Summer Planning
Boston University Academy believes that summer is a time to take a break, catch your breath, catch up on sleep, and definitely to catch some rays of sunshine. But we also know that BUA students are bright and curious and want to be engaged and to expand their horizons year-round.
Students should participate in a summer program because the experience seems compelling – not because they want a resume builder – and should choose activities that provide them with an experience that suits their individual needs and interests. A successful summer experience is one that helps students develop a sense of the world outside of BUA and BU classrooms.
Some students spend summers doing community service, while others hone their musical skills. Some bag groceries or scoop ice cream while others will get involved in Alzheimer’s research in a lab. From a college counseling perspective, each example has merit, and we strongly believe (and have confirmed with universities) that sometimes getting a good old fashioned summer job mowing lawns or scooping ice-cream looks just as good in the application process.
BUA has compiled a Summer Programs and Opportunities list as a research tool for finding a summer program. It is by no means exhaustive and we do not particularly endorse any one program. We offer this list as well as the TeenLife search feature as a starting point to help students in their own research.
For more information on timing and applying to summer programs, check out the monthly College Counseling Newsletters, visit the bulletin board outside the College Office, or review the College Admissions Guidebook (page 13).
Summer coursework
Students interested in summer math advancement must include a written request with their fall registration in March of the year before. In order to be approved for advancement, the student needs to have an A or A- at the end of the year in her or his current math course; have approval from the student’s math teacher, advisor, and Dr. White; and must choose a summer course approved by Dr. White. The student then must take the approved summer math course and pass it with a B- or higher. In August, the student must take and pass our math mastery test. In rare circumstances, students may obtain approval to waive a BUA course, such as attempting to advance in the math sequence, over the summer. Additional details may be obtained from Dr. White.
Summer courses or other coursework outside of the academic year curriculum will not be included on a student’s BUA official transcript.
Summer employment
All students under 18 years of age must get a work permit before starting a new job. With very limited exceptions, minors under the age of 14 may not work.
- Download a work permit application (https://www.mass.gov/how-to/how-to-get-a-work-permit)
- You, your employer, your parents, and possibly a doctor will each need to fill out parts of the application.
- Bring the completed application to the superintendent of schools for the town in which you live (not BUA). It is recommended that you call the Department of Labor Hotline at 617-626-6952 to determine which office and/or individual has been designated to issue work permits for your municipality.
Additional resources are available online at mass.gov/dols/youth or by calling the Department of Labor Standards Hotline (617-626-6952) or the MA Attorney General’s Office, Fair Labor Division hotline (617-727-3465).