MEDIA CONTACT: Charles Loebbaka at 847-491-4887 or c-loebbaka@northwestern.edu

June 1, 2004

High School Students Earn College Credits

EVANSTON, Ill. --- When Writing Lecturer Charles Yarnoff teaches his “Reading and Writing Fiction” course during Northwestern’s summer session, he’s not only instructing college-age students.

In addition to the Northwestern students looking to take an extra summer course to get ahead, Yarnoff’s class ranges from students aged 50 or 60 who are taking the course through the School of Continuing Studies to high-school students on campus as part of the College Preparation Program.

Yarnoff said he continues to be impressed by the rising high school seniors in the College Prep program, who can take up to two classes and a writing tutorial each summer as part of the selective session.

“The class interaction great,” he said. “The College Prep students really rise to the occasion. Everyone is held to the same standard in the class, and those students do quite well.”

The College Prep program, started in 1987, has accepted 80 residential students and a number of commuter students for the summer 2004 session, said Stephanie Teterycz, associate director of summer session. The program, which costs in the $4,500 range depending on the number of classes a student decides to take, is offered for six to eight weeks during the regular summer session and begins June 20 this year.

The residential students will live in the South Mid-Quads residence hall, surrounded by a support system of a residential director and six residential advisors. In addition to their course load, the students also spend their free time going on fun excursions to tourist attractions, baseball games and events like The Taste of Chicago.

“The program is designed for students working at an accelerated rate already in high school who are ready for college-level work,” Teterycz said. “We try to give them as broad of an experience here as possible.”

Teterycz’s office also looks to attract commuter students to the program -- especially the children of faculty and staff members who live in the Chicagol area. Those students would receive a tuition reduction, she said.

Although the Registrar’s Office offers more than 200 courses on the Evanston campus for undergraduates and graduate students in about 40 academic departments during summer session, the College Prep students only can select from the 100-and 200-level course options. In addition to their standard classes, the students take a writing tutorial where they can receive help with their college admissions essay.

Teterycz said faculty members who teach 300-level courses seem interested in opening their summer classes to College Prep students in future years.

“We sent out a survey to some faculty members teaching 300-level courses this year and the feedback was quite positive,” she said. “They trust the students taking the classes will be ready for the coursework. Some say they don’t even notice who the high school students in their classes are.”

For more information on the College Prep program, go to www.scs.northwestern.edu/collegeprep/.

(By Mindy Hagen. Hagen earned a bachelor’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism in the spring quarter.)