FAQ

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where will residential students be living?

Yale is organized into 12 separate residential colleges, each with an internal courtyard and multiple entryways. The entryway defines local “neighborhoods” within each college, offering students a sense of security and community. Summer Springboard groups are assigned to a dorm where students are organized into gender-segregated floor assignments. In prior years, Summer Springboard at Yale has stayed in Benjamin Franklin College & Timothy Dwight College.

Do the dorms have internet?

Yes. There is free high speed wireless internet throughout campus.

Where will students be eating?

Dining halls are located within walking distance from dorms, and may or may not be the dining hall within the residential college we are living in. Yale has made a commitment to sustainability, and therefore serves sustainably grown food, purchases from local producers whenever possible, and regularly changes menus to reflect seasonal and local availability. We can accommodate special diets such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, or specific food allergies. From June 15-June 22nd students will be eating at Morse College. Beginning breakfast June 23rd we will be eating at Benjamin Franklin College.

Can students do laundry in the dorms?

Yes, laundry is on the basement floor of the dorm building. All of the laundry rooms accept quarters, both debit & credit cards, or you can download an app and add money. Each load costs approximately $1.25 for the wash and $1.25 for the dryer. There is also an app where you can load money and track how long until your load is ready. CSCPay Mobile is the name of the app.

Do residential students need to bring their own bedding?

No, you will be provided with a linen pack and towels when you arrive and check in. The linen pack contains a twin fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillow case, blanket, 2 towels and a face towel. All rooms come with a pillow.

Will I have roommates?

Students will likely be in a room with another student roommate. They will be paired with other students of their age and share a common living space with other rooms. If students are planning on attending the program with a friend, both students should fill out the roommate request form located in the parent dashboard.

How many other students will be living in my dorm room?

The dorms are “suite style” with single and double rooms within a suite that share a common space. Some suites will have up to six students in three separate rooms that all connect to the common area. Some students will be placed in single private rooms but will still share the common area with their roommates. A common bathroom will also be shared by the suite and will be gender specific.

Who will students be sharing a room with?

Students are assigned 1 roommate based on gender and grade level. If students would like to request a specific roommate, please fill out the Roommate Request Form. Please note that in order for the form to be accepted, both parties must sign the form.

Do rooms have air-conditioning?

Due to the historic nature of the campus, residential colleges at Yale are not air-conditioned. They do however have "air-chill". Summer Springboard provides fans to all students for their dorm room.

What kind of excursions will we go on?

Students will have the chance to experience both interesting tourist and academic-related locations. Each academic course has its own excursions, and the weekend excursions are included for Residential students.

Friday: It Ropes Course

Saturday: Boston

Sunday: Six Flags New England

Do students need to bring extra money?

We do encourage students to bring a small amount of additional spending money for buying souvenirs, snacks, and laundry.

Who are the staff members?

Each one of our programs is run by an experienced Campus Director, Assistant Campus Director along with Mentors and Teaching Assistants. All our Campus Directors are adult professionals with extensive experience working with teens, and they all hold a B.A. or M.A. degree. Campus Directors are selected for their expertise in the field of personal development and undergo background checks and rigorous training before the summer. The Campus Director oversees the team of Resident Advisors and also facilitates the delivery of the Springboard Leadership Framework.

Our Mentors and TA's are the heart and soul of our program; they bring energy and inspiration to every student experience. They are selected for their experience working with youth, understanding of leadership theory, and dynamic personalities. All RAs undergo background checks and training on the unique needs of teenagers.

What kind of supervision is provided?

In general, students are directly supervised by Summer Springboard Program staff while they are in a class, lectures, field trips, or excursions by qualified Summer Springboard Campus Directors, Assistant Directors, Mentors, and TA's. Outside of these times, students independently manage themselves and enjoy the freedom to go anywhere within the pre-defined boundaries around the campus of the university. During such times it is especially important that the student respect the Summer Springboard Code of Conduct, safety rules and guidelines and exercise caution and good judgment in order to provide for his or her safety and well-being. During some excursions, students and staff may travel via public transportation. In these cases, Summer Springboard has no control over the operation of the local public transit system.

Are the dorms safe?

Yes. All Yale residential colleges have 24-hour security and use electronic key cards to enter gates and entryways. Yale Police and Security is available 24 hours a day and actively monitor the campus.

Will I have access to recreational and exercise facilities?

Yes. For an additional fee of $27 per week, students will be able to access the Payne Whitney Gym on campus during free time. Gym memberships must be set up in-person by the student once they arrive on campus.

Will I have access to health services?

Yes. Summer Springboard is partnered with Yale New Haven Hospital for any medical or health related issues while on program. Students will be able to access the hospital and its nearby clinics. There will also be a doctor on call 24/7 for any additional health related emergencies.

Can I receive mail or a package while on program?

We cannot accept mail at the residential colleges and do not recommend sending anything during the program. If you need to send something (forgotten medications, etc.) you will need to contact the SSB staff at Yale and arrange a shipment to a local FedEx addressed to a SSB staff member. If you need to get something to your student, consider ordering online from stores within the prescribed campus boundaries above that offer a “pickup in-store” option. You can also send to Amazon Hub Locker locations within the boundaries (QASIM Locker)

Are students allowed to check-out early?

Residential Students: Residential students are not allowed to check-out unless given authorization ahead of time via the Early Check-Out Form which will be available at a later date. The authorized individual on the form will also need to be present with proof of Identification when the student is checking out.

Commuter Students: Commuter Students are allowed to check-out early after class time however we strongly recommend that students stay for the duration of the day. Staff will not let commuter students check-out on their own unless they have been given authorization to do so via the parent/student dashboard.

Is parking an option if my student plans to drive to campus?

Due to the limited availability and long days, we discourage students from driving and parking on campus. When possible, we encourage taking public transportation or carpooling with other students. However, if students choose to, it is their responsibility to find suitable parking for the duration of the daily activities (9am-6pm). There is street parking available on Yale's campus for a cost. Students will not have access to their cars while participating in the daily programming.