Northwestern University

College Preparation Program
Evanston, Illinois


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For More Information, Contact
The College Preparation Program
Northwestern University
405 Church Street
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4558
847-467-6703
Fax: 847-491-3660
http://www.northwestern.edu/collegeprep/

Type of Program: College preparation
Participants: Coeducational; residential and commuter high school students between their junior and senior years; students between their sophomore and junior years are considered on a case-by-case basis
Enrollment: Approximately 90
Program Dates: June 15 to July 26 (six-week courses), June 15 to August 9 (eight-week and intensive course sequences)
Head of Program: Stephanie Teterycz, Director of Summer Session and Special Programs

Location

Northwestern University is located along the shores of Lake Michigan, 12 miles north of Chicago. The 240-acre Evanston campus offers a private beach, lakefront jogging paths, sailing facilities, and playing fields. The quiet atmosphere of the surrounding neighborhood is truly conducive to study, while the proximity to the city of Chicago offers students access to cultural events, museums, and world-famous architecture.

Background and Philosophy

The College Preparation Program (CPP) offers high school students entering their senior year a truly unique college experience. The CPP combines the rigor of Northwestern courses and a challenging college-level writing tutorial with many exciting opportunities for summertime fun. Combined, these elements provide students with the knowledge and experience they need for a successful college career. The program is founded on the premise that college life is not simply an academic experience but a social and cultural one as well. CPP participants are encouraged to take full advantage of Northwestern University’s diverse community of students by building mature social relationships as they explore new intellectual avenues. Although newly found freedom can be liberating, it can also be distracting—even frightening. This is why the College Preparation Program employs college-age resident advisers (RAs) who help students learn to manage their time, focus their energy, and balance their academic and social commitments.

Program Offerings

College Preparation Program students may enroll in almost any of the freshman- and sophomore-level courses that Northwestern offers during the summer. Virtually every academic discipline is represented, from anthropology and French to physics and biology. Students may register for up to three courses, with many CPP participants choosing to take one of the popular three-course foreign language or science sequences. Summer Session staff members are always available for consultation during course selection.
    In addition to those courses, an essential part of the College Prep experience is the College Writing Tutorial. This is a noncredit course taught by a Northwestern writing instructor and consists of weekly lectures, group activities, and instructor-led discussions about advanced writing techniques. Careful reading, textual analysis, and skills building are emphasized in an atmosphere of open interaction as students are introduced to strategies for building a focused argument, supporting a thesis, and constructing an annotated bibliography. The tutorial and related, individual sessions that are staffed by teaching assistants meet each week during the first six weeks of the program.
    College is, however, far more than a purely academic enterprise. It is with this fact in mind that the College Preparation Program offers access to numerous social and cultural activities in Evanston and Chicago. Every summer, students visit some of Chicago’s most famous cultural attractions, including the Art Institute and the Museum of Science and Industry. The program also organizes outings to ball games at Wrigley Field and numerous festivals throughout the city. Students may participate in any activities that interest them, with the understanding that their academic success is the first priority.
    Life on Northwestern’s Evanston campus is rich and diverse. Plays, concerts, sporting events, and picnics are planned throughout the summer. The College Prep residence hall is a true home away from home, where students share ideas, study, chat, relax, play games, and enjoy movie nights.

Enrollment

Students who are between their junior and senior years in high school and who have a minimum 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) are eligible to apply. Admission is competitive, and all admitted students are academically talented, demonstrating exceptional skills in a variety of subjects. Approximately 70 students enroll as residents in the program, while another 20 enroll as commuters. Students who live in Evanston or the surrounding city and suburbs, or those who plan to live with relatives in the area during the summer, may apply as CPP Commuting Scholars. Both residential and commuting students enjoy the same program benefits, and everyone participates in the Writing Tutorial. The College Preparation Program embraces ethnic and cultural diversity and encourages students of all backgrounds to apply.

Daily Schedule

A College Prep student’s daily schedule is very much like that of any other college student. A typical morning might consist of breakfast with a roommate and a 9 a.m. class. After lunch, students might spend their time researching a paper in the library, working in the lab, or attending the Writing Tutorial. A CPP participant might finish off the day with a jog along the lakefront, dinner and a movie with friends, or an evening of quiet study.

Facilities

Residential College Prep students share double rooms in a University residence hall and take their meals in a nearby dining hall. Students have access to Northwestern’s sports and aquatics center, which includes an Olympic-size swimming pool; tennis, basketball, racquetball, and squash courts; an exercise room; and a large gym. There are also several other sports facilities on campus, including a sailing center. In the Norris Student Center, students can enjoy a crafts studio, a game room, a browsing library, a snack bar, an ice cream parlor, shops, and an art gallery. Students also have access to any of the state-of-the-art labs, studios, and theaters that are part of their course work.

Medical Care

Residential staff members have first aid and CPR training, and a student health service is located on campus. Evanston Hospital is located approximately 1 mile from the campus.

Religious Life

The College Prep Program is secular and nonaffiliated. There are, however, a number of places of worship located on or near the campus.

Costs

Students are encouraged to take two 6- or 8-week courses or one intensive sequence. The projected cost per course is $2867. The cost for the six-week program in 2007 was $5562, which included room, board, the program fee, and tuition for one course. The cost for the intensive sequence was $11,806, which included room, board, the program fee, and tuition for three courses. Use of University health services and athletic facilities is included in the program fee. Students are responsible for paying for their own books and transportation.

Financial Aid

A limited amount of financial aid is available. Those interested in applying for financial aid should visit the Northwestern University College Preparation Program Web site.

Transportation

The city of Evanston is a suburb of Chicago and, as such, is easily accessible. Travel time to the campus is about 30 minutes from O’Hare International Airport and about 1 hour from Midway Airport. Shuttle buses run from both airports to Northwestern on the first day of the program. All students are responsible for arranging their own transportation home at the end of the program.

Application Timetable

The early and international application deadline is March 7. The regular application deadline is April 11. Along with the application, students must submit one essay, an official high school transcript, a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor, and an application fee. Students are advised to apply as early as possible to ensure that all of their materials are received by the deadline.