10 ways a summer school gives you a taste of university life
Leaving home to go to university is an exciting milestone in your life, but it can also feel daunting – and you probably have lots of questions. What will it be like to study a subject you love in greater depth? How will it be different from school? And will it be easy to make friends? A summer school is a fun and rewarding way to find out the answers to all these questions and more. It’s a short academic course that you take during your school holidays, and here are eight ways it will give you a taste of the undergraduate life that lies in your future.
1. Studying your subject at a higher academic level
Degree-level study is a big leap up from school lessons. While school focused on breadth, university focuses on depth, and there’s a lot more to an undergraduate course than simply memorising facts. You’ll be expected to get to grips with advanced concepts and think about your subject in ways you haven’t done before. That’s where a good academic summer school can give you a head start, introducing you to areas of your subject you haven’t previously thought about and encouraging you to consider its real-world applications.
2. Developing your academic skills
At university, you’ll develop crucial academic skills such as critical thinking and reasoning. Working in small groups and taking part in debates on a summer programme, you’ll start to get a feel for the kind of analysis and interactions that will be expected of you when you get to degree level. You’ll begin learning how to articulate your thoughts clearly and persuasively, and how to debate respectfully – essential skills for undergraduate study. You’ll also become more confident at working collaboratively with your peers, something that will prepare you not just for university life, but for your future career.
3. Experiencing academic independence
Most undergraduate degree courses will expect you to put in a lot of independent study time – much more than you’re used to at school. This encourages you to take responsibility for your own learning, and you’ll manage your own schedule to make sure you meet essay deadlines. A summer school will introduce this idea gradually, perhaps giving you a project or research task to work on alongside completing independent reading and preparing for debates or presentations.
4. Learning from expert tutors
When you get to university, you’ll have the chance to study with tutors who are experts in their field – people who might even have written the textbooks. This experience is mirrored during a summer school, where tutors are often highly qualified academics, postgraduate researchers or professionals with real-world experience. Because you’ll study in smaller groups just like at university, you’ll have more one-on-one time with these inspiring educators, giving you the chance to ask questions and debate with them just as you would as an undergraduate.
5. Living away from home
One of the biggest changes university brings is that you live away from home, and a summer school will give you a gentle introduction to the independence and empowerment this brings. You’ll most likely live in real student accommodation, often in a historic college setting, and eat your meals with your fellow students in an actual university dining hall. This will give you a glimpse into the rhythm of undergraduate life, and what it’s like navigating a university campus and sharing communal spaces – building your confidence ready for the real thing.
6. Exploring world-class university cities
There’s more to academic life than lectures. Getting to know a new city is a fun part of life as an undergraduate, and you’ll do the same on a summer school. Picking a programme in a prestigious university city such as Oxford and Cambridge gives you the chance to immerse yourself in scholarly history and explore beautiful buildings where learning has taken place for centuries. On top of that, you’ll visit interesting museums and other cultural attractions that you’d have on your doorstep as a university student.
7. Building a global network of friends
When you get to university, you’ll make friends for life from around the world – and it’s the same on a summer school. Summer programmes attract academically-minded young people from dozens of countries, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in an international environment and boost your confidence with making new friends. This diversity is similar to what you’ll encounter at university, and for many it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the summer school experience.
8. Gaining insight into university courses and applications
Summer schools are a great opportunity to ask lots of questions about what to expect on different degree programmes, giving you valuable insights into your future university life. It also helps you prepare a strong application, as you can quiz your tutors about academic pathways, ask for advice on reading lists and other types of subject-specific enrichment, and get a sense of what universities are looking for in your personal statement. You’ll leave feeling better prepared for applying for competitive courses, as well as with a clearer idea of what you can expect from university life.
Summer school: the undergraduate prequel
In short, you can think of a summer school as being a bit like a prequel to university life, providing a bridge between the academic standards expected at school and those expected in higher education. Like university, it’s a chance to grow academically, socially and personally, helping you engage with your subject at a higher level and building your confidence for taking the big step up to the undergraduate chapter of your education. It’s also a chance to experience the independence of life away from home in a safe environment, helping you prepare mentally for what’s coming.
Whether you’re exploring a subject you love, submitting a university application or simply curious about what the future holds, a summer school is the perfect next step on your academic journey. Have a browse of our courses and see what you could be studying this summer.