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What our students say
I’d say what has changed my life is the opportunity SSP gave me to meet some of the most interesting, friendly, and genuine people I could ever have dreamed of.
— Antonio Gonzalez-Barros, SSP ’08 and ’09
SSPeaking about
SSPeaking about
Activities and College Prep in the Secondary School Program
Activities
Harvard Summer School offers a rich schedule of free films and concerts, events, volunteer opportunities, and sports competitions, as well as short trips (for a modest fee) around New England.
Just for Secondary School Program (SSP) students
There are several activities specifically for high school students:
- The trivia bowl involves 3-member teams competing for several weeks until 1 team wins in an amusing and impressive final round.
- The talent show is the most popular summer event. SSP students perform for, and cheer on, their talented peers (and proctors) in musical, theatrical, and dance performances.
- Two dances draw more than 500 SSP students.
College preparation
College preparatory activities are an important aspect of the SSP. We sponsor many events designed to help you 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 online.
College fair
More than 50 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, George Washington University, MIT, Middlebury, Rice, Smith, Stanford, Swarthmore, Tufts, the Universities of Chicago and Pennsylvania, 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. They offer college counseling, by appointment, and organize several question-and-answer panels on college admissions.
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 the noncredit college preparation workshops on topics like writing a college application essay and preparing for test-taking in college.
A schedule of workshop times and locations will be available by Opening Weekend.
Harvard course in reading and study strategies
This intensive, noncredit course is offered by the Harvard Bureau of Study Counsel (BSC). It can help you develop reading, learning, time management, and study strategies to increase your efficiency and effectiveness. The course meets 1 hour a day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks. For more information and the tuition price, visit the BSC website.
