How the Program Works | Schedule | Student Life | Program Staff

The Young Scholars Program invites high school students with exceptional ability and promise to an amazing pre-college experience at the University of Maryland. Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors pursue academic interests, discover career opportunities, and earn three university credits. Dynamic faculty challenge Young Scholars to explore bold ideas and new ways of learning. During three unforgettable weeks, you engage in creative problem solving with equally talented peers from across the United States and around the world. This summer, explore university life at the University of Maryland with the Young Scholars Program!

YSP was a great experience, I enjoyed every minute of it—even the hard work. I recommend the program for anyone looking to go to college. YSP student

In the Young Scholars Program, you select one three-credit course, devoting a large part of your time attending class, enjoying field trips or guest speakers, studying, working on projects, and preparing for exams. Learning during this three-week summer program continues beyond the classroom. College seminars, workshops, and social activities encourage the exchange of ideas and lend to the development of lasting friendships. You meet, live, and study with other talented high school students from around the U.S. and the world. You have access to many of the same world-class facilities used by Maryland’s full-time college students. And, whether you choose to live on campus or commute from home, you fully experience university life at Maryland!

The course was very challenging and our daughter learned a lot. She really enjoyed all of the planned activities, especially the trips to DC. Thank you for a wonderful experience for our daughter! YSP parent

Course-Related

The three-credit University of Maryland introductory course is your main focus during the Young Scholars Program.

• Classes meet every day, Monday - Friday, with variations to the schedule depending on course requirements.
• Field trips and/or guest speakers broaden understanding of the field through career discovery.
• Expect to spend several hours working on projects or papers, reading, or preparing for exams.
• Expect to purchase books, class packets, or classroom supplies.
• Course syllabi that list these additional requirements are accessible via the Web site.

The course was wonderful--new ideas and material. The professor was excellent! She really knew how to balance activities with lecture and engaged every student. It was a very positive experience. YSP student

Seminars & Events

Seminars are designed to challenge you to think about everyday issues that affect your life. Seminars are offered once a week and include topics such as privacy issues, identity etiquette and more. You’re also invited to attend a special event just for Young Scholars. At the Young Scholars Open House, you meet faculty and staff from Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid, and University academic units that include Engineering, Arts & Humanities, Architecture, Journalism, and more.

Workshops

Stretch yourself - that's what college is all about. Take a workshop and learn something new. Workshops meet twice a week in the afternoons and include topics such as Tai Chi, the ABC's of Financial Planning, Club Salsa, and more.

Social Activities

This summer, high school students discover what Maryland has to offer! Social activities are fun and you meet other Young Scholars in a relaxed environment. There are planned activities that include weekend day-trips to Washington, DC, barbecues, pool parties, mixers, and more. But, not every moment of your day is planned. In college, you’ll find lots of down time to make your own plans with roommates and friends. In the Young Scholars Program, you’ll be encouraged to hang out and talk, take a walk, work out, or get ice cream from the Dairy.

This experience was good for my son—he experienced college life, got an understanding of the high level of expectations of professors, met other young people like him, and had fun. You've exceeded my expectations with this program. YSP parent

Click here for a general overview for the three-week summer program. Your course syllabus provides exact meeting times for your course. At check-in (mandatory for all students on Sunday, July 8), you’ll be given a schedule of all the seminars, workshops, and activities. We’ll also have them posted about the residence halls.

I absolutely loved my three weeks here at UMD. It was a perfect taste of what life at UMD really is. I look forward to hopefully living here as a real Terp!! YSP student

College incorporates so many different experiences: living or commuting to campus on your own, interacting with new people, and tackling new areas of academic study. Whether you choose to live on campus or commute from home, your schedule is in YOUR hands, making choices, organizing your time, while you explore the independence of university life. With a modicum of supervision and guidelines in place, you'll be responsible for attending classes and for productively managing your time with minimal supervision during the day.

All high school students participating in the Young Scholars Program are admitted to the University of Maryland for the Summer Term. As admitted Maryland students, you are subject to all University rules and regulations, particularly the University’s Code of Student Conduct and the Code of Academic Integrity, which ensure the health and safety of all students and uphold the principle of academic honesty. Violation of either the Code of Student Conduct or the Code of Academic Integrity will lead to immediate dismissal from the program.

Commuter Young Scholars live at home and travel to and from campus on a daily basis. You'll join all students for lunch at eateries located throughout campus and are expected to attend all seminars and special-activity based events. Residential Young Scholars live in traditional style residential halls with bedroom occupancy ranging from 1 to 4 high school students of the same gender. Residential students are supervised by program mentors who accompany students on weekend field trips, social activities, seminars, and other events. Residential students enjoy meals in the University's dining hall, eateries located throughout campus, or at special activity-based events.

This program was a great opportunity and really opened my eyes about college life. It not only prepared me but also gave me an idea of what I need to work on. YSP student

Eric Johnson, Assistant Director

With more than 10 years of career experience in higher education, Eric provides valuable leadership and experience to the Office of Extended Studies. Eric has a background in both student affairs and academic affairs and has made it his mission to provide students with a meaningful, memorable and fun summer experience. Having earned both an undergraduate and master's degree from the University of Maryland, Eric is a true Maryland TERP. He also teaches Introduction to the University to incoming Maryland freshmen, empowering students with the tools to successfully transition into the college environment. Eric enjoys working with students from all over the world to help them "Get Ready, Get Started, and Get Ahead!"

Mentors

Selected University of Maryland students serve as program mentors. The mentors supervise students in the dormitories to ensure safe, appropriate behavior. Mentors also supervise activities, encourage students to explore the University, accompany those students to dinner who are uncomfortable going alone or can not find a group to eat with, and provide participants with an insider's view of what college life is like. The mentors live in the residence hall with the program participants and are responsible for responding to any situations that may arise, and for doing nightly curfew checks.

The staff was great! Emails were promptly answered by my son's professor and Mr. Johnson. Overall, everything was GREAT! It was a wonderful experience for my son, and his younger brother, too (he came with us on day 1). Go Terps! YSP parent

I was impressed by the number and experience of the mentors and counselors . They are a critical component of a successful program and they did a great job. YSP parent