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Why Are Colleges Offering Summer Camps to High Schoolers? Pt. 2
March 31, 2021

University offered summer camps are trending: 97.5% of top universities offer summer camps for high school students [1]. This is because undergraduate enrollment levels are dropping, and high schoolers have needs which summer camps can meet. Enrollment of traditional-aged students 18-24 fell by 5.3% this spring, and overall enrollment is down 4.5% [2]. High schoolers fell behind this last year due to the pandemic, and they are desperate to build knowledge, skills, and social bonds. It is a perfect time for universities to offer summer camps to high schoolers. Hosting virtual "Summer Camps" can help foster relationships with students, beneficial to both the university and the learner. These programs offer universities the opportunity to boost revenue and attract students to their school for undergrad. They also provide high schoolers with the opportunity to get a taste of what college will be like, prepare them for their future careers, and help them with their learning and social needs.  

Summer camps offer micro-courses that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This can provide excellent value to the school and the student. Colleges want to stimulate interest in STEM degrees, and students gain exposure to a field that has excellent job prospects and prepares them for high-paying positions. Students complete the camp with a formal certificate documenting his/her accomplishment, the inclusion of which can boost their college resumes and job prospects and provide a newfound passion for an in-demand education.  

To prepare children for the future of education and work, technological competence will be vital regardless of their career path. "According to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the need for stronger science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills applies to both STEM and non-STEM occupations" [3]. Summer camps with a STEM focus can help students prepare for their future while building relationships with other students and expanding their knowledge.  

The unique value prospect that online summer camps provide is the exposure to learning with technology. Learning with technology "accelerates and enriches basic skills. Students who have access to technology become more quickly engrossed in the material, and as such are able to absorb the information more quickly. Electronic material can be more stimulating and interactive" [4]. Online learning and technology also prepare students for the workforce since knowing how to use technology is vital in most positions. The U.S Department of Education says that many companies are dependent on technology to function, "leaving children who don't have such abilities working at lower paying jobs" [5]. Offering summer camps can help students get comfortable with technology and give them a brighter future. Taking a camp in the summer and learning STEM topics, including technology, will offer significant advantages to the Corona Generation students. 

The summer is when many students lose 1-3 months of learning from a phenomenon called the “summer slide.” When students aren't using their knowledge, they are losing it. Much of this loss is seen in reading and math. Hence, an engaging and rich educational experience in a STEM-focused summer camp can help students in the Corona Generation prevent further learning loss and keep kids prepared for the year ahead. This is so important because students need to recover from the learning loss that happened during the pandemic.   

Summer camps offer students a unique opportunity to prepare for their future without the pressure of grades. A fun and engaging summer camp can get students excited for college while preparing them properly and giving them a sense of how it will be. This will help with enrollment and retention rates because an expectation and understanding of what is expected in college will be conveyed, and students can enter college with confidence.  

How Can Your University Easily Launch an Online Summer Camp for High School Students? 

Offering online summer camps at your university to high school students is a great way to increase revenue and attract students to your undergraduate program while providing them with a valuable experience. A summer camp program does not have to be onerous to your professors to create. The simple way to do this is to partner with a company that specializes in creating world-class online learning platforms and custom content for schools. 

An online platform should include these key features: 

  • Unparalleled ease of use that requires no training to begin learning
  • Engaging features that foster community building and get learners interested in subject matter
  • AI integration and advanced data analytics to have the most up to date courses possible and provide valuable insights to teachers and students

Summer camps should be fun and engaging to be valuable to your university as well as the learners. It is crucial to choose a partner who can provide the best learning platform on the market. Amesite can help.  

Amesite Offers a Single, Easy to Use, Scalable Solution  

Launch an online summer camp program that drives revenue, enrollment and helps curb learning loss.  

Summer camps are gaining popularity among universities as schools see how they can offer a massive amount of additional revenue, increased enrollment, and educational value to their students. Summer camps help battle learning loss resulting from COVID-19, help avoid the 'summer slide,' and provide technical experience and STEM exposure, setting a student on a path for a better and higher-paying career. 

Hit the easy button and partner with Amesite to create your summer camp classes' content and platform. A custom platform can be ready in 24 hours with an entire custom curated summer camp curriculum completed in less than 30 days.  

Amesite's platform checks all the boxes for the online learning platform that your university needs to make your summer camp a success. Our custom platforms are branded to your institution and made to encourage student engagement, interaction, and learning. Our scalable online learning solutions are created with your target market in mind. We strive to make learning fun again, using Artificial Intelligence to customize the learning experience and keep content accurate and up to date. Our platforms let students complete the class curriculum at their own rate, within the course guidelines.    

Start building your university's summer camp today! Request a Demo!   

To stay apprised of recent announcements on Amesite's quickly expanding partnerships, informative articles, and company updates, subscribe below and follow Amesite on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.   

Resources: 

[1] Washington Post. Aug. 28, 2019. America's elite universities are making millions off summer programs for teens — but do they really help kids get into college? https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/08/28/americas-elite-universities-are-making-millions-off-summer-programs-teens-do-they-really-help-kids-get-into-college/ Accessed Feb. 3, 2021.  

[2] Inside Higher Ed. March 11, 2021. Spring Enrollment Keeps Slipping. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/03/11/colleges-continue-losing-undergraduate-enrollment-spring-even-graduate-enrollment Accessed March 29, 2021. 

[3] Deseret News. Nov. 9, 2015. The importance of early exposure to STEM fields. https://www.deseret.com/2015/11/9/20576273/the-importance-of-early-exposure-to-stem-fields#in-this-wednesday-june-19-2013-photo-yale-oseroff-17-works-on-computer-programming-while-at-an-id-tech-camp-at-the-emory-university-campus-in-atlanta-so-called-coding-camps-for-kids-are-becoming-more-popular-amid-a-growing-effort-to-expand-access-to-computer-programming-and-inspire-more-youths-to-seek-computer-science-degrees-and-later-careers-in-technology-ap-photo-jaime-henry-white Accessed March 29, 2021.  

[4] University of Rhode Island. 2011. Determining the Effects of Technology on Children. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1212&context=srhonorsprog Accessed March 29, 2021. 

[5] University of Rhode Island. 2011. Determining the Effects of Technology on Children. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1212&context=srhonorsprog Accessed March 29, 2021.