During high school finals, all students look forward to the long-awaited summer vacations when they can finally say goodbye to the classroom for at least two months.
But do you know what would be more exciting? Travelling to an international summer school.
This would not just improve your interpersonal skills but also give you an unforgettable experience which could then aid you in the long-run.
Claire McGillivray, Director of the Gordonstoun International Summer School, says "We aim to provide a safe, happy, exciting and invigorating environment for students to come together to learn, have fun and make friends."
This way, when students return home, they are equipped with various life skills that they can apply in their classrooms.
So if you are looking for activities that would make your summer enjoyable, sign up for an international summer school. To convince you further, we have listed down some benefits, so let’s take a look.
Exploring Career Options
Sometimes, you are not sure if you want to pursue a particular field as your profession, such as after multiple assignments writing tasks, you must think twice if you really like writing. Summer schools offer a wide variety of options and help you decide if you are really passionate about a subject.
For instance, if you are interested in law, you can enrol into the summer course. Since these programmes last for 8-10 weeks, you get plenty of time to weigh your options and make a definite plan before college.
Learn A New Language
If you take up summer school courses in cities like Paris or Amsterdam, you would be able to enhance your language skills. Mastering a new language always looks good on your profile as now more and more employers are looking for bilingual individuals. Even if you do not pick a language course, the native language would still make you learn something new.
College Applications
Universities generally look for applicants who have experience in the relevant field. Pick courses that align with your courses so you can make your college application strong.
Thousands of candidates apply for similar options and most of them fulfil the minimum requirements of grades and extracurricular activities. Summer schools ensure that your profile stands out.
With exposure to different cultures and a willingness to learn, the programme notifies the admission team that you are capable of undertaking challenges
Unique Resume
When you travel abroad and introduce yourself to new cultures, you learn how to listen to different points of view and manage your tasks accordingly. These skills can be listed in your resume and make the profile extremely impressive.
You can mention the challenges you faced due to cultural barriers and the amount of hard work it took to overcome those. With such an extensive extracurricular programme, your chances of getting a job in the future would definitely improve.
Self Confidence
Sometimes when you are stuck in the same routine, you begin to doubt your skills and as a result, your self-esteem lowers. Going abroad and taking initiatives to survive in an unfamiliar environment would strengthen the belief in your abilities.
You would also meet people with the same sense of self-doubt and by successfully tackling challenges together, you can restore confidence in your competence.
Strong Academics
Usually, when you go to school after summer vacation, your mind is blank and it takes time to adjust to the curriculum of a new grade. Through summer school, you will never lose touch with the academics. Instead, your knowledge in particular disciplines would increase and that might reflect in your grades.
Sometimes, schools do not offer particular subjects that you are interested in so enrol into summer programmes to pursue your passion. After returning, you can notify the administration about the benefits of the course and they might consider your suggestion.
Makes You Tolerant
When students from different backgrounds come together to study, it promotes a picture of complete social harmony and peace. Learning about the cultures of your peers would remove social barriers and discourage the prejudice caused by unfamiliarity.
The understanding of each other’s perspective improves and this promotes a healthy learning environment while instilling exceptional social skills within you.
Make Friends
Most students in international summer programmes enrol from different nationalities but the determination and curiosity to learn something new is the same. Through summer school, you can make some life-long friends, especially with people who plan to pursue the same subjects as you.
This would also make the application process enjoyable as you can figure out colleges together and enrolling into similar programmes might ease the process of moving away.
Focused Learning
Since summer schools last for short periods, the teachers are particular and precise about the curriculum they follow. This would give you an accurate idea of the subject matter and you can even discuss it with the instructors at summer school.
The programmes usually encourage intensive individual learning, so even the shyest students feel comfortable. You can ask questions about the courses and remain in touch with the teachers afterwards to guide you about your college courses as well.
Some of the popular summer schools are offered by Yale, Harvard and St. Andrews where experts conduct classes on multiple disciplines to promote the intensive pursuit of knowledge. So sign up today and get the experience of a lifetime.