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

13,000+ Experiences 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 (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) 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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  Hate Your College Essay? Try Our 8-Step Fix

  Sept. 20, 2018, 8 a.m. by Sara Nolan

  As your elementary school teacher might have cautioned, hate is a strong emotion. It is no fun to feel like you hate your college essay at any point, especially as nerve-wracking deadlines loom. And, the point of the essay is to make the college admissions committee fall in love with you and your incredible personality and distinctive writing style. Your stomach drops and you lose all hope of a bright future…. Despair not. Although it is not advisable to make any final decisions about your writing based on this feeling, you can look into your hatred to show you something ...

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  What is Pre-Med and How Do You Get Ready for It?

  Sept. 17, 2018, 9 a.m. by Suzanne Shaffer

  Are you interested in becoming a doctor? If so, you should be thinking about which college or pre-med program best fits that career path. It’s a long road from college to medical school to residency and you will need to research the education you need and find the best college to reach that goal. When students say they are pre-med, what does that mean? If you are planning to attend medical school and become a doctor, you need to understand the definition of pre-med and what pre-med students study. “Pre-med” is just a description people use to focus their college ...

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  Can You Meet These National Honor Society Standards?

  Sept. 12, 2018, 8 a.m. by Jason Patel

  Getting into NHS requires a lot of work and dedication. You need to meet the GPA requirement and other standards to be considered for membership. But it can be well worth the effort, not only for college applications but for the skills you’ll learn. Here’s a breakdown of of everything you need to know about NHS to help you determine if the work involved is a good fit for you. When it comes to recognizing high school students for their achievements, the National Honor Society (NHS) is the leading organization and has been around since 1921. Almost 100 years later, ...

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  Pennsylvania College of Technology: David Zlotnicki

  Sept. 10, 2018, 8 a.m. by TeenLife

  I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to major in when I was in high school. Math wasn’t my strong suit, but I liked electronics, and computer classes were my favorite, so I figured I’d give that a try. Once I started applying math and science concepts to what I was building and testing in electronics labs, it became more interesting to me. I never thought I would be the one to take Calculus III in college, and looking back, I’m not sure why I even worried about math! Well, I guess you could say I’m easily entertained by flashy ...

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