As spring approached last year, I dove into the search for academic summer camps for my high schooler. If you’re not yet entrenched in the competitive world of high school achievement and college application enhancement, brace yourself: it’s a cutthroat environment.
By “cutthroat,” I mean the race to be the most overscheduled and stressed-out teenager juggling AP courses, honors classes, clubs, jobs, volunteer activities, and still emerging as a well-rounded, non-anxious young adult. And this all happens before they even step foot on a college campus.
Just when your teen finally collapses in June after enduring another grueling school year, it’s time to enhance their resume with “academic summer camps.” Yes, this is indeed a thing—a prominent one at that. Nowadays, simply attending school for ten months and then working a summer job is no longer sufficient. Today’s youth are expected to engage in extra academic studies, international service projects, and some form of community service mentoring over the summer. Oh, and don’t forget about a part-time job.
But it gets worse. Even if your child can handle the rigorous demands of a summer educational program, your wallet may not be ready for the blow. I quickly learned this while researching summer options for my son and was left in utter disbelief at the prices.
A four-day, nonresidential STEM program at my local state university cost over $1,700. Meanwhile, a two-week residential program in the same field at a different university was priced at a staggering $3,500. I’m used to paying hefty tuition for private school, but $1,700 for a four-day health science camp? Are we being lectured by the Surgeon General?
As I explored more camps across various subjects and institutions, I found that these price tags are standard for summer academic experiences. And let’s not forget about summer sports training camps, which seem designed for high-income families—“Our facilities rival the Olympic training center in Lake Placid! Bring your second mortgage!” Seriously, how does an 8-year-old aspiring baseball player need 80 hours of personal instruction from a former major league player at a cost of $1,000 per week?
And it doesn’t stop there. If your child is an aspiring actor or musician, drama camps that culminate in summer productions can run up to $500 a week. Who can afford this? These fees are not just out of reach for low-income families; the average middle-class household likely cannot manage to send their ambitious teens to these summer programs either. This financial strain can result in less competitive college applications, putting students at a disadvantage.
What happened to the days of dropping kids off at the local community center for fun activities like swimming, arts and crafts, and games for just $10 a day? Is it possible to find more affordable summer academic and extracurricular options for our talented youth that won’t lead to financial ruin?
Moreover, why do colleges prioritize applicants based on expensive summer experiences rather than simply accepting students based on their high school transcripts? The kind of student I’d prefer in my college classroom is the one who learned the value of hard work through a less glamorous summer job rather than a pricey stint in a biomedical lab. Ironically, I believe that affluent families would probably pay good money to have their children learn the importance of hard work—just think about it.
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In summary, the landscape of academic summer camps has transformed into an expensive endeavor that often leaves middle-class families in a tough spot. The pressure to create impressive college applications can overshadow the importance of authentic experiences and hard work. It’s time we advocate for more affordable and meaningful summer opportunities for all children.