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 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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  This Advice on Writing College Essays This Summer Will Surprise You

  May 22, 2018, 10:38 a.m. by Sara Nolan

  As a college essay writing coach, I have some counterintuitive college essay writing advice for you: Don’t put a hardcore focus on writing your college essay during the summer. First, do yourself a favor, and have an actual summer – like you see in the movies. Not just an extension of school and school stress: That’s fake summer. Make a list of all the things you associated with summer as a child, and let yourself relive some of them, even being bored. Why? Because reprieve is good for stamina, creativity and focus and you’ll need all of those come fall. ...

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  How to Craft the Perfect College Application List

  May 15, 2018, 8 a.m. by Suzanne Shaffer

  Each spring, high school juniors begin the nitty-gritty tasks involved in creating the perfect college application list. And each spring, parents start asking one another: “Where is your son applying to college? Is your daughter staying close to home? What colleges are on her list?” The perfect college list means students are flooded with offers from colleges. The wrong list means disappointment and discouragement. The list should be so strong that every student is confident of being accepted, and parents are confident of strong offers of merit aid. A perfect college application list will be well thought out with colleges ...

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  If You're Into the Arts, You Better Learn About the Gig Economy

  May 10, 2018, 3:52 p.m. by Amy Goldin

  Doughnut shop cashier, waitress, ice cream scooper, calligrapher, messenger, carpenter. What do these have in common? They’re all jobs that were held by world-famous performers before they became world famous. Jobs they held to pay for rent, food and life’s other expenses while trying to get the jobs they really wanted. Jobs with hours that gave them the freedom to attend a daily stream of auditions, callbacks, classes and lessons, while waiting to hear those precious words: “You got the part!” Those are probably the words you’re hoping to hear too, preferably over and over again. You’ve trained and auditioned ...

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  Why Seniors in High School Should Avoid the Temptations of Senioritis!

  May 10, 2018, 8 a.m. by Suzanne Shaffer

  It’s tempting to just skate through the rest of the year after you’ve submitted your college applications and been accepted to college. But as tempting as it may be, seniors should finish the remainder of the year strong. Finishing strong will help them carry that momentum into college and the first semester of college is critical when establishing a strong GPA. In addition to keeping the momentum going, there are other reasons for seniors to have a focused and strong finish for senior year. Senioritis will strike! It happens to every student. After almost four years of focused academic activity, ...

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