Come summertime, many rising high school juniors and seniors will go on vacations with their families, spend time with friends and kick back at the pool. While all of these are well-deserved breaks, summer can be a wasted opportunity if these are the only things you do from June to August.
Spending a few weeks in summer courses designed for high school juniors and seniors, however, can help turn a good summer into a great summer. Here are a few ways Marymount University’s Summer Institutes offer unique opportunities. Students can:
1. Explore new interests
The typical high school curriculum focuses on the fundamentals that students need before going to college. They usually have a few opportunities to take elective classes, but learning a new subject on top of all the other stressors of high school isn’t always at the top of their list. Often, students choose a study hall rather than another class just to keep up with their workloads.
Summertime, however, is a great opportunity for rising high school juniors and seniors to try something new. An estimated 20-50 percent of students enter college undecided on their major. Exposing students to new areas of study before they graduate from high school can help them decide what to focus their college studies on, even if it’s by process of elimination. Marymount’s summer programs allow students to choose from four different fields that typically aren’t covered in high schools.
2. Get ahead through summer courses
Students who complete Marymount’s summer courses earn three college credits, which helps make time for other classes or activities once they begin college. But even before they step on campus, having college-level courses on their applications will help high school students stand out to college admissions officers. Nothing says “I can excel in college classes” quite like already having done so. Finally, these programs give students a chance to connect with others who share their interests. And who knows — they may end up on the same campus the following year!
3. Experience campus life
Students in Marymount’s summer programs live in the dorms, eat in the cafés and spend time with their peers on campus — a true preview of college life. It’s a great test run for students (and parents), long before they have to decide how far away from home they’ll go to school and whether they’ll live on campus.
So, if you’re a rising high school junior or senior, think about adding a class to your schedule this summer. Marymount’s Summer Institutes offer two-week intensive courses in four different fields — Criminal Justice, Biology, Engineering and Communications/Journalism. Students learn from industry experts, experience field trips around the D.C. area and connect with other future leaders. Click here for more information and learn how to register.
