Have you always wondered what The University of Vermont Summer Academy experience is really like? Students who participate in a pre-college program, such as Summer Academy, often finish the program feeling confident in the challenging level of academics they’ve completed and ready to succeed in a college environment.
Grace Miller, who’s finishing her junior year at Lake Region Union High School, completed one of UVM’s pre-college programs and is now accomplishing great things.
What is the pre-college experience like?
Grace, who describes her pre-college experience and Intro to Anatomy class as a “life-changing experience,” says that The University of Vermont didn’t just help pave her way to the future once, but “twice.” In eighth grade, Grace was invited to take part in an exploratory experience at the UVM Medical Center, formerly Fletcher Allen Health Care, where she discovered her passion for healthcare. Last summer, Grace was given the opportunity to hone her passion and potential in the healthcare field, while fully immersed in one of Summer Academy’s popular courses, Intro to Anatomy. Following the program, Grace’s skills were recognized multiple times by the Future Business Leaders of America, Vermont Chapter, which awarded her a healthcare-administration position and the position of Vermont historian. As of March 2015, Grace holds the title of State President, a role she was destined to fulfill from the beginning.
When summer finally rolls around, students are often concerned that they’ll lose the freedom of summer vacation to a summer program, but there’s more time for enjoyment than you may think. When asked if Grace was still able to incorporate leisure while fully immersed in a program, she said that her class took up a good chunk of the day, but she still found time to form new friendships and enjoy the city of Burlington.
Grace’s trips to the Church Street Marketplace and spending time on campus were particularly memorable because she spent that time with other students. And regardless of the distance from Vermont to New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, all the students still keep in touch. Finally, Grace defines the Summer Academy experience and living on her own for the first time as a “college crash course,” and a “wake-up call,” in a positive way. She fully recommends the program to others.
Some final words from Grace on Summer Academy
“I would personally like to thank Summer Academy for the opportunity it gave me last year to experience college life. Intro to Anatomy was a life-changing experience for me, and I am proud to say I won health-matcare administration partly due to the class.”
For more on Summer Academy and the Pre-College Program, check out our guide: 7 Benefits of Participating in a Pre-College Program.