Good summer courses/programs for Prep school freshman

Prep School Admissions
1

I was wondering what kind of summer programs would be good for a freshman entering a prep school (GLADCHEMM) in fall especially around Robotics, Math and Music? If you have any insight or have attended any particular summer course that you recommend please post…

2

Any college course offered by EdX, Coursera, Udemy etc. is worthwhile, fun, and looks good on an application.

3

And they are completely doable - I completed ~ 10 as last summer entering 9th grade. Only two required serious knowledge of math/coding and all the others were introductory-level courses.

4

thanks @essaysarefun‌ , do you mean college application? How about JHU academic program of Intensive study, do these have merit on college app. My son is entering a prep-school in the fall of 2015.

5

I suggest you contact your child’s prep school to see what they say. If your child does not need any remedial work, I think that the best enrichment is simply allowing your child to enjoy this summer with you and your family creating some good family memories before heading off to BS.

6

Thanks @ChoatieMom‌. His jazz director (to be) has suggested a jazz camp already which we are looking into… (not remedial work). He is also into Robotics and Math… do you know about IDtech camp? Are they worth their weight? My son will be a day student (might convert him to a boarder later). I agree with the idea of creating good memories at home but me and my husband both work and need something during the day to keep him busy… atleast few weeks of the summer… :smile:

7

Sorry, no experience with such. We just let ChoatieKid run amuck while we worked. :wink:

8

Honestly, boarding school is a grind. Fun, rewarding, enriching but a very intense schedule. I firmly believe in kids at this age having fun over summer… being lazy, going to the beach, hanging out etc. If a summer activity is in order, how about something non-academic: jazz camp or tennis camp or sailing lessons etc.

9

I agree about non-academic options-- although the daughter of a friend of mine did IDTech camp and it was NOT a grind-- mostly creating games, web design, robotics very much following the kids’ interests, not teachIng them classroom style. She liked it, although she didn’t choose to go back the next summer (on to other interests).

10

@ChoatieMom - You are the best! Children aren’t allowed to run amuck these days, are they? They must be enrolled in enriching, organized pursuits at all times haha :wink:

11

@caringmom11 no I put 10 completed college courses on my BS application (still only went 2/6 on GLADCHEMMS though, haha)

12

thanks @essaysarefun‌ … thankfully that hurdle is over now and son is going to one of the GLADCHEMMS school as a Freshman. Where are you deciding to go?

13

@caringmom11 probably Milton but still playing the waitlist game until A10.

14

Thanks @DJCordeiro , I am certainly going to look at it over the weekend. thanks !!

15

For those doing a new language at BS next fall, look into STARTALK programs for the month of July in various locations around US. Options include Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, etc., and it is almost free for 120 language hours. My DD did Mandarin for two summers and will continue her studies at her BS as a 3rd former.

16

MathCamp, maybe try to find a local professor who wants some volunteer help with research, CTY is great fun and a nice intro to being away (4 weeks maybe?). IDtech was very, very basic and pretty much amounted to babysitting with online video games.