Academic Summer Programs

Many colleges and universities offer academic summer programs.  We are often asked whether participating in such a program with increase the chances of getting admitted to the university where it is held.  Our advice is that you should do a summer program only if you are genuinely interested in the content of the program itself.  There is no dotted-line between a university’s summer program and their university admissions office and summer program participation does not automatically increase your chances of getting in to any particular university.  However, they can help you get a sense of what campus life and university-level study are like, and can help you develop skills that will be required in your college research and application process.

A subject-specific summer program (e.g. Art & Design, Engineering, Philosophy, Film, Political Science, Mathematics, etc) can last from one to eight weeks and may offer many benefits.

• learn more about a field you are potentially interested in or rule out fields you thought you might like
• study an academic field that you already like at a more advanced level
• get a taste of university-level study, get a feel of life on a university campus
• produce material towards a future portfolio (Art/Design/Music/Drama) for uni applications
• acquire course credits that you can later submit as part of uni applications
• get a recommendation letter from a professor who taught you in the summer program for future uni applications
• get experience that you can use in a Personal Statement or university essay as evidence of your passion and understanding of your chosen field of study

There are also academic programs combined with university research/application advice and university tours.  Such programs can provide helpful knowledge of the university research and application process, and jumpstart working on drafts of application essays.  Leadership or other “themed” summer programs offer you a chance to interact with peers from within the host country (and elsewhere) while engaging in a series of seminars/events/interactive workshops etc. organized around a theme or idea, for example, global leadership, international finance, etc. Some of these programs require you to be nominated by your school or are by invitation only.

Summer programs are typically quite expensive: typically several thousand dollars for a two to three week experience, so families should be sure the program is accredited and well-regarded.  Unsolicited invitations for “exclusive” opportunities should be viewed with skepticism.  While the University Advising Centre does not endorse any summer programs, we can share stories of programs where former students have had good experiences.

Certain summer programs require a reference from a teacher or evidence of high school grades.  It is fine for students to approach teachers directly to ask for such references (these are different from university application references which are managed by the University Advising Centre).

Academic summer programs are certainly not essential for university applications.  Colleges and universities value ANY kind of meaningful experience that you have during your summers/holidays—this could be work experience (paid or unpaid), volunteer work, travel/cultural experiences, spending time with friends/family, or a combination of several of these things. What's important is not how much money you spend to attend a fancy summer program at a prestigious university but what you learn from the opportunities that are available to you.   So plan to do something meaningful this summer!

Follow the Announcements page on our UAC Google Site to learn more about academic summer program opportunities.

Many thanks to our Dover UAC colleagues for sharing their wisdom on this topic. 

Life at University

Happy New Year!  There is always much anticipation in the start of a new year and a new term.   Already the University Advising Centre has been buzzing with activity.  In addition to visiting Grade 10 mentor groups this month to introduce them to the Self-Assessment tools and Resume Builder in Family Connection, we have begun our individual advising program with Grade 11 students.   Over the next two months, every student in Grade 11 will be invited (via Google Calendar) to meet with their University Advisor for an 80-minute session during one of their free periods.   Students have been asked to complete a number of surveys and conduct research into potential courses of study, careers and specific universities in preparation for their meeting.

In the first week of term, Grade 11 students attended an assembly involving a panel presentation of recent alumni from UWCSEA's Dover campus on "Life at University".  The five students came from five different universities in the US and the UK and were on holiday in Singapore after their first term of university.  The young alumni talked about different aspects of their new lives at university and contrasted their experiences at US and UK, large and small,  urban and rural campuses.

Our Grade 11 students took the alumni's advice to heart to really do some soul searching about what they want out of university,  develop good time management skills,  not to sweat too much about the SAT,  and to definitely attend international student orientation.    Two of the best takeways from the event were that UWC and the IB were great preparation for university, and  that it was possible to be happy and find a community at a wide variety of universities.  The panelists' experiences reflected that university is what you make it.   This article from the New York Times reinforces the idea that students should look beyond just the numbers when choosing a college or university, and look for places that will stretch them and give them new experiences.

This month our campus will be a closed test center for the SAT on the morning of Saturday, January 26th.  Over 40 students signed up to take this nearly four-hour exam as part of US university admissions.   Those who didn't register for this month's exam will have several more opportunities to take the exam before applications are due.

All the best for a healthy and happy 2013.

Plan Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well, and Other Things : Checklist of Things for High School Students to Do Over the December Holidays

           December break is just around the corner. We know you’re looking forward to sleeping in, catching up with friends and family, and just all in all having a good time. We would like you to rest and relax; we’d also like to give you a few tips in order to ensure are making effective use of your time. We’ve divided the list up by Grade level. Grade 9 and Grade 10 students will be introduced to more tools through Family Connection in term two.


Grade 9 and Grade 10 Students:

•          Ensure your resume is up-to date.
•         Write! Find your “voice.” Reflect on your experiences so far. Write about a particular  significant event at an activity/in class/on the field/in the canteen.
•         Read! Get caught up on personal reading; spend some time exploring topics you enjoy.
•        Look for summer internship opportunities.
•        Stay involved in service projects/activities/ sports that you are passionate about

Grade 11 Students:

•        Set goals for yourself for next term.
•      Watch a play.
•      Complete the Personality Quiz on Family Connection
•        Complete the Career Profiler on Family Connection
•        Practice your music pieces.
• Prepare for SAT through PrepMe.  You can find this through Family Connection.
•     Explore Courses and Universities on UCAS or Family Connection, or through our Resources tab.
•        Continue to develop your art portfolio.
• Complete the Google Form entitled, “Finding the Right Fit University.”
• Update your resume.
• Come up with a list of 1-3 universities and your reasons why you like them.
• Return to your CAS reflections and add more details to them. These reflections will serve you well when you have to write essays for college applications
• Get caught up on any reading that you need to for your courses or read a book for fun!
• Stay involved in service projects/activities/ sports that you are passionate about
• Research internships for the summer/ summer programmes.
• Have frank conversations with your parents about the decisions you are making. Ensure all constraints (financial, geographical, courses/majors) are all clearly laid out on the table. If you and your parents are on the same/similar page it may make decision-making easier.  Remember you are the one going to university for 3 - 4 years. Also remember your parents are the ones paying for you to go to university for 3 - 4 years.
• Look for the calendar invitation for a one-on-one meeting with your university advisor. Accept the invitation.  Set a reminder for your one-on-one meeting time. If you cannot make the scheduled meeting, please let us know ASAP. The invitations will go out early next week, for meetings scheduled for the first week back.  After that, invitations will go out a week before meetings are scheduled.  

It may appear to be a long list, but most of this can be done within a solid hour or two a day (PrepMe and a conversation as a family will take more time and dedication).  Planning and being organised are essential elements to succeed and will make your life a lot easier as you are thrown back into the throes of classes and activities. So plan well, eat well, sleep well, and have a lovely December break!