Prep Camp Excel™ is for motivated rising 9th and 10th-grade students seeking to excel in high school so that when college application time rolls around, they have attained the best possible GPA, resume, and course of study.
This seven-day camp offers students exposure to many of the same principles that older students get at College Admission Prep Camp in a similarly relaxed and fun atmosphere. Prep Camp Excel uses a three-pronged curriculum to promote high school success, including courses in Essay Writing, PSAT Prep, and High School Success.
**An online version of this course is not currently available. If you would be interested in taking an online version of this course should it be offered, please use this link to express your interest.**
Specific Skill Development
Prep Camp Excel fosters skills that apply far beyond the college admissions process or success in high school. In this course, students will develop and build upon their ability to write clearly and concisely, research and gather information, think and read critically, ask questions, and organize their thoughts.
Argument Analysis Essay Writing
- Writing clear, convincing, and concise essays is a skill that extends far beyond college and will continue to serve students as they enter their workforce. Each student will add strategies and skills to their build upon their own process in order to make the writing process for efficient and effortless.
- In this course, students will learn to break apart a text-based argument and analyze what makes it effective and where there are gaps. Students will then write on-demand essays (similar to what is required on the SAT essay) that address this argument analysis. Students will learn about planning and executing their writing under time pressure, as well as how to be a succinct and persuasive communicator. In so doing, they will learn the tools they will need to more effortlessly completely essays when called upon to do so in their academic setting.
PSAT Preparation and Test Taking Strategies
- Student scores on the PSAT are a crucial component in early college recruiting, as well as for the National Merit Scholarship program, however, most students take the exam with little or no preparation. Excel campers take two full PSAT exams throughout the course of the week. The first exam allows our instructors to focus their week of instruction on the skills and strategies that will benefit your child most. In addition, this experience with the PSAT builds a strong foundation in math and verbal skills in preparation for the SAT. for The two-year average PSAT score improvement of Prep Camp Excel students, measured by entrance and exit exams, is 16.2 points- the equivalent of 162 points on the SAT!
High School Success
- The key to success for high school and college students extends beyond content knowledge and into socio-emotional skills, organizational executive functioning and the knowledge of how to use the resources already available. Our High School Success course invites students to reflect on their own learning and studying styles, set goals and introduces topics (like electronic management or advocating for yourself with a teacher) that likely are not taught in a traditional school setting. We know these “soft skills” are extraordinarily important for success in high school, college and career, and we prioritize their explicit instruction during Prep Camp Excel.
Curriculum & Instructional Environment
From the first day of class, students will be immersed in a rigorous and engaging environment led by our expert instructors. Because of Education Unlimited’s unique instructor to student ratio, students will receive frequent and consistent one-on-one coaching to develop their writing competency and hone their communication, test taking, and skills related to high school and college success.
Planned recreational excursions allow students to experience local attractions, and on-campus evening and afternoon activities balance the academic day. Living in the dorms together encourages students to build close friendships that last through high school and beyond.
Highlights & Deliverables
Over the course of the week, each student will take two full PSAT exams which will allow instructors to differentiate for the skills and strategies your students will need most. Students will leave with a much greater comfort in exam format, test-taking tips and strategies for both the written and multiple choice portions of the exam, and a valuable toolbox of study skills that will serve them well throughout high school and beyond.
Camps for rising 9th-12th graders have two options:
- Extended Day: Extended Day Campers attend camp from 9am to 9pm seven days a week (except check-in and check-out days, which are half days), with lunch and dinner provided in the dining hall each day.
- Overnight: Overnight campers check-in after lunch on the first day of camp and check out before lunch on the last day of camp. All meals and shared dorm accommodations are provided.
**An online version of this course is not currently available. If you would be interested in taking an online version of this course should it be offered, please use this link to express your interest.**
| Program | Grades | Location | Start Date | End Date | Price Options | Register |
|---|
Sample Schedule Prep Camp Excel |
|
|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Breakfast in the dining hall (overnight campers) |
| 9-9:15 am | Extended day camper check-in |
| 9:15 am | PSAT math class |
| 11:00 am | Study skills class |
| 12:30 pm | Lunch in the dining hall (included for all campers) |
| 1:30 pm | PSAT reading class |
| 3:30 pm | Study skills class |
| 5:30 pm | Dinner in the dining hall (included for all campers) |
| 6:30 pm | Group seminar |
| 8:00 pm | Evening recreation activities |
| 9:00 pm | Extended day camper check-out |
| 10:00 pm | Floor check |
| 10:30 pm | Room check |
Education Unlimited believes in small-group, immersive learning with subject matter experts and experienced teachers. We strive to provide industry-leading instruction to all of our students and hold all staff to the highest possible standards. Staff assignments vary by program and location. Some of our recent staff members for this program include:
Emily Tomusko, MA - Instructor
Emily is a writing teacher at the high school and college level in Cleveland, Ohio. She has a Master of Arts degree in English from John Carroll University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and anthropology from Cleveland State University. In addition to her time spent teaching, Emily is also the assistant director and a writing consultant for the university writing center at John Carroll University. In this role, she has learned how to best engage struggling students with the writing center's services.
Emily believes that anyone can become a strong writer, and she is excited to bring her passion and background to the students at Education Unlimited. When Emily is not lesson planning, she likes to spend her time crafting, reading, or hiking with her dogs.
Harrison Foster - Instructor
Harrison Foster holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley. His love of language and the power of words has inspired his teaching career. He has taught in both class and individual format, developed curriculum and materials, and worked to build confidence in high school students as they prepare for the college application process. A master in both the teaching of writing and standardized test preparation, Harrison has been a strong addition to our A+ and College Prep programs.
Prior to his time teaching, Harrison spent 10 years working in community radio. He produced and hosted a weekly music program in addition to a weekly movie talk show. His work in radio honed skills in writing, promotion, content creation, and production. He has spent time in social media marketing as a content strategist and manager of editorial and promotions for a film trivia game app. Harrison joined Education Unlimited in 2016.
Hannah Nguyen - Instructor
Hannah Nguyen is a teacher currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Teaching at the University of San Francisco, with a focus on Urban Education and Social Justice and teaching credentials in Math and History/Social Science. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Southern California, which she attended on a full-ride merit scholarship. While she completes her Master’s, Hannah is teaching and tutoring college admissions test preparation at Holy Names High School in Oakland, CA. She also facilitates student service and leadership organizations.
Hannah has been teaching and supporting students in their academic and personal growth throughout most of her life, a love she discovered while playing classroom with her little brother at the age of six. She has taught SAT preparation since 2013, organized student leadership conferences, and served as the Executive Director of the USC Undergraduate Student Government Program Board for two years. What brought Hannah to education was students; she feels she is constantly learning from them and is inspired by their constant resilience, curiosity, and compassion. Her core educational philosophy is grounded in the idea that all students deserve access to an education that will ignite their passion for learning and help them discover their purpose.
When she is not planning lessons or designing new curriculum, Hannah enjoys belting show tunes, cooking, playing sports, and boxing/kickboxing.