Registration recently opened for current high school students to attend the Young Scholars Program (YSP), a program which many students decide to include in their transcripts to enhance their college applications, at universities around the world for summer 2016.
The opportunity to become a part of a YSP is available to rising freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. The University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) is one of the many hosting the YSP this summer.
The program lasts up to three weeks, allowing students to live on campus. The dates for the program this summer at UMCP are July 10 to July 29, 2016. Registration opened Feb. 16.
“YSP is just one of several summer enrichment offerings for high school students offered by UMCP. Taking an academically-oriented summer enrichment program shows colleges that students are taking the initiative to learn something new, willing to spend their free time in a classroom and seeking the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school,” MCPS substitute teacher and private tutor Beth Newman said, “These are huge positives in the eyes of the admissions officers.”
The YSP provides students with the opportunity to gain college credit in classes that may not be offered at the student’s high school, and also offers students a chance to meet and interact with other high school students from different areas.
Leilani Chavez, a senior at High Point HS in Beltsville, Md. who attended the YSP during the summer of 2015 said, “I attended the University of Maryland Young Scholars Program. I took a college course named Introduction to Journalism. There were a variety of other courses students could choose from.”
Along with college enrichment programs like the YSP, there are other things students may need to increase their success in college admissions, such as getting a good SAT score, doing extracurricular activities and involvement both within the school and in the community, which are integral parts of college applications.
“The Young Scholars Program is not only intended to gain college credits or spend summer in a productive way, but it may actually increase chances [of] getting into a university,” Newman said. “Each college or university has its own priorities when evaluating potential students. I think that UMCP actually has a list of 25 items the admissions staff will look for when evaluating a student’s record.”
According to the Northeastern University Center for STEM education, 77 percent of students surveyed said that the YSP was a major contributing factor in their choice to pursue STEM in college and beyond.
There have recently been studies suggesting that students who do take YSP into consideration tend to be better equipped for getting admitted into college.
“I believe that the YSP is a great program a�� and it should be something other students should look into because if it increases the chances of getting into your dream school; having a productive summer seems like an opportunity more people should consider taking,” senior Ana Chavez said.
The YSP provides local, national and international programs for a variety of career paths, and more information about participating schools can be found online.
With opportunities to impress college admissions officers on the rise, the YSP is one of the many enriching programs students can take advantage of this summer.