Course Options and Fees 2008

Session I

June 30– July 25

(boarders arrive June 29)

Session II (For International Students Only)

July 27– August 21

Grades 9 – 12, Two Four Week Sessions
Day and Boarding Programs

Summer at Sem offers a program of study for students entering grades 9 through 12. You will find a wide range of courses in our summer curriculum. Summer at Sem grants students the freedom to design their own program of study. Many of these courses are also offered in Wyoming Seminary’s full-year curriculum. For courses that carry Wyoming Seminary credit, the number of applicable credits is noted within the course description. All College Prep Institute courses run for four weeks.  Because of the accelerated learning pace of summer school, students are required to attend all scheduled classes in order to receive course credits. For transferring credits to other schools, student must see their principal or dean.

College Prep Program Fees:

Each Course (four weeks) Fee: $600
Boarding (7 days for four weeks) Fee: $2,400

Upon acceptance, either an enrollment deposit or full payment will be required. The cost of books are included in the above course fees.

Miscellaneous expenses incurred by boarding students:

• Bed linens $90.00 (students may bring their own linens from home or purchase school linens at this fee)
• Medical Insurance $150.00 ( F-1 student visa holders only)
• Dorm Room Key Deposit $100.00 (refundable to student if key is returned at end of session)
• Refund Policy: Staff is hired and supplies are ordered to accommodate those registered or enrolled for the various programs. Refunds (total payment minus enrollment deposits, application and registration fees) will be granted until two weeks prior to the beginning of any program.

Session I Course Options:
* Indicates a credit course

Session II Course Options: (For International Students Only)

* Indicates a credit course

Session I Course Descriptions:

Communication Series:

Students should not register for more than one writing course due to the amount of work and dedication required.

Expository Writing (ESL friendly)
This course will help you in writing analytical essays – a key skill needed for college and university courses. We will focus on the mechanics of composition – grammar, punctuation and spelling – as well as the general principles of organization, evidence and documentation.
.33 credit. – Four Weeks, 12:30

Writing about Current Events 1 (ESL friendly)

Students will develop English Language reading, writing and oral communication skills in this course through daily readings from "USA Today" (one of America's most widely read newspapers), frequent short essays on current events and discussions in the classroom.  Special attention will be paid to the historical background of major news events.   - Four Weeks, 12:30

Public Speaking
An introduction to the principles of speaking that covers the social, physical and ethical aspects of speech. Topics will include listening skills, body language, logic and the impromptu speech. You’ll prepare demonstrations, introductions and “cause” speeches in a supportive classroom environment.
.33 credit. – Four Weeks, 9:00, 12:30

Fine Arts Series:

The Creation of Music
Through the study of the harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic elements of music, this course will emphasize the development of music structures and the analysis of form. Included in the syllabus will be a chronological survey of musical styles. Students will experience how composers work the elements of composition.
.33 credit. – Four Weeks, 9:00

The Discovery of Art
Art is a universal language through which ideas are communicated across cultural barriers. This course will examine the basic foundations of the elements of art in conjunction with an overview of artistic actions and reactions of stylistic developments. Assigned research projects and class presentations are part of the daily lessons.
.33 credit. – Four Weeks, 12:30

Studio Art: Exploration in the Visual Arts (ESL Friendly)
Try your hand at a variety of two-and three-dimensional art activities in a structured yet relaxed summer setting. Paint with watercolors, print using your own lino cut, or create sculpture in a variety of media. –Four Weeks, 3:30

Studio Art: Photography(ESL Friendly)
A hands-on approach to getting to know your 35mm camera.  Get expert instruction on shooting in a wide range of settings; then return to the darkroom to develop your film and turn out professional-quality prints.  Mat your work to display it at its best.  (A 35mm camera is required. Students supply their own film.) – Four Weeks, 3:30

History and Government Series:

American History on Film (ESL Friendly)
This advanced ESL history course will focus on the study and analysis of selected films, providing insight into American institutions, traditions and values. Students will study a series of American films, both as historical documents and as reflections of cultural sentiment, learning how the American hero has been represented in various films. Studies will be supplemented by readings in American political and social history. While American history provides topical content, a major goal of the course is to teach students how to communicate more effectively through their writing and speech. Priority will be given to reading and writing assignments, both inside and outside of the classroom.
.33 credit. – Four Weeks, 12:30

The Bible and Western Culture
An introduction to the literature, history, ideas and personalities of both the Old and New Testaments, as well as practical experience in the varying interpretive approaches to reading the Bible. (Participants should have completed the ninth grade.) .33 credit. –Four Weeks, 9:00, 12:30

Science and Mathematics Series:

Health Education
The course takes a contemporary approach to realistic needs in the areas of human sexuality, human development, drug, alcohol and tobacco education, nutrition and stress management.
.33 credit. – Four Weeks, 9:00, 12:30

Algebra Review
This course is designed to be flexible in meeting the needs of students who are entering Geometry or Algebra II. The topics to be covered will be selected based on the students who are enrolled in the course. They will include, but not be limited to, solving linear and quadratic equations, evaluating expressions , and studying properties of exponents and linear functions. Students who will be entering Geometry or Algebra II in the fall will find this course to be particularly helpful. – Four Weeks, 12:30

Session II Course Descriptions:

Writing About Literature(ESL Friendly)

The course is designed to build on the skills that the students have gained in their other summer courses and to augment these basic skills, learning to think critically about literature.  Students are introduced to literary terms and the process of writing about literature. They analyze short stories and poetry through a structured approach that stresses critical reading, vocabulary enrichment and writing skills.  Students are expected to be fully engaged, to participate in the classroom discussions and to acquire skills in self-editing that can be applied to all of their writing.  A mainstream classroom is simulated with counselors as table leaders who work directly with three of four international students.  Students should leave the course better prepared for a mainstream experience in an American school. –Four weeks, 12:30

Public Speaking (ESL Friendly)

Scheduled during Session II especially for full-year Wyoming Seminary international students, this is the required introduction to the principles of speaking that covers the social, physical, and ethical aspects of speech. Topics will include listening skills, body language, logic and the impromptu speech. You will prepare demonstrations, introductions and "cause" speeches in a supportive classroom environment..33 Credit –Four weeks, 12:30

Geometry-Proofs and Sequential Thinking (ESL Friendly)

Most international students have studied extensive geometric theory but lack the American emphasis on logic and proofs. This course covers the traditional geometry curriculum. Topics to be studied include the language of geometry, formal proof writing, angle and triangle relationships, parallel and perpendicular lines, quadrilaterals and other polygons, inequalities in one and two triangle topics, circles and coordinate geometry. The use of graphing calculators is encouraged throughout the course. Students who successfully complete this course may take the geometry exam. –Four weeks, 9:00

TOEFL Preparation (ESL Friendly)

For many international students, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a source of great anxiety. TOEFL Preparation is offered to older advanced ESL students, and consists of two evening study sessions per week. Designed to help students learn the kind of questions they will face when they take this important test, sample questions will be reviewed and practice drills will be provided. Language tapes are also used to sharpen listening skills. Students enrolled in morning and afternoon courses during Session II are offered this TOEFL Preparation at no additional fee.  8:00- 9:00 p.m.

Writing About Current Events 2 (ESL Friendly)

This course, a continuation of Writing About Current Events 1, will give students a more sophisticated understanding of the history underlying major developments in the contemporary world.  Lectures on historical topics will accompany reading from "USA Today" and will serve, for those who have completed Writing about Current Events 1, as the basis for longer essays concerning issues of the day.

- 12:30

Independent Study (ESL Friendly)

Students who enjoy working on their own and who have the initiative to do so may qualify to take an independent study project under the tutelage of the director of the College Prep Institute or his appointee.  More than building a model or reading summer novels, the project must include research from multiple sources and multiple source types, writing(a well written journal reflecting the project's development would suffice for a non-written project), and the final presentation or demonstration.  Students are expected to spend approximately 75 hours on serious research, writing and project development.  A detailed proposal must be submitted four weeks before the beginning of Session II, and it must be approved by the director of the College Prep Institute.

–Four weeks, 9:00 or 12:30 (Students may register for only one of the time slots, not both.)

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