I’ve caught the coding bug, and I want to spend my summer improving my skills. Does anyone have recommendations for summer coding programs that are high school student-friendly? I’m looking for something that could potentially make my college app stand out, so any program with a strong reputation or that offers a project or certification at the end would be awesome. Bonus if it’s not super expensive!
Hey there! Students have had a lot of success with online platforms like Coursera and edX. They offer courses from universities like Harvard and MIT, and you can do them at your own pace. Some are free, and you only pay if you want a certification at the end. It's neat since you can work on your own project as you learn, which can be a great thing to showcase in your college app.
Another resource to be aware of is Codecademy. They have free and pro versions, and you get certifications for completing their courses. Additionally, local universities or community colleges might offer summer classes for high school students, so it's worth reaching out to them.
If you want a more extensive list, you can check out CollegeVine's blog, which has a post on exactly this topic: https://blog.collegevine.com/high-school-computer-science-summer-programs
Finally, if none of these options feel like quite the right fit for you, remember that having a passion project to talk about can be just as impressive as an actual class—colleges love self-starters! Good luck, and happy coding!
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