Summer vacation doesn’t have to be boring for youngsters, and summer camp doesn’t have to consist of simple crafts, volleyball and boating. Academic Summer Camps are springing up all over and it’s like taking a Caribbean vacation! Students from grades 7-12 won’t realize that the life experiences they are having are preparing them for improving grades and getting higher SAT and ACT scores.
A number of summer camp programs are associated with universities – that balance learning with fun. The courses are designed to allow students to take trips to foreign countries, have underwater adventures, explore amazing ruins and go on a safari. The learning experience could also be working with charitable groups – like building homes for Habitat for Humanity, or helping to clean up a community after a recent flood or hurricane. All course are designed toward building confidence and leadership skills as well as learning experiences.
The premise for academic summer camps is that we learn from our experiences, and by living the experience we connect with the learning.
Viewing one online directory of academic camps showed 376 different camps, with 41 areas of study catering to such diverse interests as environmental studies, computers, interaction with animals and leadership.
What is wonderful about these camps is that many have worked in conjunction with universities to earn college credits for these activities.
Academic camps are totally hands-on. They don’t just sit in a classroom and read textbooks in order to improve grades, they interact with the subject matter while giving the students an experience they will never forget. “Ivy Bound’s academic camps allow students to enjoy their vacation while simultaneously helping to build a strong college application,†said Mark Greenstein, founder and lead instructor of Ivy Bound Test Prep. “We see tremendous improvement in SAT scores and academics during our intense vacation camps.â€
Developers for academic camps believe their programs inspire leadership development, skill building, personal growth and global awareness. Those connected with a university have the opportunity to meet with admissions counselors, attend lectures and explore the campus as well.
For students in the Yale University “Explo†program, who come from 40 countries, including the United States, developers say, “It is the perfect place for you to gain independence, explore new interests, and tackle ideas and subjects beyond the bounds of most typical school environments. While you are here, you’ll engage in innovative courses and activities as you learn about things that YOU want to learn about.â€
The courses are ungraded, and pressure-free, so students are free to explore things they are interested in. “This is the place to try marine biology for the first time, or to solve a crime using forensic science, or to learn to play ultimate frisbee, or to perform a Broadway routine in front of an audience,†say the brochures.
â€At Exploration, we see every moment in the day as a teaching moment, and our faculty is there to provide you with a solid foundation of support and encouragement.â€
If you want to give your teen an opportunity of a lifetime, while helping them to improve their grades in school and on the SAT and ACT tests, and college entrance, you won’t be wrong in enrolling them in an academic summer camp!
Sources:
Get an Edge Up in the College Admission Game During School Vacation With Ivy Bound Test Prep’s Academic Camps: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/2/prweb8103227.htm . Visit their website at http://www.ivybound.net or call 877-975-1600 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 877-975-1600 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Academictreks – http://www.academictreks.com/?gclid=CKHT0_-36qcCFcW5Kgod0Viobw
Academic Camps – http://www.campresource.com/summer-camps/academic-camps.cfm
Exploration Summer Camp – http://www.summercamps.com/Detailed/1241.html