The Value of Pre-College Summer Programs

College Counseling at Shorecrest emphasizes the importance of using summer as an extension of the classroom by balancing leisure with enrichment activities. Universities all over the country offer high school students the opportunity to experience bits of life as a college student while focusing on a specific field of study. During summer 2024, Shorecrest’s Upper School experienced record numbers of students participating in Pre-College Summer Programs all over the country and some abroad. From Brown University to University of Florida, students were engaged in research, panel discussions with professionals, and so much more. 

Maddie Needler ‘25, a talented visual artist, was accepted into the Art Business summer program at Sotheby’s Summer Institute in New York City. Maddie appreciated being “immersed among creative thinkers” and learned how artists “strategically market their work to reach wider audiences.” This experience had such a profound impact on Maddie that it helped her refine her interests and clarify what she plans to study in college. “I was also able to write about it in some of my supplemental essays for college applications,” she shared. 

Braden Stone ‘26, a junior with a love for Sports Broadcasting and a member of the Shorecrest Broadcasting Club, attended Summer Pre-College at Newhouse on the Syracuse University campus. Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Public Communication is a nationally ranked program with a great reputation that is widely sought after by high schoolers interested in this field. Reflecting on his summer, Braden said, “I loved my time at Syracuse because I got to explore my passion and learn from professors who have experience in the field I want to pursue.” His experience was highly hands-on, allowing him to practice journalism in a professional setting while learning the value of networking with other high school students with similar passions.

Reece Campbell ‘26 was selected for and attended the Notre Dame Summer Scholars Program. The session he selected, Confronting Poverty: Bringing Service to Justice, challenged his understanding of “the causes and effects of poverty and how to tackle the issue.” The time he spent learning from professors at Notre Dame and building lasting relationships with students from all over the country has him considering applying again to attend next summer. He wants students to know that Notre Dame’s Summer Scholars Program has many sessions on various topics to choose from. “Anyone can find one to fit their interests,” he shared. 

While pre-college summer programs are not designed to provide any leverage for college acceptance, they do provide students exposure into fields that interest them. 

Victoria Scott, Assistant Director of College Counseling at Shorecrest, expressed, “Hearing our students’ stories of their experiences at so many different universities makes me feel confident in encouraging families to consider them as part of summer planning for their students.”