Summer Programs for High School Students
Student Profiles
- Evan Fredericks, Connecticut - Physics Academy
- Dan Solomon, Long Island - Theatre Academy
- Allie Clendaniel, Delaware -Theatre Academy
- Madeline Hawes, Pennsylvania - Forensic Science Academy
- Nishi Pandey, New Jersey - Forensic Science Academy
- Jamie McCroskery, California - Biomedical Research Academy
- Elissa Wong, New York - Biomedical Research Academy
Physics Academy
During my junior year my mom and I were working on my college search and looking at different summer programs. My dad said that the Penn program looked really nice and would give me a chance to explore my interest in physics. We met with Bill Berner, the program director, who explained that Penn's Summer Physics Academy is a hands-on program, that the students work on real problems with real lab equipment. I liked the idea of that, because you never know how interested you might be in physics when you're just learning theory.
Our days are divided into lectures and labs. One of the best labs took place during a trip to Dorney Park. We brought along a portable computer-based lab with sensors and measured the acceleration of the rides. Our final lab was on the speed of light. We spent two days doing circuitry, building a laser, and using special diodes to measure the speed of a beam of light we sent.
The coolest thing about physics for me is learning the explanation behind something you can actually see—being able to understand it and explain it. There are so many areas of physics. Some of them are really abstract and theoretical and based only on math and not on evidence or visuals. This summer I got to learn more about myself and my interests. I learned that I enjoy building circuits and using my hands, getting dirty with the mechanics of physics. And I started thinking that it might be great to end up as a high school physics teacher who comes back to Penn to teach in the Summer Physics Academy.
Theatre Academy
I know I'll study theatre in college, and I'd love to stay in theatre as a career in real life. The more I do theatre the more I like it.
Part of me is afraid it'll be difficult. I sometimes picture myself as a starving actor in ten years, renting a tiny apartment with friends and going to auditions and eating whatever. But I learned this summer that it doesn't have to be that way. Our teachers are people who have been there. They've learned how to work theatre into their lives. And they talk to us about ways of working theatre into your life and still support yourself.
Penn's Summer Theatre Academy has absolutely exceeded my expectations—and I had high expectations in the first place. Socially it's been great having the freedom of the campus this summer. And all of our teachers are the essence of perfection. They're all Penn graduates, you know. They're not just actors and directors, they're intellectuals too.
Theatre Academy
I know that I definitely want to be in theatre. I suppose it sounds far-fetched, almost ridiculous, to say that I'm going to be an actress, but that's what I want and that's what I'm going to strive to be. That's why I wanted a summer theatre program. When I started looking for a program my dad said that I should take everything into consideration—not just the money, the cost, but the prestige of the school and its program. Of all the schools I looked at, Penn was definitely the best choice.
Penn's Theatre Academy is an amazing program. I didn't know what to expect at first. I was pretty scared. But everybody that I'm working with is so talented. It's great to be surrounded by kids who are just as talented as you are. And all of our instructors have been there. They've been struggling actors. They know what it's like and what you need to do. All of our instructors here are so inspiring. They make me think I can actually do it.
Forensic Science Academy
I've studied other sciences in school—chemistry, physics—but I wanted another perspective and forensics seemed really interesting. I know that as high school students we're supposed to think about really great this will look on a college application, but the truth is you have to enjoy it, too.
Penn's forensic science program is great. We had lots of opportunities for hands-on learning, everything from hair and fiber evidence to blood spatters. I don't know if I could handle being at an actual crime scene, but there's much more to forensic science than crime scene investigation. If you're a good photographer, there's medical photography. If you're an artist you can create sketches of a suspect from a victim's description. I realized this summer that I could really see myself as a forensic psychiatrist.
What you learn here is really interesting. It isn't just textbooks and lectures. You learn from people who actually do these things. I wouldn't have had an opportunity like this anywhere else.
Forensic Science Academy
This was my last summer before applying to college, and I hadn't done a college program before. My sister went to one the summer before her senior year in high school and described the independence of college life as the most wonderful experience she'd ever had. I looked at a lot of different programs but Penn's were the most appealing. I chose forensics because it sounded really interesting.
The forensics academy really opened my eyes. When you hear about a murder in the media they usually clean it up a lot. And if you live in a suburb you're usually not exposed to any of this. Our speakers were honest and straightforward with us.
There are so many aspects of forensics. Every day we had a guest lecturer who talked about a different subject—ballistics, forensic anthropology, entymology, forensic photography, DNA. We spent one full day doing maggots and learning how to use maggots to figure out how long someone has been dead. Someone from the medical examiner's office showed pictures of actual cases. They were a little graphic but they showed us what really goes on.
I really fell in love with Penn's campus while I was here, and with the facilities. The labs are really nice and all the equipment is state of the art. It's been a good learning experience.
Biomedical Research Academy
I chose the Biomedical Academy for the lab experience I'd get. I also wanted more information about biology and its relation to medicine, because my high school doesn't offer that.
The great thing about this program is that people have the same interests as you, and you know that you're with people who are really smart and really into science. The very first day when people introduced themselves they were talking about loving biology or wanting to be a specific kind of doctor. By the end of that session everyone was applauding.
I really like the environment here. There's a wide variety of people I wouldn't normally be friends with. It's a great acculturating experience.
Biomedical Research Academy
I was looking for a program that would give me lab. The Biomedical Academy has been great. It teaches you a lot of fundamental techniques that can be applied to many different types of experiments.
Many of the people in this program have had AP biology. Some didn't, of course, but overall everyone is interested in biology and able to do relatively fine. It's not like you're getting tested on the material, but you are getting the exposure. Some of the kids consider it a review, but it's a good refresher because you can't remember everything and you need to apply what you're learning here in the labs.
But the instructors are there in the lab to guide you, and they make you feel comfortable. It's possible to make mistakes, of course. That happens to everyone because of lack of experience, but the lab instructors have infinite patience. They're here to teach you.