The Leading Source for College Preparation:
Summer Programs, Gap Year Programs, Community Service and more.

13,000+ Opportunities for Students in Grades 7-12.

Discover how spending time in the world outside the classroom can help teens do better in school, during the college admissions process and in their adult lives. Our mission is to connect students, parents and educators with the best experiential learning opportunities for middle- and high-school students.

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  Summer Programs

  Spend this summer expanding your pre-college horizons. Check out thousands of summer programs, from rocket science camps to musical theater classes to wilderness training courses.

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  Gap Year Programs

  Find out more about how a pre-college gap year or semester contributes to personal growth and builds the life skills you need to succeed in college. Check out TeenLife’s once-in-a-lifetime gap year programs, ranging from work internships to premed programs to adventure trips.

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  Volunteer Opportunities

  Volunteer for a community service program to expand your world view, make a difference and feel good. Community service may also be a graduation requirement! Check out these nonprofit organizations that could use your help or connect you with a community service project.

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  STEM Programs

  STEM careers are on the rise, and students can start learning skills in STEM as early as middle school. Browse topic specific STEM summer programs and colleges.

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  Performing & Visual Arts Programs

  Colleges, gap year programs, and summer programs all offer opportunities in the performing & visual arts. Pursue your passions and grow your strengths with a performing and/or visual arts program.

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  Colleges & Universities

  Begin your college search with our comprehensive college & university database. Or explore summer programs taking place on college campuses. College is a big investment. We can help you try before you buy.

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  Boarding Schools

  Ready to combine school with independence? We have more than 400 listings for boarding schools and semester schools in the United States and abroad. Discover how a learning community focused on college prep or a particular interest sparks success. Many offer postgraduate (PG) years.

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  Private Day Schools

  Looking for a private day school that has the classes, extracurricular activities and educational philosophy that match your needs? Explore our more than 1,000 listings and discover the advantages of private school, such as small classes and specialized approaches to learning.

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  Therapeutic Programs and Schools

  Are you a teen struggling with mental illness or substance abuse? Check out our listings of therapy programs and treatment centers to find the right path to a healthy and successful life.

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  Independent Advisors

  Choosing the right school, college or program can be overwhelming. A local independent advisor can help you navigate these important decisions. Find the best path for you and your personal goals, with their help.

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  Tutoring & Test Prep

  Boost your high-school grades and college admission test scores to smooth the way for the college application process. Our thousands of in-person or online tutoring and test prep resources fit a wide range of goals and budgets.

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  College Admissions Resources

  Learn everything you need to know about the college admissions process. With our college resources, teens can discover their dream school, find application help, and fund their undergraduate education.

Trending Posts on the TeenLife Blog.

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  How High School Students Can Dodge Summer Brain Drain

  July 21, 2017, 8 a.m. by Bill O'Neill

  Toss everything you need into a bag for a summer day at the beach or pool: a towel; some sunblock; and a nice, thick book about American history. Wait, what was that last one? Heavy-duty reading material might not make the top of a high school student’s list for a chill-out day under the sun, but it should. Research shows the importance of keeping the brain engaged during a long vacation – and of course, it might help with college admissions. “There’s 30 years of research on the idea of summer learning loss, tracking it over time. It’s been consistently ...

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  10 Essentials To Take on A Gap Year (and one not to)

  July 19, 2017, 4 p.m. by Nicolaus Jannasch

  Are you considering a gap year? A little time away from school (for most students, the first time since kindergarten!) is a great opportunity to get outside the United States, meet different people and learn about completely different cultures. You’ll also learn a lot about yourself and have time to think about who you want to become! You can wander the globe during your gap year, join a structured gap year program, take part in a summer program for high school students, or live with a foreign family in a homestay. No matter which course you choose, you will change ...

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  35 Summer Programs Your High School Student Will Love

  June 29, 2017, 8 a.m. by Susan Moeller

  Come summer, high school students can develop that hang-out-on-the couch glazed look that says, “All I have to look forward to is a summer job, test prep and summer reading.” It doesn’t have to be that way. There are thousands of summer programs for teenagers, featuring all kinds of activities and subjects, from engineering to dance to community service to overseas travel. These high school summer programs aren’t anything like the old-fashioned idea of “summer school.” Instead, they let students explore a campus, discover a new part of the world, try out a college major or dive deep into a ...

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  Boost Your High School Resume by Volunteering This Summer

  June 27, 2017, 9:53 a.m. by Suzanne Shaffer

  It’s tempting for high school students to spend summer hanging out with friends, sleeping past noon, and attempting to do absolutely nothing. And while it’s true that down time for growing teens is absolutely necessary, too much is neither a healthy option nor the wisest choice if college is in their future. Encouraging high school students to get out and have some worthy, productive summer experiences is super important – for parents and for them – especially for those students hoping to score a scholarship or two. And even if teens are working, attending a teen summer program, or taking ...

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