Approximately 2,300 high school students will spend at least part of this summer on College Hill completing one of the University's mini-courses, a component of Brown's summer offerings that has undergone an enrollment "explosion" over the past five years, according to Elizabeth Hart, associate dean for summer and continuing studies.
The rapid growth of these courses - only 600 students participated in such programs as recently as 2001 - reflects the "mandate for growth" given by the University to the Office of Summer and Continuing Studies, according to John Caron, assistant dean for summer and continuing studies.
"We have been growing at a steady pace," Caron said, pointing out that Brown's summer offerings raise a lot of revenue for the University that can be put toward undergraduate and graduate programs.
"The revenue is very helpful for Brown, and that's one of the reasons that the University has given us a mandate to expand," Caron said.
Mini-courses, which range from one to four weeks in length, are "non-credit intensive workshops" that address a variety of subjects, according to Hart.
One of the most popular mini-courses is a three-week course titled "So You Want to Be a Doctor," in which students complete work pertaining to a career in medicine and also have an opportunity to shadow a doctor at a Providence-area hospital, according to Caron.
In addition to students enrolled in mini-courses, 100 high school students are enrolled in seven-week long credit-bearing courses this summer, joining 450 undergraduates taking such classes. Though these enrollment figures have not increased significantly, the office is constantly working to vary course offerings to increase student interest. For example, CH 33: "Equilibrium, Rate, and Structure" is being offered for the first time this summer.
Brown also offers an intensive English-learning program for non-native speakers during the summer and a two-week leadership program specifically for high school students.
Pre-college programs are designed to create a realistic college experience, administrators say. Both mini-courses and credit-bearing courses provide an opportunity for high school students to explore subjects not offered in most high schools.
Narciss Spaulding, a rising senior at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park, Calif., is currently taking PL 10: "Critical Reasoning" and HI 72: "A Checkered Past: The United States and the 'Third World'" in the seven-week credit-bearing program. Spaulding said while some aspects of the program are similar to what she expected college would be like, she did not anticipate certain restrictions. For example, high school students are given an 11:30 p.m. curfew on weeknights.
"The rules shouldn't be so strict if you're meant to be getting the college experience," she said. Still, Spaulding said she is enjoying the rigor of undergraduate courses. "I got my first B on a paper, and that's never happened to me before."
Though high school students make up the primary audience for Brown's summer programs, the University also has offerings for younger students. Seventh- and eighth-grade students can enroll in SPARK, a program that focuses on science and technology. For the first time this year, some students who completed SPARK last year returned to Brown to enroll in other summer programs, Caron said.
The growth of Brown's summer offerings for high school students has also led to an increase in staffing for various programs. For example, the Office of Summer and Continuing Studies experienced a record number of applicants for Residential Advisor positions, according to Arielle Baskin-Sommers '07, a coordinator for the Residential Advisor Selection Committee. Over 300 applicants vied for only 85 positions this year. Last year, the program only hired 65 RAs, who are responsible for coordinating activities and providing support while living on a floor with 10 to 18 high school students.
Along with its pre-college offerings, Brown is also expanding its summer programming for those pursuing continuing education, Caron said. For example, the Brown Writers' Symposium, which is in its second summer, is "geared toward adult learners interested in honing their craft of writing and re-connecting with their passion for writing," Caron said.
