An area of increasingly interest to high school students in recent years has become Summer Pre-College Programs.  They run from the gamut from 1-2 week academic experiences to full blown 7 week programs where students take a couple of college level courses comparable to normal programs at the university.  Whatever program you choose, they offer three potential benefits.

1. Understanding College and Building Confidence

The first year of college is an exhilarating but also concerning experience for students.  Their image of college has largely been formed by TV or movies.  For many young adults, this is their first exposure to real independence.  High school is the most structured experience in many people’s lives (outside of the military).  Course periods are planned to the minute, while papers, homework and quizzes are scheduled with precision.  By contrast, college is less ordered.  Papers and exams are often bunched at the middle to end of the semester.  Classes often have no attendance.  It is up to students to show up, plan ahead, and spread out their work.  Getting exposed to the rhythms of college ahead of time can be really useful.  Students also get a vibe for campus life – do they prefer a campus close to a large city or do they want a large, leafy campus hidden away?  It will also give you a better sense of what to look for when you tour campuses during the college search.

2. Finding a Major

Many students struggle to find the right major. They often erroneously think they have found their dream major without ever having been exposed to the coursework that it entails.  (Or, they may come to college very unsure of what major to pursue.)  Since the first year of college often involves taking university requirements, students may find themselves dropping a major after taking their first course or wandering around from major to major for the first few years.  By senior year, they are struggling to graduate on time.

Summer programs allow them to experience the nitty gritty of individual majors.  Thinking biology, what is lab work really like?  Accounting or finance?  Find out if its really your passion.  Experiencing coursework and having a strong sense of the right major can really simplify and focus the college search.  Finding out in advance that a major is not right for you is just as useful.

3. Lighting the Fire, Getting Ready To Apply

During the daily grind of high school, college can seem far away and grades hard to focus on.  Getting a taste for college and understanding that work now will pay off later can help many students stay focused.  If a student is unsure they are ready for college, this can help answer that question as well.

Relatedly, the application process is also somewhat alien for many students.  What is writing a college essay like?  Are you ready for the SAT/ACT?  Many summer programs also incorporate courses in college prep, essay writing or studying for standardized exams.

Some General Advice

Do not worry too much about the college, but focus on the program (and what you can comfortably afford).  If a program is run out of a school, do not assume that it will give you a leg up in admissions to it.  Think instead how the program and your experiences make you a more interesting candidate for a range of schools you are interested in attending.

By Amelia Mezrahi, New York, NY

By Amelia Mezrahi, New York, NY

Each year, about 300,000 students at U.S. universities study abroad.  The advantages are clear.  Professionally, as the world becomes more globalized and U.S. firms ever more linked to and dependent on foreign markets, students gain valuable insight and experiences abroad.  Personally, it is also a chance for maturation and exploration as students learn independence and take advantage of a study abroad location as a springboard for travel to neighboring cities and countries.  And where study abroad once meant separation from family and friends but for the occasional long distance phone call or postcard, in today’s interconnected world students are in constant touch with friends and family via email, Skype, Facebook, Whatsapp, and other services.

Traditionally, students might do a semester abroad at a satellite campus to their own university or another such school.  This allowed for a simple transfer of grades and records, a ready group of classmates for friendship and travel.  Students who are seeking a more immersive experience might enroll in a foreign university directly, often on an exchange program.

However, such programs do not work for every student.  Some students find their schedules too tight to take a semester abroad.  They may have very specific major requirements and technical courses that are not offered abroad.  They may have transferred recently to their new school and need or want to stay on campus.  Or they may prefer a foreign experience that is outside their normal college programs.

There are also more alternative study abroad options than ever.  Programs run for all lengths and all times of the year, including those during student breaks.

Three options warrant particular consideration. 

First, students should consider a gap year between high school and college.  Long an option among students is in Europe as well as countries like Australia and New Zealand. Gap years have grown in popularity in the U.S. as well.  Travel during gap years allow for true independence as students explore the globe, but it can also be combined with the other options discussed below.

Second, students can look at placed internships in study abroad programs.  There are several direct advantages of such programs.  Students gain some business/office experience.  More and more programs are specific to fields, like medicine, or sciences.  They not only have something to show on a resume and tout in interviews, but to demonstrate for potential employer they are responsible and independent as well as possess an understanding of basic office etiquette.  More advanced students interested in graduate school can also look at placement at foreign schools and institutes as research assistants.

Third, student might consider international service learning (e.g. volunteering) programs.  This can be done before, during or after college, but allows for intense personal development, exposure to real world challenges and tougher working environments (especially given the increasing luxury of some universities).  Programs vary greatly in location, duration and cost in order to maximize student flexibility as well.

This also brings us to the selection of a location.  When selecting study abroad locations, the world is your oyster.  Over half of students study in Europe, where linguistic barriers are low (or students may wish to brush up on languages studied in the U.S.) at the same time infrastructure and communications are excellent and safety and convenience are high.  For many students, Europe will always be the go to location.  However, students should not overlook other locations.  Given that Asia will be responsible for over half of world GDP in coming decades, it should definitely be on student’s radar.  Asian languages are more difficult if a student wants to pick up fluency, but the market attractiveness of them is also high.  (If language skills are a motivation, students should definitely try to start before leaving and leverage those initial courses when there.)  Countries like China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Singapore have fascinating cultures and exciting economies.  Latin America offers great opportunities for American students to develop their Spanish and numerous volunteer opportunities.   Africa similarly has many programs with a strong development angle and opportunity for some American students to reconnect with their roots.

For any program you are looking at, be sure to carefully read reviews, exam written commitments and details about lodging, costs and experiences.  Whenever possible ask to speak to the alumni of the programs, not just for their reviews, but also tips to make the most of your time abroad.  Foreign health emergencies and trip insurance are typical in most programs, but should be checked as well.