The school year is going by fast, and all eyes are on the approaching summer. And for many high school students across the nation, summer is a time to become more engaged with one’s future plans primarily through enrollment in a summer program.

It may seem that seniors who are already accepted into universities should not waste their time attending a summer program, but that is far from the truth. A summer program through the college that one will attend can increase familiarity and lead to the formation of friendships ahead of freshman fall term. A summer program could also improve future grades in collegiate courses. 

For rising high school juniors and seniors, SAT, ACT, and other standardized tests have summer preparatory programs, and for student-athletes, North Allegheny offers a set of summer sports programs, many of which are intended for those planning to try out for teams during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Other summer programs are not correlated with specific colleges or high schools. These programs are best suited for students who are unsure of where they want to attend college but have a decided area of study for a future major. This list feature some programs affiliated with certain universities, but many are separate institutions.  

There is also a selection of summer programs that are labelled “pre-college.” Pre-college summer programs entail spending time either in person or virtually at the university to sense what attending school there would be like. An advantage of a pre-college program is that if one is interested in a specific school and attends a pre-college program before applying, it has the potential to increase their chances of acceptance. 

The costs of these summer programs vary, with some totaling few thousand dollars. Other summer programs are offered to high school students for a minimal cost, or for free. 

The deadlines for some programs may have already passed or are quickly approaching, so it is important to apply sooner rather than later if there is an interest in any summer program.

It may not seem fun to spend summer doing something scholarly or enriching, but a summer program can help to minimize any future stress. The future collegiate classes, team tryouts, college applications, standardized tests, and more have the potential to feel less stressful for students who spend their summer wisely.