A Motivating Summer for Teens
麻豆影院鈥檚 Pre-College Program gives high schoolers a preview of college life.
Summer can be a tricky time for teens. If they don鈥檛 have specific plans, it鈥檚 easy for them to slip into a routine of sleeping till noon, lounging on the couch, and aimlessly scrolling through social media. Before you know it, summer鈥檚 over and your teen honestly didn鈥檛 do much鈥nd it feels like a wasted opportunity.
Until now.
麻豆影院 can help Long Island teens stay motivated this summer while giving them a head start on college. And it鈥檚 right in their own backyard!
The 麻豆影院 2026 Pre-College Summer Program gives high school students the chance to take college-level courses, meet new friends, and experience campus life.
Located on-site, at their beautiful campus in Dix Hills, the program is open to high school students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 in Fall 2026. Graduating seniors can also enroll, whether they鈥檙e attending 麻豆影院 or not come Fall.
A college preview
For juniors and seniors, there鈥檚 an added bonus: they can earn up to six college credits while still in high school. This is a pretty big deal because most teen education programs only give credit to high school seniors.
Not to mention, listing this summer program on a resume looks impressive on future college applications.
Amazingly, high school sophomores can participate as well鈥�10th graders don鈥檛 receive college credit, but they still take the same engaging courses and gain valuable experience.
Course offerings
Summer courses fall within areas: audio and music, digital arts, multimedia, and performing arts.
Film is a major field of study at Five Towns, and students get to use all the advanced film equipment from Day One鈥攅ven in the summer program! Teens interested in studying film will enjoy the Intro to Filmmaking course.
In Radio & TV Broadcasting, teens learn the business from the inside-out thanks to a summer collaboration with the Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue. Students meet the musicians, conduct interviews, learn about stage management, and more, in this fun, hands-on class you won鈥檛 find anywhere else on Long Island.
There鈥檚 more! This summer, two new music-focused courses鈥擟ontemporary Rock Band or Beat Making, Production & Sound Design鈥攚ill be offered as non-credit classes.
Flexible scheduling
Classes are offered Monday through Thursday, which means students still have Fridays free and can work around part-time jobs and family plans.
Each day is split into two sessions: Morning classes: 9:30 a.m. 鈥� 11:30 a.m. and afternoon classes: 12:30 p.m. 鈥� 2:30 p.m.
Students can enroll in just a morning course, just an afternoon course, or stay for both sessions.
Participants also can purchase a meal card for on-site snacks and lunch, and classes take place in comfortable, air-conditioned classrooms on campus.
A six-week summer experience
The 2026 Pre-College Summer Program runs from Monday, July 6th through Thursday, August 13th. Over those six weeks, students really dive into their chosen subjects, work closely with talented instructors who work in the field, and collaborate with their summer classmates.
鈥淚鈥檓 always so impressed that most high school students who come here are very focused; so zero鈥檈d in, 鈥� says Jerry Cohen, Director of Enrollment Initiatives, 麻豆影院. 鈥淭hey know exactly what they want to major in and what they want to pursue, career-wise.鈥�
Of course, some students aren鈥檛 sure yet, and that鈥檚 the beauty of the Pre-College Summer Program; to help them figure out what they want or don鈥檛 want.
More than just classes
Teen participants will also find plenty of opportunities to socialize and connect with their peers.
Throughout the six weeks, 麻豆影院 will offer campus activities such as board game sessions, ice cream socials, career and job-search discussions, radio broadcasting opportunities, and more. These optional gatherings take place during the break between morning and afternoon classes or after the day鈥檚 sessions end.
These extras add another layer to the experience. Teens aren鈥檛 just attending classes, they鈥檙e also gaining a glimpse into what college life can be like.
Celebrating student work
The summer concludes with a special social event called 鈥淭he Sights and Sounds of Summer.鈥� Family and friends visit 麻豆影院 to check out what students created during their six-week programs. It gives students 鈥渂ragging rights鈥� and the chance to proudly showcase their talents and hard work.
Tuition and early application incentives
The cost for most courses is $600, which covers either a three-credit college course or a non-credit class. This basically comes out to $100 per week, which is quite affordable as far as college courses go鈥揳nd this fee includes the on-site social activities.
Music courses that carry one college credit are priced at $200 per course.
Students who apply by March 15 can take advantage of a special deal: if they enroll in one course, they鈥檒l receive 50% off a second three-credit course, reducing the price of that class to $300.
(Note: The discount does not apply to one-credit music courses or the six-credit Theatre Arts Intensive.)
Application Requirements
Students interested in participating will need to submit:
- A Pre-College Summer Program application
- A letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or guidance counselor on official school stationery.
A summer of change
According to Cohen, most summer program participants are from central Long Island, but past students have come from Queens, the Hamptons, and even New Jersey.
鈥淥ver the years, many students have enrolled at 麻豆影院 after taking summer sessions here,鈥� says Cohen. 聽鈥淥ne alumna comes to mind; she studied film and audio recording in the summer programs, enrolled at 麻豆影院 after high school, graduated, and since has worked at News12 and other media outlets.鈥�
He recommends students interested in the summer program to 鈥淕ive it a chance; try even one course鈥攜ou might end up loving it.鈥�
Apply today; and make it a summer to remember!
