Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success [Paperback]

Sandra Berger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 2007

Record numbers of teens are applying to selective universities and the competition to gain entrance to college is tougher than ever before. The Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success helps teenagers find the most exciting and fulfilling summer programs across the United States. College-planning expert Sandra L. Berger provides students and parents with advice on using summer opportunities to help gain entrance into selective universities, and guidance on researching, choosing, applying for, and making the most out of summer programs. Students will be able to peruse the directory of 200 of the best summer opportunities in the areas of academic enrichment, fine arts, internships and paid positions, leadership and service, math and science, computer science and technology, and study abroad or international travel, to find the program that fits them best.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Do your child's summer plans include studying side-by-side with a microbiologist or traveling around the world learning to speak different languages? What about hands-on experience with spacecraft design or studying coral reefs in the Caribbean? These are just some of the many programs found in The Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success. This guide offers advice to students and parents on how to get the most out of these opportunities, as well as how to use these experiences to help gain entrance into selective universities. No matter what interests your child, an exciting experience is awaiting him on her in this easy-to-use directory. --Gifted Child Today, Vol. 31, No. 1, Winter 2008

About the Author

Formerly the "guru" of the Ask ERIC answer desk and the USA Today hotline, Sandra L. Berger is a frequent presenter on the topic of college planning for gifted students and the author of the best-selling College Planning for Gifted Students. She is also a yearly presenter at The College of William and Mary's career day. Sandra has a master's degree in gifted education curriculum and instruction with training in counseling. Her interests expand beyond college and career planning; she is currently a columnist and member of the editorial board for the publication Understanding Our Gifted.

Product Details

• Paperback: 275 pages
• Publisher: Prufrock Press; 1 edition (September 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593632355
• ISBN-13: 978-1593632359
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #291,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > Reference

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great resource!, December 13, 2007

By 

Lorel Shea (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success (Paperback)

It's not too early to start thinking about summer programs for your gifted teenager. Opportunities abound for kids in their teen years. You could spend quite a few days searching the internet for a program to match your child's interests, and preferred location, or you could save yourself a lot of time and trouble by picking up a copy of Sandra L. Berger's handy reference guide, " The Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens". This book is over 300 pages long, and contains specific data on programs, eligibility, websites, and contact information. Not included in this guide is any reference to tuition or fees. Taking a closer look at some of the summer sessions noted, I found that some of these programs are quite costly, while others are designed especially for low income students.

This guide opens with an introduction that explains to students how they might benefit from taking a summer session. Chapter two focuses on college planning and test preparation. Chapter three outlines the different types of programs available, such as service learning, internships, and academic. The majority of the book is devoted to information on current offerings, with a single page entry for each opportunity selected. Details include program name, contact information, address, web site, program type, targeted grade level, and a brief description. These pages are organized alphabetically by state.

The back of the book has an index of opportunities by program type. This handy cross reference allows the student to look up programs for:

academic enrichment
fine, performing, and visual arts
gap year/study abroad
internships/paid positions
leadership/service/volunteer
math,sciences, engineering, and computer science/technology

Some of these entries seem to be categorized a bit haphazardly. Under academic enrichment, for instance, you can find "adventures in veterinary medicine" in Massachusetts. I would have expected this program to be included in the science category. A teen interested in journalism might easily miss seeing an entry in her chosen field, as the Carolina Journalism Institute is listed as academic enrichment, while Ball State University High School Summer Journalism Workshops sits under the heading of fine, performing, and visual arts. If program takes precedence over location, my advice is to read through the entire book to ensure that an extracurricular gem isn't overlooked.

This guide is a terrific resource for young people looking to do something different and meaningful over the summer. Many programs have limited enrollments and early deadlines, so it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. Some of the more competitive programs require a fairly lengthy application with references. Guide to Summer Opportunities is a new release for 2008. Whether your child is interested in math, drama, engineering, or travel abroad, there are myriad possibilities here to explore.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For older teens primarily, May 16, 2010

By 

cwilliams (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success (Paperback)

I just received this book and was looking for some opportunities for my younger teen (about to be 13 but very mature for her age) for summer of 2011. This book primarily focuses on programs for kids in 10th to 12th grade. It would have been helpful to have an index by age so I didn't have to read the whole thing in order to find the ones that would accept her. Otherwise a good reference- although that's all it is. You have to go to the appropriate website to get details about the programs.

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for me, May 10, 2010

By 

Geo (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You for College Success (Paperback)

I was a little disappointed by this book (I say "little" because it wasn't really expensive on Amazon.com). I felt like I had already read a lot of this information online with a little searching. The organization of this book deserves praise though. It is organized by state, so if you want your kids to stay local, you can start by searching for programs in your state. Each page describes a different camp/organization with the basics, like contact info, Web site address, appropriate age group, and a description. If you're interested in sending your youth to camp at a prospective college/university, there are many listed in this book.