If you have teenagers, do they have their summer plans nailed down yet? What are they doing? What are you considering? What summer plans have your teens done in the past?
Pay to play programs on college campuses do not enhance college applications - especially ones NOT run by the college itself. While I understand this is a paid partnership, stuff like this is what feeds into the rat race for upper middle class families with high school aged kids. You could argue that taking a class on a certain topic might ignite the student’s passion into an area that could translate into something that helps college applications. But you certainly don’t need to spend $10,000 for a 3 week stint at summer discovery ucla to accomplish that.
My daughter is the same age as Mazzy and finishing up sophomore year. She’s going to be a day camp counselor for her second year but thinks next year she’ll want to do something different. She wants to work but also wants a little more flexibility! She also will train for the fall soccer season and probably do some SAT prep. But most importantly, she will make time to chill out with friends, go to the beach, and enjoy the summer! Life is way too stressful for high school kids these days. They need time to veg.
There is so much pressure to do things all the time that’ll make a “great college resume” and my kid feels it, too. If my daughter wanted to do something like Summer Discovery and it was in our budget, I’d be open to it. But only if she wanted to because it would be fun and interesting. I’ve heard from many admissions counselors that these types of programs are cool for the kids, but they do not give an edge in the college application process—so that shouldn’t be a motivating reason to do one. (My older daughter is a college freshman so we’ve been through the college search madness.)
It's so interesting to read about summers in the US vs here in Australia. We don't really plan anything formal for kids - there isn't summer school or early sports practice or college programs. Just a summer off and if they want to get a part time job great. But just hang out with friends mainly. Very different!
That’s how it should be! That’s how it was when I was a kid (I’m a Gen Xer). The super-packed summers are fueled by the college rat race in the US, and it’s bananas.
It is hard to get my head around the level of activities and trying to prepare for a college application. I appreciate not wanting to get left behind and wanting to give your kids the best shot. But it's not an easy, or an affordable, system. And you kind of have to play along.
I agree, I find it so interesting as a UK reader.... I have often wondered how working parents navigate the really long summer break in the US - we have 5-6 weeks and while my kids might go to a day programme for some or one of those weeks, if it's in their interest (my daughter has done a youth programme at the local theatre), on the whole it is time off with family and friends, and hopefully some travel. My eldest has an extra month between year 11 and year 12 (I guess sort of like between sophomore and junior years in the US) after exams and before he starts post 16 education and he might do a week's work experience with one of my friends in the sector he might have an interest in working in, but summer break is a break. But so much shorter here so it makes sense that it is.
Navigating the school holidays is definitely tricky here also! My daughter has 10 weeks at Christmas, our Summer holidays. She gets more as she is in a Catholic school - public would be 8 weeks. We get pretty decent holidays here so I tend to take 4-5 weeks off myself over the Summer. We get 5 weeks at my work and have the option to buy an additional 4 weeks. And if you take all your leave you get a bonus 5 days. So we are very lucky.
I do envy the summer camps - they look like such a fun experience. I grew up in Ireland we had them also. I did basketball and a general summer camp and loved them!
So I know you have a partnership with Summer Discovery but I think it's important to know that these programs -- while they may be fun learning experiences -- do not give any edge in college applications. Summer Discovery is a pay to play program ON college campuses, but it is not a competitive entry program taught by college faculty. There are some competitive entry summer programs (like COSMOS in California) which are taught by faculty and can enhance a college application but most are not. I have two in college, two who have graduated college, and I've been in involved in admissions for my Ivy League alma mater, so I've been around the block with this! Again, they can be a fun way to spend a summer, and they may really help kids learn about what they might want to study! One of my daughters did NYU Pre-College and loved it! But they will not give a boost to college applications -- they basically just demonstrate that parents can afford to send their kids -- so they should be done because they are fun and interesting, not because they look good on a college application.
My 15 year old daughter just took a lifeguarding/Red Cross certification course and is excited to have received her first ever job offer to be a lifeguard at a local pool! I love that she gained lifesaving skills with her certification and will be honing real world skills at a job (and lifeguarding can be a year round job, contrary to what many may think). I will not love driving her to/from her job, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay 🫠
Excited to hear more about Mazzy's experience with Summer Discovery! My 16-year-old son will be doing a paid internship this summer (his second time) with a program run by our school district where he repairs chromebooks. He loved it last summer and I really felt it helped him grow and become more self-reliant. He was honestly motivated by the pay, but it's great that it will look good for college too. My 13-year-old daughter will be doing a summer academy for a couple of weeks at a Catholic high school that she's considering attending. She's also thinking about taking a high school Spanish course online because her teacher recommended it for her to be able to take Spanish 2 in 8th grade. I'm lucky that my kids have both shown interest in these things naturally because I'm definitely not the plan way ahead for college type!
My eldest daughter (20) will be resting, and playing, and working on maintaining our yard and gardens.
My middle daughter (16) will go to two weeks of Drama Camp, and one weeks of sleep away Bible Camp. And, maybe get her first job while also getting in some driving practice hours.
My youngest daughter (13) will be vegging, and reading, and going to one week of sleep away Bible Camp. She'll also be taking photography lessons.
We will all try to swim as much as possible. And we're hoping to get some time away and do a family vacation at the beach.
This sounds like a wonderful opportunity for my middle daughter next summer. And, my youngest might enjoy it a couple of years later.
My son will be starting his HS journey in the fall, so this is all newer to me. We are definitely the second kind of family where summer is for family time, trips & relaxing. He will be doing two separate weeks of band camp, so that will be different. This summer college thing sounds cool for maybe two years from now. I would have loved it for myself!
I have a soon to be HS freshman with an abnormally short summer. She’s doing a week & half of Girl Scout overnight camp, then a week of counselor-in-training training day camp before 2 weeks of HS marching band prep camp. I had her Girl Scout camps set up at the beginning of the year, but in the last week high school notified us they recommend she take a summer school math class in prep for Honor geometry. I panicked thinking I was setting her up for non-success by not sending her to summer school, but ultimately decided she deserves to have some fun at overnight camp and she really wants to become a counselor so training day camp is a must.
13 year old daughter is doing 4 weeks of dance intensives, 13 year old son is doing one week of history trip day camp…both will work a bit at our business as well. They only have so many summers to do nothing!!!
My almost 17 year old son is finishing junior year and has chosen to be a counselor at the sleepaway camp he’s attended since he was 7. So he’ll be there for four weeks. We will leave the next day for a week of college visits/tours, and he’ll then go straight into a week of NASA camp (anyone who lives in Virginia and has a child interested in science, we HIGHLY recommend the program for 10th-12th graders through the Virginia Space Coast Scholars) at Langley Air Force Base, and then marching band camp starts up! Definitely a busy summer, particularly headed straight into the college application process … but he’s excited about it and will hopefully also have some time to get started on some applications, too!
My HS freshman will be taking one or two college classes this summer. I think it’s one. I kinda sorta accidentally enrolled him in what I thought was honors but turns out to be college prep. His high school partners with a local community college and offers kids the chance to complete first 2 yrs of college by hs graduation. I guess that makes me that parent! Whoops. I don’t mind because otherwise he’ll be home doing nothing. I would love something like this for him.
My 6'4" basketball player is Mazzy's age almost to the day. Since his college dream is (knock wood) recruitment, his summer focus is training, tournaments and college coach connecting (and some SAT prep). But if I had MY way, he'd do one of the campus programs you described! But I am supporting the dream...🤷♀️
Our youngest is finishing up her sophomore year in high school and for part of the summer she will be at Duke for a pre-college program. She found this program, which sounds similar to what summer discoveries offers, and did most of the work to apply etc. Having two older siblings and seeing them go through the college application process had given her a good perspective.
My 14 yr old will spend a month with grandparents in Alaska and then three days at a film and movie direction camp. He goes to German school so the summer is only 6 weeks long. He'll just bum around for the other part of it! In the past I've sent him to camp for at least 2 weeks every summer but now he's old enough to stay home for parts of the day and he doesn't want to be so scheduled.
Pay to play programs on college campuses do not enhance college applications - especially ones NOT run by the college itself. While I understand this is a paid partnership, stuff like this is what feeds into the rat race for upper middle class families with high school aged kids. You could argue that taking a class on a certain topic might ignite the student’s passion into an area that could translate into something that helps college applications. But you certainly don’t need to spend $10,000 for a 3 week stint at summer discovery ucla to accomplish that.
My daughter is the same age as Mazzy and finishing up sophomore year. She’s going to be a day camp counselor for her second year but thinks next year she’ll want to do something different. She wants to work but also wants a little more flexibility! She also will train for the fall soccer season and probably do some SAT prep. But most importantly, she will make time to chill out with friends, go to the beach, and enjoy the summer! Life is way too stressful for high school kids these days. They need time to veg.
There is so much pressure to do things all the time that’ll make a “great college resume” and my kid feels it, too. If my daughter wanted to do something like Summer Discovery and it was in our budget, I’d be open to it. But only if she wanted to because it would be fun and interesting. I’ve heard from many admissions counselors that these types of programs are cool for the kids, but they do not give an edge in the college application process—so that shouldn’t be a motivating reason to do one. (My older daughter is a college freshman so we’ve been through the college search madness.)
It's so interesting to read about summers in the US vs here in Australia. We don't really plan anything formal for kids - there isn't summer school or early sports practice or college programs. Just a summer off and if they want to get a part time job great. But just hang out with friends mainly. Very different!
That’s how it should be! That’s how it was when I was a kid (I’m a Gen Xer). The super-packed summers are fueled by the college rat race in the US, and it’s bananas.
It is hard to get my head around the level of activities and trying to prepare for a college application. I appreciate not wanting to get left behind and wanting to give your kids the best shot. But it's not an easy, or an affordable, system. And you kind of have to play along.
I agree, I find it so interesting as a UK reader.... I have often wondered how working parents navigate the really long summer break in the US - we have 5-6 weeks and while my kids might go to a day programme for some or one of those weeks, if it's in their interest (my daughter has done a youth programme at the local theatre), on the whole it is time off with family and friends, and hopefully some travel. My eldest has an extra month between year 11 and year 12 (I guess sort of like between sophomore and junior years in the US) after exams and before he starts post 16 education and he might do a week's work experience with one of my friends in the sector he might have an interest in working in, but summer break is a break. But so much shorter here so it makes sense that it is.
Navigating the school holidays is definitely tricky here also! My daughter has 10 weeks at Christmas, our Summer holidays. She gets more as she is in a Catholic school - public would be 8 weeks. We get pretty decent holidays here so I tend to take 4-5 weeks off myself over the Summer. We get 5 weeks at my work and have the option to buy an additional 4 weeks. And if you take all your leave you get a bonus 5 days. So we are very lucky.
I do envy the summer camps - they look like such a fun experience. I grew up in Ireland we had them also. I did basketball and a general summer camp and loved them!
So I know you have a partnership with Summer Discovery but I think it's important to know that these programs -- while they may be fun learning experiences -- do not give any edge in college applications. Summer Discovery is a pay to play program ON college campuses, but it is not a competitive entry program taught by college faculty. There are some competitive entry summer programs (like COSMOS in California) which are taught by faculty and can enhance a college application but most are not. I have two in college, two who have graduated college, and I've been in involved in admissions for my Ivy League alma mater, so I've been around the block with this! Again, they can be a fun way to spend a summer, and they may really help kids learn about what they might want to study! One of my daughters did NYU Pre-College and loved it! But they will not give a boost to college applications -- they basically just demonstrate that parents can afford to send their kids -- so they should be done because they are fun and interesting, not because they look good on a college application.
My 15 year old daughter just took a lifeguarding/Red Cross certification course and is excited to have received her first ever job offer to be a lifeguard at a local pool! I love that she gained lifesaving skills with her certification and will be honing real world skills at a job (and lifeguarding can be a year round job, contrary to what many may think). I will not love driving her to/from her job, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay 🫠
Excited to hear more about Mazzy's experience with Summer Discovery! My 16-year-old son will be doing a paid internship this summer (his second time) with a program run by our school district where he repairs chromebooks. He loved it last summer and I really felt it helped him grow and become more self-reliant. He was honestly motivated by the pay, but it's great that it will look good for college too. My 13-year-old daughter will be doing a summer academy for a couple of weeks at a Catholic high school that she's considering attending. She's also thinking about taking a high school Spanish course online because her teacher recommended it for her to be able to take Spanish 2 in 8th grade. I'm lucky that my kids have both shown interest in these things naturally because I'm definitely not the plan way ahead for college type!
My eldest daughter (20) will be resting, and playing, and working on maintaining our yard and gardens.
My middle daughter (16) will go to two weeks of Drama Camp, and one weeks of sleep away Bible Camp. And, maybe get her first job while also getting in some driving practice hours.
My youngest daughter (13) will be vegging, and reading, and going to one week of sleep away Bible Camp. She'll also be taking photography lessons.
We will all try to swim as much as possible. And we're hoping to get some time away and do a family vacation at the beach.
This sounds like a wonderful opportunity for my middle daughter next summer. And, my youngest might enjoy it a couple of years later.
Thank you for sharing this opportunity, Ilana.
My son will be starting his HS journey in the fall, so this is all newer to me. We are definitely the second kind of family where summer is for family time, trips & relaxing. He will be doing two separate weeks of band camp, so that will be different. This summer college thing sounds cool for maybe two years from now. I would have loved it for myself!
I have a soon to be HS freshman with an abnormally short summer. She’s doing a week & half of Girl Scout overnight camp, then a week of counselor-in-training training day camp before 2 weeks of HS marching band prep camp. I had her Girl Scout camps set up at the beginning of the year, but in the last week high school notified us they recommend she take a summer school math class in prep for Honor geometry. I panicked thinking I was setting her up for non-success by not sending her to summer school, but ultimately decided she deserves to have some fun at overnight camp and she really wants to become a counselor so training day camp is a must.
My twin 14 year old twins will be taking a semester of summer school and joining the cross country team on their 6:00 am runs!
13 year old daughter is doing 4 weeks of dance intensives, 13 year old son is doing one week of history trip day camp…both will work a bit at our business as well. They only have so many summers to do nothing!!!
My almost 17 year old son is finishing junior year and has chosen to be a counselor at the sleepaway camp he’s attended since he was 7. So he’ll be there for four weeks. We will leave the next day for a week of college visits/tours, and he’ll then go straight into a week of NASA camp (anyone who lives in Virginia and has a child interested in science, we HIGHLY recommend the program for 10th-12th graders through the Virginia Space Coast Scholars) at Langley Air Force Base, and then marching band camp starts up! Definitely a busy summer, particularly headed straight into the college application process … but he’s excited about it and will hopefully also have some time to get started on some applications, too!
My HS freshman will be taking one or two college classes this summer. I think it’s one. I kinda sorta accidentally enrolled him in what I thought was honors but turns out to be college prep. His high school partners with a local community college and offers kids the chance to complete first 2 yrs of college by hs graduation. I guess that makes me that parent! Whoops. I don’t mind because otherwise he’ll be home doing nothing. I would love something like this for him.
My 6'4" basketball player is Mazzy's age almost to the day. Since his college dream is (knock wood) recruitment, his summer focus is training, tournaments and college coach connecting (and some SAT prep). But if I had MY way, he'd do one of the campus programs you described! But I am supporting the dream...🤷♀️
Our youngest is finishing up her sophomore year in high school and for part of the summer she will be at Duke for a pre-college program. She found this program, which sounds similar to what summer discoveries offers, and did most of the work to apply etc. Having two older siblings and seeing them go through the college application process had given her a good perspective.
My 14 yr old will spend a month with grandparents in Alaska and then three days at a film and movie direction camp. He goes to German school so the summer is only 6 weeks long. He'll just bum around for the other part of it! In the past I've sent him to camp for at least 2 weeks every summer but now he's old enough to stay home for parts of the day and he doesn't want to be so scheduled.