Want a productive program this winter to help your future. Check out these 10 best winter programs for high school students in 2024!
A lot of these programs are free and achievable by any high school student.
Some programs cost money, but they can be very worthwhile to get a leg up in a college application or for your own experience.
Either way, you’ll find a winter program that works for you.
Let’s dive into the list!
Work At A Winter Camp
Camp is not only a way to make money or earn volunteer hours, but it’s also really fun!
Find a local camp in your area (perhaps one that you used to go to yourself) and see if they’re accepting new counselors in training.
Keep in mind that applying for winter camps usually takes applications around the end of summer.
In other words, get on it ASAP if you’re already heading into the fall season!
Working with kids also looks trustworthy on a resume/application for future opportunities.
Intern Over Winter Break
Winter break doesn’t last long, but it’s just enough time to squeeze in a short term internship.
Some internships even allow you to continue working with them after the break is over when you have time after school.
You can check out sites like Indeed and SimplyHired to find teen internships and programs nearby.
Internships are oftentimes limited in the winter, but you should still strive to find one that matches your interests.
For example, don’t intern at a business building if you’re into science. Find a science museum or research facility instead.
Related Post: Things to Do the Summer Before Junior Year of High School
Visit Colleges Nearby
If this winter break is during junior year of high school, you might find a ton of value in touring nearby college campuses.
There are plenty of winter programs for high school students to visit campuses with a tour guide and other fun activities.
Finding the right college is an important step to take in high school while you still have time.
Almost every university website has a page where they show touring dates during the winter.
Take A Winter Semester College Course
If you’d prefer to just get ahead of your peers and hopefully finish college a bit faster, you might find value in taking a winter semester college course.
Your local community college will have courses available to you, even as a high school student.
Even if it’s to complete random G.E. classes like sociology, health, or astronomy, it can save you time when you’re actually in college.
Most courses in community college cost little to no money, so do your research and see how you can get ahead today!
Join A High School Organized Program
Believe it or not, there might already be a winter program for high school students at your own school!
Many high schools offer programs like coding, art, law, music, robotics, and more!
Speak to your counselor at school and see if there are any winter break programs offered to you.
Keep in mind that programs like these are almost guaranteed to be offered at community colleges as well if your high school doesn’t offer them.
Related Post: 10 Tips for Seniors in High School
Find a College Mentorship
Finding a college mentorship is one of the best winter programs for high school students for a few reasons:
- They look great on college applications
- You learn from graduates in your field of interest
- You get a taste of what college is like
- Networking in mentorship programs are easy
- You get valuable career, academic, and life advice
If there’s one thing you should look for this winter, it’s this.
For example, Stanford University offers an Alumni mentorship where graduates mentor students like you in order to achieve success in your field.
Of course, other colleges offer winter programs like these, so be sure to check with your future college choices.
Join A Teen Winter Travel Program
Teen winter travel programs are excellent for those of you that want to get out of your city/ country and explore a new area before moving to college.
You can gain so much experience from learning new cultures, ways of work, and networking with others.
So many foreign countries offer travel programs for teens over the winter (and summer) season.
A simple search like “teen travel program in (any country)” on Google will find you a ton of options to choose from.
The only downside to these programs is that they cost the most out of any other idea on this list, so keep it in mind if you’re trying to save money.
Learn A New Skill
Learning a new skill over winter break benefits you so much more than many ideas on this list, except for looking good on an application.
If your goal is only to look good for college, this idea might not be for you unless the skill is being taught by an actual academic facility.
Learning things like building good habits, time management, coding, business, etc, can all benefit you so much in the future.
Who knows? Maybe one day you can turn those hard-earned skills into a real business!
Related Post: 18 Things to Do When You Turn 18
Volunteer
While volunteering is a very cliché answer for many high school students, it still deserves a spot on this list.
It’s a very powerful way to give back to the world and show colleges that you support a cause that doesn’t involve money.
Here are a few places you can volunteer at in the winter as a high school student:
- Winter camps
- Nursing homes
- Day cares
- Community centers
- Animal shelters
- Parks & Recreation Centers
- Local City Clean Up Programs
Having just one volunteering practice on a resume/application can go a long way. So give it a try when you can!
Take a Scholarship/Application Essay Course
One of the biggest differentiators between you and your peers getting into college is your essay.
That’s why taking an application essay course is one of the best winter programs for high school students.
Learning how to write that essay for an application or scholarship could be the deciding factor on whether or not you get accepted.
A good essay makes you stand out, so consider taking a course to master it.
Some of the best courses are offered by Udemy or CollegeEssayGuy.
Keep in mind that these courses cost money, but you can save 10% on CollegeEssayGuy courses with the code “DANIEL6417”.
Many courses start in the fall because it’s application season for most colleges, so double check the courses if you still have time to sign up!
Hopefully these 10 winter programs for high school students gave you a better plan that you can utilize over break.
With the productive use of your time, you’ll be able to get into your dream college and gain a ton of new experiences.
Good luck this year!
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions leave them down below. Thanks for reading!
