Summer Cohort FAQs
General Information
Location & Dates
Our Summer Cohort will be hosted at Simmons University from Sunday, July 11, 2027, to Saturday, July 31, 2027. Students will live in the new Living and Learning Center on Simmons’ campus.
Simmons University
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
Check-in is from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 11th.
Check Out is before 11:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 31st.
Enrollment and Application
How many students are in the program?
Each year, 25 students from across the country enroll in the program; our students attend all types and sizes of colleges across the country.
What is the application process?
The first step is an initial phone call with our Enrollment and Outreach Director, Ann-Marie Stripling. All students must complete our enrollment process for Summer Cohort and Fall support, which includes a parent interview, documentation review, a student interview, and we will interview a professional (a teacher, advisor, or therapist) who knows the student best.
Can students just participate in the Summer Cohort without having Focus Collegiate support them in the Fall?
Yes, we offer the Summer Cohort as a standalone program. If students continue with us in the Fall, we will match them with a specialist for 1:1 sessions where they can continue the relationship during the school year.
Registration
How do we secure a spot for our student in the Summer Cohort?
All students must complete our enrollment process, which includes a parent interview, documentation review, a student interview, and we will interview a professional (a teacher, advisor, or therapist) who knows the student best. If a student is accepted into our program, they will pay a non-refundable deposit of $1550 as well as an enrollment fee of $750. The enrollment fee is a one-time fee, whether the student is enrolling just for the summer or for the summer and fall semester.
Tuition
What is the tuition for the Summer Cohort, and what does it cover?
Our tuition is $7,750 for the 3-week Summer Cohort. the tuition includes all the programming (workshops, small group activities, and 1:1 sessions with their specialist), room and board, food, excursions around the city, and parent support. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the Cohort. There is also a one-time enrollment fee of $750.00.
Does my student need spending money?
Spending money that you send with your student is totally up to you. Everything will be paid for, but, for example, students may want to participate in independent activities while in Boston on Sundays when they have free time. This could be a use for spending money.
When must all the tuition be paid?
All tuition must be paid in full at the start of the cohort on July 11, 2027.
Summer Cohort Life
What does a typical day look like?
Our days our full! Our days are full and fun. Activities range from academic classes and lectures to group social activities to off-campus excursions. We also include some unstructured time for leisure and projects. Click the link for a Sample Summer Cohort Schedule
Housing and Roommates
Where on campus do Summer Cohort Students live?
Students will live in the new Living and Learning Center on Simmons University campus. The Living and Learning Center has suite style with double, quad and quint room types. Each suite has a private bathroom and common room area. The hall also has elevator access.
Do they have roommates, and how many?
Yes, students generally have one roommate in the cohort. Each dorm room has a bathroom that is also shared with their roommate. We have a limited number of single dorm rooms that can be requested on a first-come, first-served basis.
My student has a college accommodation for a single room. Can they get a single room at Summer Cohort?
We have limited very single rooms, which are available on a first-come-first-served basis. We encourage students to experience having a roommate because it creates community and increases programmatic and social engagement. This is a safe, time-limited experience for them to try living with another student.
How do you match roommates?
Students complete a housing survey about their preferences, interests, and residential habits that allows us to match them with like students. We also look at shared interests or personalities that might be a good match as dormmates.
Health and Wellness
What if my student has allergies?
Please let us know if your student has allergies and make sure that they are prepared to utilize things like an EpiPen in emergency situations. Simmons does a great job of helping students understand the dining hall options and manage food allergies and preferences.
What if my student takes medication?
Students are expected to manage their own medication and take it as prescribed. We do not have a nurse on staff at the Summer Cohort to administer medication. Parents can support their students by helping them create a storage and reminder system for themselves at our Cohort and beyond for college.
Do you have therapeutic support at the cohort?
No, we are not a therapeutic program and do not have mental health providers on staff at the Cohort. We do have students who have outside therapists that they meet with while in the Cohort. We recommend that they meet with their counselors on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays after 3 p.m. ET.
What if my student has some of their college preparation meetings during the cohort? Can you help with those?
Often, students have meetings with their advisors or disability counselors during the cohort to arrange for their accommodations or schedules. We ask that students and parents inform us of those meetings, and we can help facilitate them. Sometimes this is just a reminder about the meeting, but other times, it is helping students prepare with talking points or questions to ask during the meeting.
Being in Boston
Can students go out on their own in the city?
Yes. We highly encourage students to venture out on their own during their time in Boston. Our specialists can help students explore what they might like to experience while at the Summer Cohort and facilitate conversations around how to make it happen.
Is there a curfew?
There is no formal curfew, but if a student is going off campus, we want them to have a plan, articulate the plan to the resident advisors, and have another student with them if possible. If they are out past 11, we need to know where they will be (e.g., a movie running late, a baseball game going into extra innings). Also, the Simmons gates lock at 9:00 p.m., so students will need their key card to access the campus after that time.
Are there evening activities during the Summer Cohort?
Yes, our resident advisors, in conjunction with students, plan evening activities every night. Some examples include going to the movies, outdoor games on the quad, and visiting Newbury Comics.
Communicating with Parents
We love helping parents through the transition to college just as much as their students. During the cohort, we host weekly group meetings for our parents to discuss the happenings at the cohort and answer questions. If it is necessary to contact a family directly, Rich Davino, our Managing Director, will reach out. At the end of the cohort, parents will receive a Student Experience Summary about their student’s experience while in Boston with recommendations about next steps. They will also receive a report about their student’s Pathway U profile.
The Focus Collegiate Summer Cohort Team
Who is your staff for the Summer Cohort?
Our team during the cohort is the same team that works with students during the year. Most have extensive experience in the collegiate offices of student support, academic advising, accessibility services, residence life, or first-year experience. Many have also guided students toward independence at the secondary education level.
Is there Focus Collegiate staff at the dorm overnight?
Yes, we have two residential advisors who support students overnight in the dorms. They have been working with our program for several years and are skilled at helping students troubleshoot things that might come up during their stay at the Living and Learning Center.