A growing number of top universities are scrutinizing how candidates spend their high school summers. As a result of this tendency, some parents have spent thousands of dollars on summer programs that may give an engaging experience but do nothing to set their child apart from the rest of the application pool. The majority of competitive institutions now offer at least one pre-college program that allows high school students to tour campus, meet with teachers, and even enrol on summer classes.
Most summer programs are mere “cash cows,” accepting any high school student who can pay the price. Participation in these summer programs will be seen as proof of riches rather than particular talent by your prospective institutions, even if the programs are provided on by Ivy League campus. As a result, they do nothing to boost your chances of acceptance.
There is, however, an increasing number of selective summer programs that pick high-achieving high school students solely on merit. Many of these programs are available for free or at a moderate cost, and they will look great on your college application. Here are the top 10 Best Summer Courses for High School Students.
1. Stanford University Online High School
Stanford OHS is a private independent school that offers a challenging college-prep curriculum under the aegis of one of the nation’s most competitive universities. Academically talented students in grades 7–12 are served by Stanford OHS. For entrance to the programme, students face stiff competition. Over 24 post-AP and university-level courses are offered at Stanford OHS, and more than 65 per cent of the teaching members possess PhD degrees in their specialities. According to the school’s profile, students have an average SAT score of 1500 and an ACT composite score of 33. Full-time enrolment (4–5 courses) costs $22,850 in Tuition. Click the link provided below for further information!
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2. George Washington University Online High School
The George Washington University Online High School is a private college-preparatory high school that runs fully online and is one of the first virtual high schools in the United States to be linked with a major research university.
Academically gifted students seeking a college prepared credential are served by GWUOHS. The school requires 24 credits for that diploma.
The best-in-class curriculum from the online leader, K12, is used at GWUOHS. K12 is known for its rigorous, research-based design, engaging interactivity, ease of use, and seamless combination of online teaching with hands-on materials and excellent books. The tuition is $12,000/year. Click the link provided below for further information!
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3. University of Missouri High School: Mizzou K-12
The University of Missouri High School: Mizzou K-12 is part of the College of Education at the University of Missouri. The school is the only programme sponsored by a regularly rated College of Education at a research-intensive flagship institution. The programme follows national and Missouri standards and includes NCAA-approved courses. Students can select between two diploma programmes: the Standard Path (24 credits) or the College-Prep Diploma Path (24 credits) (25 credits). AP, honours, special subjects, and NCAA-eligible classes are also available. Some of the most famous and usually selective universities have admitted graduates. Each class costs $500. Click the link provided below for further information!
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4. Penn Foster
Penn Foster is one of the most adaptable online high school courses accessible for home-schooled children, thanks to its mobile-responsive learning environment. Students can use a smartphone, tablet, or computer to access course materials, interact with peers and instructors, and track their progress through the self-paced programme. Students in online high school will also have the option of following career-specific programmes in various trades. The cost of a single-semester course is around $120. Click the link provided below for further information!
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5. Ogburn Online School
The Ogburn Online School, based in Fernandina Beach, Florida, provides a complete course catalogue for online home-school high school students seeking an all-in-one experience without sacrificing academic depth. Brandy Carvalho and Minnie Ogburn, the co-founders, used their combined 34 years of experience as educators to build the curriculum in-house. Students can return or place higher importance on areas of growth, according to The Ogburn Online School’s self-paced learning philosophy, while still having the option of graduating early. The cost of a single-semester course is around $150. Click the link provided below for further information!
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6. BYU Independent Study
Brigham Young University’s Independent Study was established long before the Internet (1921) with the goal of reducing resource imbalance among people who could not afford a good education. Today, the programme offers over 550 online high school courses to students in every state in the United States as well as over a hundred nations. Students can enrol at any time, and each course’s access window normally lasts a year. BYU provides an independent curriculum to match your requirements, whether you are a full-time homeschool student or a student wishing to augment their high school education with online courses. The cost of a single-semester course is around $156. Click the link provided below for further information!
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7. Myron B. Thompson Academy Public Charter School
The Myron B. Thompson Academy in Hawaii attracts science-minded students from the surrounding islands and beyond. This virtual high school, known for its fast online high school courses and vocational orientation, provides a mixed approach to a science-heavy curriculum. As they near the end of their junior year, students can pick between environmental, biomedical, or computer science institutes, each of which offers internships and fieldwork opportunities. This course is free. Click the link provided below for further information!
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8. Tennessee Online Public School
Since 2012, Tennessee Online Public School “TOPS” has been serving Tennessee students and has swiftly absorbed more contemporary conveniences that earlier programmes have been slower to implement, such as cloud-based Learning Management Services for simple student and instructor access. Students laud the online high school courses to emphasise community interaction, and they claim that student life is packed with regular gatherings. Before enrolling, prospective students can take sample courses to get a feel for the material and presented. For high school students in Tennessee, TOPS offers the opportunity to obtain a free online high school diploma. This course is free. Click the link provided below for further information!
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9. James Madison High School
James Madison University is one of the most financially flexible online high school course providers, offering monthly payment plans, credit recovery, and a generous credit transfer policy owing to regional accreditation. Single courses can be purchased without paying premium prices for students who require one or two courses. James Madison University’s online high school programme for athletes is one of the best, including numerous NCAA-eligible courses. The cost of a single-semester course is around $130. Click the link provided below for further information!
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10. Franklin Virtual High School
Franklin Virtual High School provides more than simply online high school classes; it also provides a full array of services geared toward college readiness, such as standardised exam and GED preparation, as well as a high-level independent study programme. Franklin Virtual is especially good at transferring coursework to traditional institutions. The virtual high school’s inexpensive per-course cost makes it a good choice for “a la carte” information seekers. With courses given by state-certified teachers, you may earn an authorised home-school online high school diploma. The cost of a single-semester course is around $270. Click the link provided below for further information!
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