On July 14, Montclair State University will begin their Pre-College Summer Program, available to high school students between the grades 10-12. This program takes place July 14 through July 20.
Montclair State’s Pre-College Summer Program is an opportunity for high school students to gain early access to the college experience, allowing them to live on campus while simultaneously choosing one program that aligns with their interests and potential college major.
In the 2024 program, there will be 12 different programs for students to choose from, ranging from computer science, pre-med, sports communications, acting, animation and more.
Dominique Houze, senior director for strategy and program development at Montclair State, shared the goal of the program.
“The goal is to dig a little deeper into a subject they already have some interest in and hopefully that helps them to decide: ‘Is this what I want to do when I go into college or is there another route I wanna take?’” Houze said.
New additions were added to the Pre-College Summer Program for this year’s session.
“Last summer, there were only five programs for students to choose from and this summer there are 12, so we have a lot of new ones,” Houze said. “The animation is new, the craft of acting, law and order: understanding America’s justice system, sports communication is new and the Model UN program is semi-new; it’s been offered in a different format previously.”
Montclair State added a variety of options for high school students to choose from, expanding the program. This opens the doorway for more opportunities for high school students with similar interests to join the program. More evening activities will be available to the students who join, further making the program engaging to students.
The program is one of the many ways high school students can get connections, allowing them to connect with professors and other students before even entering college.
Students in the program get early experience with learning in their potential area of interest, being in classrooms and learning from professors at Montclair State. At the end of the program, they present the work they do to their parents.
High school students have the opportunity to understand what college is like, preparing them before they officially enter.
Several students at Montclair State express their thoughts on the Pre-College Program.
Kyle Goldware, a senior journalism and digital media major shared what high school students can expect from the program.
“It gives high school students a chance to see what it’s like to have a certain major, especially on a more professional level than what they learned in high school,” Goldware said. “We have all of this great technology that is at our disposal, like cameras, video recorders [and] tripods. So when Montclair [State] hosts these workshops, it can be a little inspiring. It’s comforting to know that you have a place that is giving everything that you could ever ask for and as well as other opportunities you can succeed and thrive.”
Vedika Kumar, a freshman business major, believes the program is good for high school students.
“They’ll see what they want to do instead of doing something they don’t like in college and spending so much money on it,” Kumar said.
Victoria Smith, a junior film and television major, expressed positive thoughts about the program and its helpful intentions.
“I think the Pre-College Program is a great opportunity for prospective students to better plan out their future,” Smith said. “A lot about the future is unknown, so I feel a program like this could help guide and direct a lot of students who aren’t too sure what they want to do yet.”
High school students can apply online at Montclair State’s website. The application closes on June 10.
