this year's summer TV reruns, then you might try one of these.” • Website: http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/summer • Topics: Science, engineering, technology, or entrepreneurship • Location: Cambridge, MA, New Mexico, California • Length: Varies, from four to six weeks • Dates: From June to August • Cost: Ranges depending on program. Some programs are free, others as much as $5,290. Consult individual pages. • Additional info: While there is no MIT summer school per se, these programs take place at MIT, focus on different things, and can be enormously helpful to those who want to apply there for undergrad. Admission is highly competitive, and some programs are exclusively geared towards minority and female students.

Harvard Summer School • Mission statement: “Wondering what college is like? Experience it yourself this summer in Harvard’s Secondary School Program. Alongside college and adult students, you can earn college credit in Harvard courses and explore subjects not available at your high school. You study with distinguished faculty, use state-of-the-art labs, and have access to the largest university library system in the world.”

• Website: http://www.summer.harvard.edu/programs/secondary-school • Topics: Academic classes in all subjects • Location: Cambridge, MA • Length: Seven weeks • Dates: Offered from June 21 to August 9 • Cost: $11,000 (nonresidential students pay only the cost of individual classes) • Additional info: Students will earn transferable college credit. Financial aid is available. • Tutor testimonial: “It's a bit pricey but was probably the best summer of my life. You stay in freshman Harvard dorms, meet kids from all over the world, and take two college-level classes. Overall an awesome experience.”

Columbia University Summer Program for High School Students • Mission statement: “Now in its 28th year, Columbia University's Summer Program for High School Students offers high-achieving students the opportunity to experience college life in the Ivy League while sampling the vibrancy of New York City. Open to students entering grades 9 through 12 and freshman year of college, the program combines academic rigor and instructional excellence with lively extracurricular offerings and careful supervision and support.” • Website: http://ce.columbia.edu/high-school/nyc • Topics: Academic classes in all subjects • Location: New York • Length: Three weeks • Dates: Offered from June 22 to July 12 and July 14 to August 2 • Cost: Ranges from $4,700 for non-residential students to $8,000 for residents • Additional info: Students do not earn college credit, and no grades are given.

The Michigan National Debate Institute: • Mission statement: “The primary element of the MNDI curriculum is to instruct the students in the subject content of the national policy debate topic. Priority is placed almost exclusively on mainstream affirmative cases and topic-specific negative strategies. Broad-based survey lectures cover the stock affirmative cases and core negative arguments, including a rigorous defense of the status quo policy. Students at the MNDI receive hands-on and detailed instruction on how to use their research product to compose high-quality, well-organized arguments.” • Website: http://www.michigandebate.com/info_mdni.php • Topics: Debate (forensic, Lincoln-Douglas, etc.) • Location: Ann Arbor, MI • Length: Varies, from three to seven weeks • Dates: Varies, depending on program

• Cost: Ranges from $2,500 (three week program) to $5,950 (seven weeks) • Additional info: “The extent and quality of the applicant's previous debate experience, including demonstrated potential, will be the dominant factors in admissions decisions. Other factors which may be considered include: the strength and number of tournaments attended, speaker awards, previous institute attendance, the comments offered in the enclosed Letter of Recommendation, and geographic diversity.”

VI) Health & Science

Programs • CIEE – Public Health • CIEE – STEM • Discovery Internships • Doctors Without Borders • National Institute of Health Summer Internship

CIEE – Public Health • Mission Statement: “Using classroom-based theory and language instruction to support extensive, offsite field work, students of community public health programs examine the Argentine healthcare system through the lens of the social sciences.” • Website: https://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/argentina/buenos-aires/summer- community-public-health/ • Topics: Community public health • Location: Buenos Aires • Length: Eight weeks • Dates: Offered May 22 to July 20 • Costs: $7850 • Additional Info: Mix of academic courses and fieldwork experience

CIEE – STEM • Mission Statement: “The field is your classroom. Explore issues of tropical diversity, community ecology, and human impact in the tropics from your biological research station in the cloud forest or apply internationally recognized field research methods through extensive, practical field experience in coral reef ecology.” • Website: https://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/stem/ • Topics: Conservation, tropical ecology, tropical marine ecology • Location: Bonaire, Costa Rica • Length: Varies, two to nine weeks • Dates: Offered May 31 to August 12 • Costs: Ranges from $3850 to $7850 • Additional Info: Programs involve field trips to nearby landmarks, as well as a mix of field work and independent research

Discovery Internships • Mission Statement: “Discovery Internships is a 3 or 4 week customized summer internship program for high school students with locations in Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, London, and Shanghai.” • Website: http://www.discoveryinternships.com/ • Topics: Internships – medicine, technology, government • Location: Boston, London, Los Angeles, New York, Shanghai • Length: Four weeks • Dates: Offered June 27 to July 25 • Costs: Ranges from $3799 to $8599 • Additional Info: Focus is on internships in over 25 career fields with potential to earn college credit

Doctors Without Borders • Mission Statement: “Doctors Without Borders is an organization that sends trained medical professionals to volunteer abroad. Projects Abroad can be a great alternative to Doctors Without Borders for volunteers interested in participating in medical internships all over the world.” • Website: http://www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/high-school-specials/ • Topics: Internships, volunteering, language, culture & community, • Location: Argentina, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mongolia, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania • Length: Varies, two to four weeks • Dates: Offered June 15 to August 31 • Costs: Ranges from $2120 to $4020 • Additional Info: Prior experience not required for most programs

National Institute of Health Summer Internship • Mission Statement: “The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) provides you with a full-time biomedical research experience. It is our hope that many of you will decide to include research as an important component of your future career and we hope you will all leave with a deeper understanding of how scientific investigation works and what it entails.” • Website: https://www.training.nih.gov/trainees/summer_interns • Topics: Biomedical research • Location: Maryland • Length: Eight weeks • Dates: Beginning in May or June • Costs: N/A • Additional Info: These internships are very competitive, and the application process begins in mid-November

VII) Outdoor Adventure

Programs • National Geographic Student Expeditions • Outward Bound • Walking Tree • NOLS • Overland

National Geographic Student Expeditions • Mission Statement: “Get into the field on an Expedition, Field Workshop, Photo Workshop, or Community Service trip, at a destination that captures your imagination. National Geographic offers student travel programs around the world that aim to inspire and educate high school students.” • Website: http://ngstudentexpeditions.com/ • Topics: Expeditions, field workshops, photography workshops, community service programs • Location: Alaska, Australia, Barcelona, Belize, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador & the Galapagos, Grand Canyon & the Southwest, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy & Greece, London, Namibia, Pacific Northwest, Paris, Peru, Prague, San Francisco, South Africa & Mozambique, Switzerland & France, Tanzania, Thailand, Tuscany, Yellowstone & Montana • Length: Varies, eleven days to three weeks • Dates: Offered June 23 to August 10 • Costs: Ranges from $3990 to $8390 • Additional Info: Trips include a National Geographic expert joining for part or all of the trip to share their stories and experience

Outward Bound – Wilderness Expeditions • Mission Statement: “Our mission is to change lives through challenge and discovery. The original Outward Bound program, these classic extended wilderness expeditions take students deep into beautiful wilderness environments, requiring participants to dig deep and discover hidden strengths they didn’t know they had, while gaining the confidence they need to succeed.” • Website: http://www.outwardbound.org/ • Topics: Wilderness • Location: Alaska, Boston Harbor, Boundary Waters, California, Florida, Maine, Mid- Atlantic, North Carolina, Omaha, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Utah; Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Patagonia • Length: Varies, one week to six weeks

• Dates: Offered June 1 to September 13 • Costs: Ranges from $821 to $6995 • Additional Info: There are a large variety of program locations and types to choose from in specific areas within the wilderness expeditions program

Walking Tree • Mission Statement: “Our mission is to inspire individuals to become global citizens who take an active interest in the world around them. We hope to achieve this goal by providing unforgettable programs filled with challenging and enriching adventures.” • Website: http://www.walkingtree.org/summer-programs/ • Topics: Service adventures, conservation expeditions, global leadership • Location: China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, Spain, USA • Length: Varies, one week to five weeks • Dates: Offered June 20 to August 14 • Costs: Ranges from $1590 to $5690 • Additional Info: Programs focus on enabling participants to learn about local cultures and develop their own global understanding

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) • Mission Statement: “With courses ranging from 10 days to a full academic year, we attract highly motivated students who want to learn how to lead. NOLS graduates have everything needed to lead others in the backcountry, as well as the leadership ability to excel at work or in the classroom. We expect a great deal of our students. NOLS courses are demanding, because we believe people thrive when challenged. Our hands-on, learn- by-doing approach means our graduates get the skills they need to be competent, responsible wilderness travelers long after their course.” • Website: http://www.nols.edu • Topics: Outdoorsmanship, backpacking, horse riding, orienteering, leadership, survivalism, wilderness medicine • Location: USA, New Zealand, Patagonia, Africa, and more. • Length: Varies, from 10 days to 25 weeks • Dates: Year-round • Costs: From $1,255 to $28,000 (for the year in Patagonia) • Additional info: “High School graduates, or equivalent, may register for University of Utah credit. Current high school students must have completed their junior year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher and must submit an official transcript with their registration form to verify status.”

Overland • Mission Statement: “This is the Overland experience: a small group with inspiring leadership, engaged in a carefully crafted summer camp program that captures their imagination, stretches their abilities and strengthens their bonds with each other. All of our groups are limited to 12 campers. When building our groups, we pay attention to age, grade, gender ratio and the mix of hometowns and schools. Every Overland summer camp program is a set of carefully crafted challenges with clearly defined goals: bike a coast, hike a mountain, serve a community, learn a language, improve a critical skill. The challenges are carefully calibrated, and the goal is always to have fun and make friends along the way.” • Website: http://www.overlandsummers.com/ • Topics: Service, writing, foreign language, biking, hiking, field studies, leadership • Location: USA, Europe, Thailand, Tanzania, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, etc. • Length: Varies, from two weeks to four weeks • Dated: Many expeditions have multiple sessions, from June to August • Additional info: “If you decide to come with a friend, be sure to apply early as these spots are limited (we only allow up to two friend pairs per group so that the majority of the students come without a friend). Friend pair spots are allotted on a first-come first- served basis.”