College Preparation
This page contains content from the Summer School 2009. For current information, visit the Harvard Summer School website at www.summer.harvard.edu.
What can you expect from the college application process? Will your application stand out? How will you gain admission to the college of your choice? And once you get in, how will you handle the challenges presented to you? The process may seem overwhelming, but that feeling can be eased with a little preparation.
College preparatory activities are an important aspect of the SSP. We sponsor many events designed to help you make decisions about and prepare for your academic future. Events are scheduled on a recurring basis so you won't miss out because of class or exam conflicts.
A schedule of all SSP college prep activities will be available during Opening Weekend.
College fair
Colleges from around the country send representatives to meet students and provide information about their schools. Represented schools include Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Brandeis, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, MIT, Middlebury, Rice, Smith, Stanford, Swarthmore, Tufts, the Universities of Chicago and Pennsylvania, Washington University, Wellesley, Williams, and Yale, among others.
College visits
Organized trips to New England colleges—typically Amherst, Brown, Dartmouth, and Yale—provide an opportunity to tour campuses and speak with students and admissions personnel.
College advice
SSP proctors and assistant deans are eager to help you explore options for choosing the college that will be right for you. Receive guidance on the college selection and application process by taking advantage of these two opportunities:
- College counseling. Secondary School Program assistant deans are available for counseling on college admissions throughout the summer term, by appointment.
- Proctor panel on college admissions. Harvard College students discuss their experiences as high school seniors applying to college and answer questions.
Harvard College admissions
Although attending the Secondary School Program does not guarantee admission to Harvard College, you can take advantage of being on campus by visiting the Admissions Office and attending a talk given by a Harvard admissions officer. Additionally, qualified SSP students who live far from Cambridge are often granted application interviews.
College prep workshops
Many SSP students take advantage of these noncredit workshops, which provide background and instruction in strategically important topics:
- Writing the College Application Essay
- College Financial Aid
- Breaking Through “Writer’s Block”
- Speaking Up: Freeing Your Voice in Class
- Time Management Skills
- Preparing for and Taking Tests and Exams in College
- Reading Strategically: When Is It OK to Scan, Skim, or Skip?
- Reading Strategically: Remembering What You Read
- Taking Effective Notes
Harvard course in reading and study strategies
This intensive, noncredit course can help you develop reading, learning, and study strategies to increase your efficiency and effectiveness. You will also learn techniques for managing time, preparing for exams, and taking notes. The course meets one hour a day, Monday through Friday, for three weeks. For more information and the tuition price, visit the Bureau of Study Counsel website; call (617) 495-2581; or write to the Bureau of Study Counsel, 5 Linden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.