How to Choose the Right Summer Program for Your Daughter in High School

Despite the frigid temperatures, parents of high school students are already making plans for their high schoolers’ summers. Students who want to get a few steps ahead on their college applications might want to take advantage of long summer days to improve their resumes, round out their personal interests, or even earn some college credit.

At Montrose School, our College Guidance program helps students curate their summers according to their college goals. Our Director of College Guidance, Dr. Kendra Millay, has shepherded her students to help “build their brand” over the summer months.

Dr. Millay joined Montrose in 2021 after a 12-year career in higher education, where she held various advising and admissions-related roles at Northeastern University and Boston University. Dr. Millay holds a BA in Human Services, an MS in College Student Development & Counseling, and a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Administration – all from Northeastern University. She also holds a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA.

The College Guidance program at Montrose collects and manages a proprietary list of unique summer opportunities that have proven valuable for Montrose students in their applications. Our counselors help them select and apply for the best programs that align with their goals.

Gone are the days when you are supposed to be doing a little of everything.

“But colleges aren’t expecting applicants to be singular or one-dimensional, either," Dr. Millay shared. "They’re looking for a wide variety of diverse students – they want to build classes of individuals who are each passionate about something, whether that’s a particular major, research topic, community service cause, or sport.”

Dr. Millay advises her students to work on a singular passion that’s going to stand out on their college applications between their junior and senior year. It can start with something as simple as a self-paced online program or could be a one-week intensive. There are many options that can fit into any family’s budget. 

“Most high school students work some kind of an hourly job over the summer, so it helps if you’re doing something a little extra to stand out beyond an hourly job.”

Good choices could include experiences that relate to your intended college major or job shadowing that gets students outside the classroom. Many Montrose students take advantage of a program called Medical Career Seminar that gives them invaluable exposure to clinical settings.

“It really requires an individualized approach to determine what’s best for each student,” Millay said. “Then we teach them how to make those connections themselves, how to send requests for informational interviews, which are the gateway to shadowing opportunities.”

For those who would like to pursue more academic options, some precollege programs offer intellectually stimulating courses that offer certification. There are many programs that offer college credits, depending on how they determine what qualifies as a passing grade. Some colleges, such as the University of Chicago, are even connecting their summer programs with a new form of Early Decision applications called “ED0,” where summer participants can apply early and get a decision back as early as the August before their junior year. 

“Generally, a program where you can earn college credit is the top way to show you’re working hard, but there are numerous exceptions, and I care most about how the topic aligns with the students' interests,” Millay said. “Some of the most selective programs are free or low-cost, such as Hillsdale, Notre Dame, or MIT. But students shouldn’t choose the program just based on the school where it’s offered.

Don’t chase the name, chase the experience.

Here are just 12 examples of Montrose students who have designed unique opportunities for themselves over the past few summers:

• A three-credit Discover Engineering course at the University of Southern California, and a paid intern at a lab at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School — Kendra B.

• Interned at Tufts University in a lab under a mechanical engineering professor, and enrolled in the Summer Engineering Institute at UMass Amherst — Elisabeth K.

• Participated in mission trips to Peru and Tanzania — Grace C. 

• Completed a three-credit Engineering Fundamentals course at Bunker Hill Community College that exposed students to the various engineering fields — Kayla D.

• Completed a three-day per week internship at a local hospital, where she gained exposure to different roles in the hospital, including working at patient intake and shadowing CNAs — Amy D.

• Enrolled in niche political science courses at Harvard University, supported with a mayoral campaign, and interned with the court system — Carolina F.

• Rigorously training for upcoming equestrian competitions and prepared for the D1 Recruitment process — Katherine G.

• Learned about animation techniques and strengthened foundational skills in 2D and 3D art through MassArt’s four-week Summer Studio program; earned four college credits and also developed portfolio pieces to submit to colleges — Allie K.

• Wrote and acted in an original screenplay. Honed her acting skills through various precollege programs, including a program withe the NY Film Academy, a college course at the University of Southern California, and more — Abby L.

• Shadowed a surgeon who specializes in hand surgeries, participated in the Medical Career Seminar, and took Introduction to Health & Wellness at Arizona State University — Emma M.

• Competed in the Sprint-Distance Medley at the Nike Nationals in Eugene, Oregon, and was named All-American. Enrolled in an Anatomy course at Arizona State University and worked a part-time job at a community pool — Ava M.

• Founded the Vote Movement, a nonprofit to engage youth in increasing voter turnout, and conducted research, which is pending publication — Sanya N.