Summer Programs Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants receive an email prompting them to view their decision on their Summer Programs Account Portal.

Admitted applicants for on-campus programming are asked to:

1. Use the Admission Decision Reply Form to accept the admission offer.
    
2. Have all legal parents/guardians sign the Enrollment Contract, upload the contract back to the Summer Programs Account portal, and pay a non-refundable $1500 deposit within two weeks of acceptance. *Flywire student id #P000099999.
    
3. Refer to the Summer Programs Account Portal checklists for required paperwork and forms.
    
4. Register for courses using the Course Registration Form posted in the Registration Checklist on the Summer Programs Account Portal. Tuition can be paid in full at the time of registration, with all balances due no later than May 1, 2024. If registering for courses after May 1, tuition payment needs to be paid in full at the time course selection is made.

Admitted applicants for online Test Prep only are asked to:

1. Use the Admission Decision Reply Form to accept the admission offer.
    
2. Have all legal parents/guardians sign the Enrollment Contract, upload the contract back to the portal status page, and pay a non-refundable $1500 deposit within two weeks of acceptance. 
    
3. Register for Test Prep using the Course Registration Form posted in the Registration Checklist on the Summer Programs Account Portal.

Health forms must be received by Choate Health Services by April 15, 2024 for all students enrolled in on-campus programs. If enrolling after April 15, health forms must be submitted ASAP. Please email health documents to healthservices@choate.edu or fax to (203) 697-2294. To contact Health Services with any questions, call (203) 697-2203 or email healthservices@choate.edu.

As part of the process of enrolling, students and families read and sign our Enrollment Contract and pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their spot in the program. Tuition payments can be paid at any time after being admitted, and accounts must be paid in full by May 1, 2024. Please refer to your 2024 Enrollment Contract for details regarding the refund policy.  

• 50% of the paid tuition balance will be refunded if the student withdraws on or before May 24, 2024
   
• 30% of the paid tuition balance will be refunded if the student withdraws on or before May 31, 2024
   
• There is no tuition refund if the student withdraws after May 31, 2024

Middle School courses are for students who will have completed the U.S. equivalent of grades 6 or 7 before the start of Summer Programs.

High School courses are for students who will have completed the U.S. equivalent of grades 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 before the start of Summer Programs.

Most of our 2-week workshops and programs repeat from Session I to Session II (meaning the same content is offered in each session). There are however some 2-week workshops that may not repeat and are unique to the session they are offered in. 

Yes! You can choose one workshop per 2-week session and create your own 4-week* experience. 

*Boarding students enrolled in consecutive workshops are welcome to stay on campus the weekend between Session I and Session II.

The average class size range is 5-12 students.

Enrollment in courses and programs takes place on a rolling basis both as students are admitted and when Course Registration goes live in February. Our programs are popular and classes tend to fill quickly. 

Students are required to attend all classes, meetings, and afternoon weekday activities, and they are required to honor other commitments such as individual appointments with teachers or members of the Summer Programs Office.

Faculty and staff are asked to report all absences and tardies, the Deans’ Office keeps track of attendance, and deans follow up with students who accumulate absences. Though students are not required to participate in weekend trips and activities sponsored by the Student Activities Center, they are encouraged to take advantage of the full array of fun and informative recreational programming provided each summer.

Yes! You can apply to and enroll in more than one age-appropriate program as long as the class periods and/or the dates of the programs do not overlap.

If you received your Summer Programs admission acceptance for the on campus program and wish to enroll in an additional program, please contact the Choate Summer Programs Office at (203) 697-2365 or choatesummer@choate.edu.

Yes! Students who are enrolled in on-campus programs as boarders or day students can also enroll in SSAT or SAT Test Prep.

Students in 5-week programs on campus take Test Prep courses in person. Students in 2-week or 4-week programs on campus take Test Prep online (for continuity of instruction when not on campus).

Test Prep classes run in the early evening during Period 6 (6:45-7:45 p.m. ET Mondays and Thursdays for High School students and 6:15-7:15 p.m. ET for Tuesdays and Wednesdays for Middle School students).

There is also a first-period SSAT Test Prep option for students who are online only and not enrolled in an in-person program on campus.

Daily Schedule
5-Week Program

Daily Schedule
2-Week Workshops

Below is an outline of a typical day in the life of a summer student (the Saturday schedule is slightly different with shorter classes, no meetings, and lots of afternoon fun!).

Immersion Geometry, Theater Arts Institute, and 2-week Workshop programs follow their own schedule of class periods and lunch, but still include built-in time for Adviser Meetings, School Meetings, Conferences, Wellness Programming, Athletics and Activities, and Study Hours.

Academic Enrichment Middle School student with 3 classes:

Academic Enrichment High School student with 3 classes

Academic Enrichment - 2 Week Workshop, Middle School Student 

Academic Enrichment - 2 Week Workshop High School Student 

Middle School Programs

In general, the guideline for homework for middle school is 60 minutes per night per course. Students enrolled in workshops and multi-class programs which meet for more than one period can expect a comparable amount of homework, based on how many hours their workshop or program meets during the day. Test Prep courses average 60-90 minutes of additional out of class work per week. Making good use of nightly Study Hours, daytime Study Halls, and Free Periods will enable students to complete their assignments and be prepared for class. 

High School Programs

In general, the guideline for homework for high school is 60 minutes per night per course. Students enrolled in workshops and multi-class programs which meet for more than one period can expect a comparable amount of homework, based on how many hours their workshop or program meets during the day. Test Prep courses average 60-90 minutes of additional out of class work per week. Making good use of nightly Study Hours, daytime Study Halls, and Free Periods will enable students to complete their assignments and be prepared for class. 

Matriculating and current Choate students who sign up for courses that are eligible for Choate diploma credit or which have the potential to satisfy academic year prerequisites may be assigned additional work. This extra requirement ensures that any course taken for the purpose of credit or placement will closely reflect the academic year version of these courses.

H = Honors
HP = High Pass
P = Pass
LP = Low Pass
F = Fail

Note: Students in Immersion Geometry receive a traditional letter grade which will be included on the Summer Transcript for current and matriculating Choate students.

Students who are enrolled only in Session I courses and programs will receive reports by July 12, 2024. 

Students who are enrolled in the following courses and programs will receive reports by August 2, 2024:

• 4-week and 5-week courses and programs 
• Session II 2-week courses and programs
• Both Session I and Session II courses and programs, i.e., 4-week courses and programs

Students who exhibit exemplary integrity, respect, and compassion are recognized with a Citizenship Award.

This award honors students who foster social relationships and a love of learning which inspire peers and teachers, and whose contributions serve as a model for others while enriching the experience of everyone involved with Choate Summer Programs. 

Health forms must be received by Choate Health Services by April 15, 2024 for all students enrolled in on-campus programs. If enrolling after April 15, health forms must be submitted ASAP. Please email health documents to healthservices@choate.edu or fax to (203) 697-2294. To contact Health Services with any questions, call (203) 697-2203 or email healthservices@choate.edu.

For the overall safety of the Choate community, a cell phone with SMS (text messaging) capability is strongly encouraged for emergency notifications and two-factor authentication to Choate applications. 

Any type of phone that can receive telephone calls and SMS messages is acceptable.

The SIM card for the cell phone must be a United States or Canadian number. (Note: The SIM card needs to be installed prior to arrival on campus.)

At Arrival Day Check In, each student cell phone is verified and the phone number is added to the student's electronic record.

Students are asked to have the phone with them at all times during the class day and whenever appropriate for sports and other activities.

When students travel off campus, their cell phone is used in case the School or the student needs to contact each other. 

To be fully present and maximize the opportunity to learn and grow in Choate Summer Programs, students are asked to silence their phones and put them away in classes, meetings, presentations, performances, etc. 

Soon after students enroll, parents receive access to the Summer Parents Portal where they can find important additional information, including:

• Important Announcements
• Parent Calendar
• Student Handbook
• Health Forms
• Virtual Events
• Program Highlights
• Airport Ground Transportation
• What to Bring
• Laundry and Linen Rental
• Music Practice Room requests
• Housing Model
• And more!

The Summer Parents Portal is available to parents of students in the Middle and High School Academic Enrichment Program, Summer Music Festival, Visual Arts Lab, and Young Artist Program. 

Summer Parents Portal

Once enrolled students have been assigned a Choate Summer email account, they have access to the Summer Student Portal which contains the Student Handbook, dates to remember, school resources, and program highlights.

Please refer to the Move-In Checklist. 

Information is posted in the Summer Parents Portal on how to sign up and pay for airport ground transportation if needed. 

5-week, 4-week, and Session I 2-week programs:  
Unaccompanied minors who are traveling internationally and using Choate transportation can arrive for these programs on the afternoon of June 22, 2024. All other international students and all domestic students in these programs should arrive on June 23, 2024.

Session II 2-week programs:
Unaccompanied minors who are traveling internationally and using Choate transportation can arrive for Session II programs on the afternoon of July 6, 2024. All other international students and all domestic students in these programs should arrive on July 7, 2024.

The ChoateCard, the school's official identification card, serves three primary functions: access to dormitory and building entrances, access to personal ChoateCard debit accounts, and identification.

The barcode at the bottom of the ChoateCard allows students to make purchases at the School Store, Tuck Shop (cashless), and Mailroom. Students can also withdraw funds in cash from their account balance at the Student Services Kiosk during regular business hours. The ChoateCard account is a debit account and students are not permitted to carry a negative balance. If a student's balance is insufficient to complete a transaction, the transaction will be canceled until funds are added.

Please see the Summer Parents Portal for information on how to deposit money on the ChoateCard.

All students have access to free laundry machines on the Choate campus. Full laundry service for 4-week and 5-week program participants is also available for an additional fee through E&R Laundry. Sign-up will be available on the Summer Parents Portal.

All day students have access to locker space in St. John Hall.