Summer Program Opportunities
Today, most colleges and universities offer special summer programs for rising seniors. Some offer programs for rising juniors. These Pre-College Programs and Camps may be academic in nature; some have international and or travel components. Typically these programs offer many separate programs and institutes in a variety of disciplines and in varying degrees of difficulty. Programs may be specialized and unique or they may be regular undergraduate courses.
All offer a wide selection of campus activities, career exploration and networking and social activities. All offer an exceptional experience in a unique environment away from the familiar. Some programs allow the student to earn college credit hours. Additionally there are many excellent organizations and programs that are not necessarily an adjunct of a university and not necessarily academic in nature.
Your best resource is the internet. Search for summer programs. Search specific university websites. Try the Sloan Career Cornerstone Organization www.careercornerstone.org if you are interested in science, math, engineering, technology or medicine.
The College Counseling Office does receive some printed information on summer opportunities. This information is available to all SCA students. If you have first hand experience with a summer experience/program and would like to share that information with our community, contact the College and Counseling Office, collegecounseling@stcecilia.edu.
Here are just a few examples of programs of interest:
Aquinas Scholars
Aquinas College offers high school students who have completed their junior year the opportunity to get a head start on college. You can get college credit and there is no cost involved other than books. You will also get a scholarship to Aquinas if you decide to pursue a degree there after graduation.
The following requirements are needed: Completion of junior year of high school, 3.5 GPA, Completion of Summer Scholars Application and an official high school transcript. Please see Darcy Rowe in the Admissions office at Aquinas or Ms. Hensley in the Guidance Office if interested.
Tennessee Governor's School
This is a state Program where sophomores and juniors go to a college in the state and choose an academic area they want to focus on and study there for six weeks. It is an excellent opportunity and we highly recommend that our students apply for this program.
There are a number of different areas to study: Agricultural Sciences, Arts, Engineering, Humanities, Information Technology, Leadership, International Studies, Prospective Teachers, Sciences and Scientific Exploration of Tennessee Heritage. The application deadline is November 1, 2008. Please go to http://state.tn.us/education/govschools/ and download an application if you are interested in this opportunity. Please see Ms. Hensley in the Guidance office as well.
Vanderbilt University PAVE Program
Vanderbilt offers a unique opportunity for students to explore a science, engineering, medical or technology based career in a risk free environment, ease the transition from high school to college, and develop new skills and confidence. Students will learn what is expected of them academically and experience college life while being exposed to a multidisciplinary curriculum. This is a six week coeducational program at Vanderbilt University. See http://www.vanderbilt.edu/pave for more information.
University of Notre Dame Pre-College Programs
Summer Experience is open to high school students entering their junior or senior year who are at least 16 years old. Selected students will be challenged academically and personally, will study with Notre Dame faculty, live in residence halls with fellow students and live, to the fullest extent possible, the life of a college student. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2009. Please see Ms. Hensley in the Guidance Office for more information or go to http://precollege.nd.edu
Duke University Summer Programs
Duke summer studies programs offer students in grades 7-10 the opportunity to learn highly challenging material at a rate suited to their advanced abilities. Students enroll in a single Duke TIP - designed course for three weeks of in-depth study; they attend nearly 40 hours of class each week. Programs are offered on a variety of college campuses, providing an unparalleled opportunity for young scholars to experience college classroom instruction and residence hall living. You can go to http://www.tip.duke.edu/summer_programs/all_programs.html for more information.
Vanderbilt University Summer Academy
Vanderbilt Summer Academy offers engaging and challenging curricula in math, science, and the humanities. The program integrates resources from the university's many research programs directly into the classroom experience. This is a residential academic experience on Vanderbilt's campus. They do require that students have taken an ACT or SAT test with certain scores for admission. It is available to rising 8th graders through rising 12th grade students. Please check out their website at http://www.pty.vanderbilt.edu/vsa.html or see Ms. Hensley in the Guidance Office for more information
Sewanee - The University of the South Bridge Program
The Bridge program is a three-week residential experience for 20 rising seniors in Tennessee at Sewanee. It is geared toward students who are interested in careers in the areas of Science or Math. The classes are taught by Sewanee professors and make maximum use of technology. This is a free program but there is an application and decision process. Please go to www.sewanee.edu/bridgeprogram or see Ms. Hensley in the Guidance office for more information.
