SUMMER

Looking for activities / programs / opportunities to explore during your break?

Check the below resources - but remember, there is no one 'right' way to spend your summer breaks, and you should focus on what you are most interested in. What will you learn from, or grow / develop from the most?  It is not what (or how many) activities you do -- it is how meaningful or impactful these activities are.

NOTE for Grade 11 students: your summer may be busy with academic tasks (IBDP students will for example have their Extended Essay, Internal Assessments, etc.) or you may be preparing to take an SAT or ACT test, IELTS / TOEFL / DuoLingo test, or even an admissions test for your university applications. Make your summer plan work for you! Chat with your A&C Counselor about how to balance your various tasks and activities.

FAQ: does attending a summer program help me get into university?

Hear it directly from Duke University, USA (update from newsletter, May 2026):

Myth #1: Attending a prestigious or university-based summer program gives students an admissions edge.

The Reality: While university-hosted programs (including Duke pre-college camps) offer fantastic academic enrichment and a taste of campus life, attending one does not grant an advantage in our selection process. We review applications contextually and understand that high-cost programs are not accessible to all families. We look at what a student has gained from the experience.

Myth #2: Students need a formal research or lab internship to stand out in a STEM-related field.

The Reality: Securing a spot in a university research lab as a high school student can be a reflection of a student’s network rather than their merit. If a student lands one, that is great; but if they don’t, it will not hurt them in our process. We value self-directed curiosity. A student who spends their summer independently learning a coding language, or researching a local environmental issue, can show just as much intellectual spark as a formal research or lab internship.

Myth #3: International “voluntourism” trips look impressive on a resume.

The Reality: High-cost, short-term international service trips can come across as performative rather than deeply impactful. We are often more impressed with sustained, localized impact. How is the student improving their community? Again, we are more focused on what a student has gained and how they plan to use that to impact the community around them.

The bottom line? There is no single “correct” way to spend time in the summer. No matter what students choose to do, we want to see engagement, growth, and authenticity.