Last spring, I dove into the world of academic summer camps for my high-schooler. If you’re fortunate enough to be blissfully unaware of the high school rat race for achievement and college applications, let me enlighten you: it’s a cutthroat environment out there.
When I say “cutthroat,” I mean the competition is fierce for who can juggle the most extracurriculars, AP classes, and volunteer work while somehow maintaining their sanity. And this is all before they even step foot on a college campus.
Just as your teenager finally collapses in exhaustion after the school year, it’s time to bolster their résumé with “academic summer camps.” Yes, this is a real phenomenon. Gone are the days when teenagers could simply kick back and relax over the summer; now they must engage in academic pursuits, overseas charity work, and some form of community service—oh, and don’t forget a part-time job.
But wait, it gets even more daunting. Even if your child can handle the rigorous demands of a summer program, your wallet might not survive. I discovered this reality while searching for summer options for my son and experienced a jolt of financial shock.
A four-day, non-residential STEM program at my local state university was priced at over $1,700. A two-week residential STEM program at another university? Over $3,500. Typically, I’m no stranger to high tuition costs, as my kids are in private school, but $1,700 for a four-day health science camp? Is there a keynote address by the Surgeon General?
As I continued my search across various subject areas, I found these exorbitant camp prices to be the norm. And let’s not even get started on the summer sports training camps, which seem to come with a side of “You might need to take out a second mortgage.” I’m sure your 8-year-old aspiring second baseman truly needs 80 hours of specialized training from a former major leaguer at the bargain price of $1,000 a week.
And we can’t forget about the drama and music camps. If your child is a budding star, expect to shell out around $500 a week for camps that produce their own summer productions.
Who on earth can afford these prices? They’re not just out of reach for lower-income families; even the average middle-class household may struggle to send their high-achieving kids to these summer experiences. Without the financial means to boost their college resumes, students and families face a disadvantage in the competitive college application process.
What happened to the days of dropping kids off at the local community center for arts and crafts or swimming for a mere $10 a day? Surely, there must be more affordable academic and extracurricular summer options that won’t bankrupt families.
And can we revisit the notion of state universities accepting students based solely on high school performance, rather than penalizing those who spend their summers working mundane jobs instead of attending expensive camps? I’d prefer a student who spent their summer learning the value of hard work over one who merely paid for a four-week stint in a biomedical lab.
Ironically, I’d bet that if you offered affluent families a chance for their kids to learn the value of hard work, they would gladly pay the local fast-food joint to hire their child.
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In summary, the pressure for teens to participate in academic summer camps is mounting, but the financial burden often makes it an unrealistic option for many families. Today’s landscape demands more than just a solid transcript; it requires a hefty bank account, which leaves many feeling overwhelmed. Let’s hope for a future where hard work and dedication are valued over pricey summer experiences.