Camp Focus:

Description:

Constructing Your College Experience is designed to empower college-bound students to explore their college options and successfully navigate the college application process. Participants will learn to evaluate colleges to find the best fit for their needs, to understand the various parts of the application process, and to discover the challenges and opportunities that university life may offer. Students live, eat, and attend class on the Duke campus.

Criteria

This program is open to students in grades 10 and 11 during the 2008-2009 academic year who are interested in attending college. Participants must be self-motivated, self-disciplined and possess high levels of maturity, cooperation, and time-management skills. Prior to the start of the program, participants will complete a self-awareness tool, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Format

The schedule will vary from day to day. Students will begin by getting to know each other, the campus and the surrounding environment. Students will receive the results of the MBTI and learn how to interpret their results in order to more clearly articulate their values in the context of looking for a university that meets their needs.

Sessions on Finding the College That's Right for You and Navigating the College Application Process will be complemented by programs on SAT Tips, Writing the College Application Essay, The College Visit and Interview, and Using the World Wide Web in Your College Search. Students will also tour Duke Campus.

The most distinctive aspect of the program is the individual attention each student will receive from his or her admissions counselor. The admissions counselors bring extensive experience as high school college counselors and university admissions officers. Each student will be assigned to a small counseling group and will meet with their counselor for guidance and feedback. At the end of the program each counselor will send students and parents a letter home summarizing the week's activities and suggesting a list of colleges that the student should seriously consider and investigate.

Living in a campus residence hall with supervision will simulate college living. Though the schedule is busy, there will be some time for co-curricular social and recreational activities that will be led by the residential staff.

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