High Schoolers, 

From the University Counselors’ perspective, an extended break from school is the time to get ahead in university and career decision-making while winding down and spending time with family—suggestions for what students can do from BridgeU. 

Here’s a list of 2023 Summer Enrichment programs for students looking for academic enrichment over the summer provided by or associated with universities that offer short-term online or on-campus programs giving students a taste of what life would be like at university. Some offer a mixture of academic and social content and courses taught by tenured professors. These programs provide a fantastic way to discover university life and look at future careers during an enriching summer experience.

Students can check out the 2023 Summer Enrichment Programs maintained by College Counselors.  You can find this document in the FAQ document from Ms. Ellen. 

If students and families are looking for more options in different locations, please contact Ms. Ellen Johnston, College Counselor.  

Attending a university is just one way to add extracurricular opportunities to the high school resume. Check out other ways students may further grow academically: 

🧑‍🎓 Learn new skills and gain industry knowledge 

Work experience offers a fantastic way to gain industry knowledge and develop transferable skills, with the choice of in-person or online experiences in the community Students can start by creating a list of skills they want to build, such as coding, communication, and commercial awareness and share with them the option of learning these skills via online platforms. Free resources for online learning are Coursera, edX, Class Central, and FutureLearn. 

✍️ Join taster courses at UK universities.

Experience academic life and get an insight into studying a particular subject or area at university. These courses are offered either on campus or online.

• For taster courses at UK universities:
  Visit the UCAS website at Learn a Uni through a taster course website. 
• Visit the UniTasterDays website

📖 Read lots!

A great way to pass the time and develop knowledge and creativity! The ISD Librarian encourages students to read and record books, and Goodreads allows readers to create a summer book log and suggests titles friends may be reading.  Figuring out what to read? Here are some great recommended books for university-bound students 

• The Time Magazine lists the 100 Best young adult books of all time. 
• Bill Gates has a blog where he writes book reviews; he recommends The Magic of Reality, A Separate Peace and The Catcher in the Rye for young adults 
• The Big Read is another excellent list of most loved books;  
• And, of course, Audible is a great way to digest a lot of books if you  prefer audiobooks

📝 Build a CV & log experiences

As many universities require students to submit a CV when applying, the summer is a great time to reflect and write up experiences to help applicants stand out as strong university candidates. BridgeU has a readily available CV template, so check out the Resume/CV section of the College Counseling Google Site for guidance and the template. Students can also log activities and experiences in the BridgeU Strategy Advisor, which helps them understand how to use these experiences to write application essays depending on the country they are applying to. 

🗣️ Learn and Practice Another Language

Gaining or expanding linguistic skills can keep you academically challenged during downtime but can be helpful to add to the resume/CV for the future! And if you can’t attend classes, there are many resources to learn online and many online platforms to support learning a language.

Finally, Check out what rising classes of students can work on over the summer, from cleaning up their social media to studying tips and jargon to learn before going to university from Ethan Sawyer, better known as The College Essay Guy.

Class of 2026

• Learning How to Learn + The Science of Well-Being are free Coursera courses to help students understand how the brain works and what students can do to optimize productivity and happiness.
• Explore universities with 800+ lists: Curious about what universities have to offer? Use this fun online, searchable CollegeXpress database, covering everything from academic environments to school spirit.
• Social media cleanup: This is an excellent time to clean up high school social media profiles. If you have any questionable photos or language, delete them before applying. 

Class of 2025

• How to Create a List (with tracking spreadsheet): Prepare to finalize a university list. Once you do, create a second spreadsheet with application deadlines, scholarships, the number of required recommendations, testing policies, etc.
• Tips for Planning a Visit: Plan to visit a couple of schools based on university research in person or check out the virtual campus visit links available on the university website. 
• Get organized and start the application process: Research school admission requirements and deadlines and create a spreadsheet to organize information.  
• Students can benefit from drafting a resume/CV for universities or recommendation writers to consider.  Check out How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List/How to Write a Resume: Learn more about these pieces of the application process.
• US applications: Complete the Common App Additional Information Section: Find out why this optional section can be one of the most critical aspects of the application. And think about whether you want to answer the optional COVID-related question.
• Create a spreadsheet of all usernames and passwords: Keep important login information here for applications, applicant portals, and scholarships.
• SAT Study Group: Consider starting a study group to prepare for upcoming exams. Even if you’re applying to test-optional schools, you might want a test score for scholarship eligibility.

Class of 2024

• Study tips from MIT: You’ll soon be sitting in university classes, so take the time to read up on some suggestions on time management, testing, and study skills.
• Get familiar with university lingo: University brings a ton of new vocabulary, so keep this glossary handy while you navigate registration, housing, and student services.

Enjoy weeks of summer holidays wherever you are, and I look forward to working with you when we return to campus in August. 

Ellen Johnston
College Counselor
ellen.johnsotn@isdbd.org