Summer Academy for Students
Entering Grades 8, 9, and 10
Session I: June 1 – June 18
Session II: June 21 – July 9
Session III: July 12 – July 30
Why Attend?
The University of Mississippi’s Summer Academy gives students entering the eighth, ninth and tenth grades a taste of college life. Through the Summer Academy, students make new friends and contacts, learn time management, improve study habits and earn high school credit which can count toward high school graduation requirements*.
Depending on grade level and term selected, students will explore the world’s cultures, flex their imaginations, learn about human behavior, investigate Earth’s delicate balances, conduct science experiments, or publish a literary magazine. Each course offered by the Summer Academy is listed in the Mississippi curriculum framework but not generally offered in high school curricula across the state. Students can earn a 1/2 Carnegie unit that may be counted by their high school toward elective graduation requirements*.
*Whether or not credit is counted toward graduation requirements is determined by the student’s high school.
Who Can Apply?
Because the curricula of these courses are advanced, students accepted to the program must meet the following criteria:
- The applicant must be a student in good academic and conduct standing in the seventh, eighth or ninth grade at the time of admission. The school can be public, private, parochial or even home–educated.
- The applicant must have a 3.0 GPA in all four subject areas of math, science, social studies and English for his or her last three years in school and the Fall 2009 semester.
- The applicant must also have standardized achievement test scores above the present grade level.
- The applicant must have permission from his or her principal.
- The applicant must have two letters of recommendation from teachers.
Students can choose to be either resident students or commuters. Residents are housed on campus in a residence hall specifically set aside for them. Commuters must arrive on campus each weekday by 7:50 a.m. and must be picked up by 5:30 p.m. each evening.
Click here to download an PDF version of the application.
2010 Summer Schedule
|
Session I (June 1 – 18) |
Session II (June 21 – July 9) |
Session III
(July 12 – 30) |
| 8th Grade | Local Culture IEP: Learning Strategies |
Astronomy IEP: Learning Strategies |
|
| 9th Grade | Local Culture Personal Finance IEP: Learning Strategies |
Astronomy Creative Writing IEP: Learning Strategies |
|
| 10th Grade | SAT/ACT Prep** | Local Culture Personal Finance SAT/ACT Prep IEP: Learning Strategies |
Astronomy Creative Writing Mythology IEP: Learning Strategies |
* High school credit is awarded by the UM Independent Study High School: the decision to count awarded credit toward elective graduation requirements is determined by the student’s high school.
** Commuter students only
Course Discriptions
LOCAL CULTURE is a survey course designed to investigate the cultural diversity of Mississippi through a study of its history, economics, politics, and geography. Using local culture, literary heritage, and people, students will understand and appreciate the development of the area. Excursions to the Delta Blues Museum, Mississippi River museum, Civil Rights Museum, local literary, musical, and culinary attractions are included in the session.
ASTRONOMY encourages students to develop and communicate an understanding of astronomy through a history of astronomy, technology and instruments, Kepler’s and Newton’s Laws, celestial bodies, and other components of the universe. Time in the observatory will reinforce student knowledge of the universe.
PERSONAL FINANCE allows the student to explore personal financial decision-making. It also helps individuals use skills in money management, record-keeping, banking, and investing. The course focuses on the study of basic concepts involving economics, insurance, banking, credit, stocks and bonds, and other related topics.
CREATIVE WRITING invites students to explore their worlds while they compose poems, personal descriptive and narrative essays, and short fiction. The course affords an opportunity for self-expression, promotes critical thinking, expands the imagination, and develops the use of figurative and literal language.
SAT/ACT PREP focuses on test-taking skills for standardized tests.
MYTHOLOGY introduces students to the myths and histories from several cultures, with a particular focus on the epics of Homer or Virgil.
NTERNATIONAL ENGLISH PROGRAM (IEP): LEARNING STRATEGIES is designed to enable Intensive English Program students to become independent learners and to transfer learning skills to other academic areas. The course helps students develop more effective ways of acquiring, integrating, storing, and retrieving English language skills.
Typical Daily Schedule
| 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 8:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. | Morning Class with Break |
| 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Lunch |
| 12:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. | Afternoon Class with Break |
| 2:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Recreation or Special Activity |
| 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. | Dinner |
| 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Study, Computer Lab, Study Groups, Free Time |
| 11:00 p.m. | Curfew |
Weekend Activities
For those who choose to stay over the weekend, activities could include movies, swimming, outdoor recreational activities, as well as on-campus events such as the Oxford Shakespeare Festival, Summer Concert Series, etc. These activities are covered in the weekend activity fee.
Program Cost
All admitted students must send a nonrefundable deposit of $100 to hold a seat in the program. The students who plan to stay for weekend activities will send an additional $75 weekend activity fee, which will include at least one meal per weekend. Costs will be accrued for tuition, housing and a required meal plan. The costs are as follows:
| Cost | Resident | Commuter |
| Activity Fee/Deposit | $100 | $100 |
| Tuition | $435 | $435 |
| Room | $345 | N/A |
| Meal Plan | $320 | $125 |
| Weekend Activity Fee (optional) | $75 | $75 |
| Total Cost | $1200 | $660 |
Applying To Summer Academy
Download an application here.- OR- Request an application be mailed to you by calling the Summer School at (662) 915-7621 or emailing jtphilli@olemiss.edu. Please be sure your request includes your name, mailing address, phone number, and states your request for a Summer Academy application.
Once you print the application (or receive it in the mail), you will need to complete it and attach the requested documents. In order to speed the process along, here are the documents you must attach (go ahead and begin gathering them):
- Transcript from the last three academic years
- Achievement test scores
- Copy of insurance card or Medicaid card
- Recent photograph
- 2009 tax returns (if applying for financial aid)
Please Remember:
- We do not guarantee a spot for any student until the deposit is received.
- Financial Aid applications cannot be reviewed until all forms have been completed and returned.
- Students that meet entrance requirements are admitted on a first come basis until the program is filled.
- All applications (including all required documents) MUST be received in the Office of Summer School no later than June 1, 2010.
If you have any questions, email Justin Phillips at jtphilli@olemiss.edu or call us at 662-915-7621.