Why Summer Schools? 參加暑期課程有甚麼幫助?

遊學團、夏令營、暑期課程等等各式各樣的暑期活動玲瑯滿目，參加國外的暑期活動有甚麼好處? 有哪些不同的種類?該怎麼選擇?

國外許多中學、大學都有開不同型態暑期學分班，除了寓教於樂充分利用暑假時間之外；亦可讓學生體驗國外這些頂尖學校的校園生活；修習不同的學科、接觸多元化的課外活動，了解自己未來志向及興趣；與來自各國年紀相仿的朋友們相處，增加國際觀；對於未來計畫赴美申請高中大學的學生們，更應該僅早開始安排暑期課程活動。有些大學開設的課程，修業結束後還可以抵免未來大學學分! 

一般來說，想要申請暑期課程，建議在3月之前完成申請手續。一些比較熱門的學校，會在前一年冬天開放隔年暑期課程報名，甚至2月就額滿了。

萊特豪斯針對學生的需要，推薦適合的暑期課程，歡迎與我們連絡!
It’s about time to apply to summer programs overseas.
Lots of secondary schools or universities/ colleges in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and other countries offer different types of summer programs for teenaged students or even younger ones. Here we listed different types of programs and advantages of participating in summer programs.
It’d be best to apply by March as most of the deadlines fall in March or April. Moreover, the competitive/ popular ones, like Andover, Phillips Exeter, Stanford or Harvard, might be full as early as February.
Need some more info? We are more than happy to help. ​

國境終於開放，今年打算如何安排漫長的暑假呢? (English version below)

暑期課程/夏令營的種類

• 行程安排: 由台灣領隊帶出發的遊學團，或是自行出發的暑期課程
• 主辦單位: 由中學、大學於校園自行開設管理，或是營利的私人機構、語言學校開設
• 課程內容: 專門提供國際學生的ESL英語加強課程 (一般遊學團多為此類)、或是針對不同學科開設的專門課程，像是STEM、文學、社會科學、藝術、運動等等。另外也有志工服務或是海外實習的個人成長類型營隊。

那麼，該怎麼選擇暑期課程呢? 首先，須考慮”參加的目的”。 
去國外參加暑期課程，主要目的不外乎了解國際文化、提升語言能力、個人發展的提升、學術精進、擴展人脈等等；更具體來說，一般常見參加暑期課程的目的如下:

• 提升學術英語的能力，為未來升學作準備。 
• 大學學科先修課程。  
• 準備SAT 或TOEFL 考試。
• 利用暑假順便參觀大學，提高未來申請大學的機會。 
• 個人的興趣，例如: 設計、運動、音樂、電腦動畫…等等。 
• 參加實習或社區服務: 近年越來越多中學生趁寒暑假安排企業實習，提早體驗社會、確定志向。或參與社區服務，例如: 清潔海灘， 拯救海龜活動， 透過這樣的參與，學生能開闊視野， 並且學習關心地球。 
• 參與科學研究計畫， 例如: 研究天氣的變化，能源的利用…等等。  
• 體驗國外文化、校園生活，學習獨立，邏輯的思考，拓展多元人脈。 

貼心提醒

• 越是熱門的學校，越早額滿，請盡量提早申請，有的比較競爭的學校，可能需要2月以前申請。
• 未來有計畫到國外留學的學生，應該盡早安排參加暑期課程，通常建議從6年級就可以開始安排。 
• 有些暑期課程的要求嚴格，錄取率極低，且名額有限，對於申請條件不足的學生，建議應該同時申請兩所學校。

Types of summer schools: 

• Academic summer schools: These programs focus on providing academic enrichment in various subjects such as science, math, literature, and language. They are designed to help students improve their academic skills and prepare them for future academic pursuits.
• Arts summer schools: These programs focus on providing training and development in various creative fields such as music, dance, theater, and visual arts. They are designed to help students develop their artistic talents and pursue their passion for the arts.
• Sports summer schools: These programs focus on providing training and development in various sports such as soccer, basketball, tennis, and swimming. They are designed to help students improve their athletic skills and pursue their passion for sports.
• Language immersion summer schools: These programs focus on providing language immersion experiences in various second languages, such as English, Spanish, French, and Chinese. They are designed to help students learn a new language through immersion and practice.
• STEM summer schools: These programs focus on providing training and development in various STEM fields such as robotics, coding, and engineering. They are designed to help students develop their STEM skills and pursue careers in these fields

What are the advantages of sending kids to summer schools?

• Cultural immersion: Summer schools overseas provide kids with the opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture, interact with locals, and experience new traditions and customs. This can broaden their understanding and appreciation of the world and help them develop empathy and respect for people from different backgrounds.
• Language learning: Summer schools overseas offer the chance for kids to practice and improve their language skills in a real-world setting. They can learn a new language through immersion and practice, which can be more effective than classroom learning.
• Personal growth: Being away from home and navigating new experiences can help kids develop independence, resilience, and problem-solving skills. They can learn to adapt to new situations and become more self-sufficient.
• Academic enrichment: Summer schools overseas often offer specialized courses and activities that can provide academic enrichment and help kids develop new skills and interests.
• Networking opportunities: Summer schools overseas can provide kids with opportunities to meet and network with peers from around the world, which can lead to valuable friendships and future collaborations.
• Overall, sending kids to summer schools overseas can be a valuable investment in their personal, academic, and cultural development.