Experiencing College While Still in High School

Eating breakfast at the Bear’s Den. Walking across campus. Attending international politics or finite mathematics. Hanging out with friends in the dorm. Going to a St. Louis Cardinals game at Busch Stadium. This is a typical day for a 16-year old?

It is for high school students who are part of the High School Summer Scholars Program (HSSP). Each summer approximately 150 high school students come to Washington University to experience the independence of college life and get a head start on exploring their options for a college major. The Summer Scholars stay for a five-week term and study alongside college students in small classes and in a supportive environment.

Although the college credit is a remarkable achievement for students who haven’t even decided where to attend college, the real advantage the program offers is the taste of what college life can hold for them. They get to experience college not for a day, but as a typical student who lives in a dorm, enrolls in college courses, and makes friends from across the country. The time they spend in the classroom provides them with the invaluable experience of having to choose their own courses, organize their study time, and determine how to go about their research. The time they spend outside of the classroom provides just as important lessons because they are living in student dorms reserved just for them. Students learn how to go about those daily tasks of living, such as laundry, keeping your living area orderly and overall time management.

"What we are trying to do is give students an early taste of what college is going to be like for them," says Marsha Hussung, director of the High School Summer Scholars Program. "We want them to learn how to function in a college environment under slightly more sheltered circumstances than they'd get when they go off as freshmen. We are trying to lengthen the learning curve so that it's not all taking place when it really matters.”

“I had the opportunity to experience a college class, not for a day, but for an entire term,” says Ashley from Highland, Ill. “I gained experience and knowledge that can only come first-hand. Not many high school students can claim that.”

The exposure to the college way of life is a flawless blend of high levels of academic expectations, fun social interaction, and giving the students a chance to figure out what it will take for them to be successful.

“It is about so much more than simply obtaining college credit,” says Emily, from Highland Park, Ill. “It’s about making lifelong friendships and getting a taste of college life before you actually take that plunge. It’s about finding out what kind of experiences you want once you get to college.”

And that’s anything but typical.