Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program, with its unique blend of academic intensity, independence, and intellectual camaraderie, was a transformative milestone in my daughter’s academic journey — and in mine as a parent.
By attending the for-credit program, my daughter Sydney was exposed to a world that not only sharpened her mind but also deepened her sense of purpose.
The Harvard Summer academic experience
Sydney enrolled in Poetry Writing and Intro to Political Philosophy and flourished in both, but she particularly loved the poetry class. Receiving feedback on her work from the entire class for the first time was surprising and new, but definitely a growth moment. The museums on campus are something she still talks about, and the work there inspired a lot of the poetry she wrote that summer.
World-class faculty, challenging seminars, and global peers pushed her beyond the classroom. She honed her critical thinking skills, expressed ideas confidently in high-level discussions, and thrived among driven and curious students. Through discussion-based learning, she developed critical thinking, vocalized diverse perspectives, and expanded her intellectual boundaries. Beyond knowledge, she gained academic discipline, time management, and advocacy skills, which proved invaluable in her first year of college.
Independence on Harvard’s college campus
Harvard fostered not just academic growth, but also independence in my daughter. Living on campus, navigating a new city, and managing a full academic schedule taught her how to balance freedom with responsibility. She loved the extracurricular activities and the opportunity to explore Boston by public transportation.
The program didn’t just give her a glimpse into college life — it gave her a head start. And Harvard didn’t just prepare her for college — it inspired her to aim higher, think broader, and pursue her academic journey with purpose and passion.
As a parent, my daughter being away from home for the first time was nerve-wracking — but only at first. When Sydney shared her stories about all her new experiences and friends at HSS, I was so proud and impressed by her growth.
Returning home from Harvard Summer School
Before HSS, Sydney was apprehensive about whether or not she would fit in well in a college setting or make friends easily. She returned home energized, more mature and independent, more focused, and more certain of her ability to succeed at the next level. The program didn’t just give her a glimpse into college life — it gave her a head start. And Harvard didn’t just prepare her for college — it inspired her to aim higher, think broader, and pursue her academic journey with purpose and passion.
A lot of parents like me are actively “parenting” for 18 years — and then their kids are off on their own. Instead of a parent, they need more of an advisor, coach, or sounding board. That’s a hard pivot for a parent, and I didn’t realize it until I experienced it firsthand. While Sydney was at HSS, there weren’t opportunities to do that active parenting. While she was experiencing what college might look like as a student, I was experiencing what her life in college would feel like for me: less input and letting her figure things out on her own — the things we all wished our own parents did at that age.
After HSS, Sydney was accepted to several amazing college programs in the Northeast and decided on NYU. She completed her first year abroad in Madrid and is now living in Manhattan. She is majoring in media, culture, and communications with a minor in entrepreneurship and recently received the UN Millennium Fellowship for a healthcare venture she is launching.
What I never expected was how much the Harvard Summer Program would teach me about what to expect when the time came for her to leave home. Watching her thrive made me realize: maybe I had trained her well. Perhaps she listened all those times I told her to aim high. In her quiet determination, I saw the woman she’s becoming — and I couldn’t be prouder.
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I loved my experience as a student, and I was eager to spend my summer on Harvard’s beautiful campus and give back to a program that was so beneficial to me.
This course really fulfilled its goal. It reiterated the passion I have to serve others, and provided me with the education necessary to begin to pave this way towards a more equal healthcare system — and that was what I was looking for.
I had the most fabulous experience I could have for summer school.
Harvard’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship course played a pivotal role in transforming this concept into a viable venture.
