Summer breaks for most of us revolve around the numerous ways in which we can upgrade our portfolios and résumés; doing an internship, taking extra classes, doing some form of community service or preparing for competitive exams, are some such examples. As a result, many of us lose out on the opportunity to travel more and see the world around us.

Recognising this, many educational institutions and organizations now offer summer school programs and internships to students where they have something to show on their portfolio thus ensuring holistic development in the truest sense of the term. Many prestigious universities across the world offer summer school programs where, across a period of three to four weeks (sometimes even more) students from different parts of the world are given the opportunity to study and also explore a city or a country on their own. Columbia, Harvard, Cambridge and The London School Of Economics currently attract the largest numbers every year including a massive share of students from India.

Whereas, the popular opinion here is that, these programs are nothing more than a money-making racket and that kids just go to have a good time, not do anything constructive and blow up a large amount of money in the process, this is not entirely true. While there are many cultural events, parties, guided tours of the city, its museums, day trips in and around the city, there is also a very hectic and concise study routine with four to five hour lectures per day (depending on what course you’re doing and where you’re doing it), tutorials and examinations as well. So if you’ve always wondered what exactly is so great about foreign education, this is a great way to find out just how different the structure and pattern of education abroad really is.

With each program ranging between a couple of months or three, one tends to get a taste of exactly how life works in the West which a tourist never really can. The Columbia and LSE summer schools give you a chance to take in, explore and be a part of two of the grandest cities in the world whereas Cambridge ensures you get a complete experience of University life in the UK studying and staying on one of the most beautiful campuses on the globe. Lastly, being independent in a new place for a period of time really helps one acquire some perspective and give them more clarity about who they are and what they wish to do once college ends.

Image Courtesy: www.summer.harvard.edu

Shraman Ghosh
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