Join us for Our Summer Cohort!

The Focus Collegiate Summer Cohort is a college readiness experience for students who want to practice and prepare before they land on their campus.

Join us for three weeks of fun and learning in one of the country’s most academically prominent cities!

Students entering college are headed to a new world of opportunities. Our summer experience prepares them for that adventure. While building academic independence, collegiate residential skills, and invaluable life experience, the Summer Cohort provides a comprehensive gateway to college life, regardless of which school our students are attending in the fall.

The Focus Collegiate Summer Cohort supports inbound and returning college students in a smoother transition to college.

Academic Independence

Our students participate in interdisciplinary classes intentionally designed to assess and enrich their existing skills and focus on managing the novel expectations of College. 

We do group projects, learn peer editing techniques, practice creating presentations, and develop lecture class success strategies. Students also work independently on individual projects of interest while learning self-directed approaches to studying, note-taking, communication, promoting productivity, and avoiding procrastination. 

We also address learning management systems, digital literacy, and self-directed learning environments that are at the forefront on college campuses. All this in service to becoming an independent learner!

Students practice executive functioning skills such as time management, planning, and task prioritization. And through engaging activities and discussions, we help students embody a flexible mindset and increase social integration.

Life Balance

College is more than just academics; it’s a major life transition! Cohort students develop vital skills for a smoother transition to independent college life.

Students learn how to grow their own support system at college, including: where to go for academic help, how to address healthcare issues, and how to manage stress. We also provide one-on-one advising to preview and engage the supports available at the schools students will be attending in the fall.

As we build on existing strengths, Cohort students gain self-awareness and the self-advocacy necessary to maintain the sustainable, healthy routines demanded by the rigors of college life. For our students continuing on with us in the fall, this is a great opportunity to jumpstart relationship development and skills assessment through the Intentional Change Theory construct, ensuring a seamless transition to fall support.

Students will delve into their interests, values, personality, and workplace preferences as they get to know themselves better through PathwayU, a career exploration platform designed to increase motivation and relevance of their college experience. Students can take this information and platform with them to their College of choice.

Life @ Fenway

What better way to experience what college life will be like than to live on a college campus for three weeks? Cohort students reside in Evans Hall on the Simmons University campus. They will learn how to engage with university resources like dining services and public safety, while learning to thrive and share their experiences with other college students.

Escape rooms, ropes courses, art museums, service-learning experiences, and city tours acquaint students with the liveliness of Boston as we navigate local trains, buses, ferries, and experience local cuisine, culture, sports, and music. Students will also have the opportunity to round out their Boston experience and develop their perspective-taking skills by engaging in a variety of structured social activities.

Support for Families

During the three-week cohort, Focus Collegiate invites parents to engage in weekly 60-minute group conversations reviewing student activities, navigating their own parenting transition, and discussing what it means to have your student attend college. At the end of the program, the Focus Collegiate team provides parents with a Student Experience Summary highlighting their student’s success areas and recommendations for potential next steps to help increase student success.