Summer College for High School Students

When you're planning your college admissions journey, every choice you make about how you spend your time assumes a newfound significance. Your summer represents a particularly important opportunity to make a positive impression on potential colleges. By attending a rigorous academic summer program, you will demonstrate your commitment to learning, get your foot in the door at prestigious schools, and have the chance to study areas of academic interest in depth. Some programs even allow for students to receive transferable college credit. This guide serves as an introduction to the variety of summer programs available at universities all over the United States. The programs listed are organized by school and cover a plethora of academic and extracurricular topics of interest. University faculty and staff can jumpstart your study of specialized academic topics, while extracurricular programs can be a fun opportunity to hone your skills and show your well-roundedness as a student. By attending selective summer programs at prestigious universities, you will acquire personal connections and experiences which will contribute to your successful admission into the college of your choice. These programs may be referenced within your college application to show your familiarity with the given school whose summer program you have attended. Make sure to maintain positive relationships with university faculty at these summer programs as they may be called upon to submit references later. This guide also includes programs which are hosted at less prestigious institutions, with a focus on the Chicago area. If you are looking for a free summer program to gain advanced academic skills in your area, similar reduced-cost programs are likely provided at your respective local colleges.