A Motivating Summer for Teens
Five Towns College’s Pre-College Program gives high schoolers a preview of college life.
Summer can be a tricky time for teens. If they don’t have specific plans, it’s 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’s over and your teen honestly didn’t do much…and it feels like a wasted opportunity.
Until now.
Five Towns College can help Long Island teens stay motivated this summer while giving them a head start on college. And it’s right in their own backyard!
The Five Towns College 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’re attending Five Towns College or not come Fall.
A college preview
For juniors and seniors, there’s 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–10th graders don’t 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—even 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’t find anywhere else on Long Island.
There’s more! This summer, two new music-focused courses—Contemporary Rock Band or Beat Making, Production & Sound Design—will 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. – 11:30 a.m. and afternoon classes: 12:30 p.m. – 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.
“I’m always so impressed that most high school students who come here are very focused; so zero’ed in, ” says Jerry Cohen, Director of Enrollment Initiatives, Five Towns College. “They know exactly what they want to major in and what they want to pursue, career-wise.”
Of course, some students aren’t sure yet, and that’s the beauty of the Pre-College Summer Program; to help them figure out what they want or don’t want.
More than just classes
Teen participants will also find plenty of opportunities to socialize and connect with their peers.
Throughout the six weeks, Five Towns College 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’s sessions end.
These extras add another layer to the experience. Teens aren’t just attending classes, they’re also gaining a glimpse into what college life can be like.
Celebrating student work
The summer concludes with a special social event called “The Sights and Sounds of Summer.” Family and friends visit Five Towns College to check out what students created during their six-week programs. It gives students “bragging rights” 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–and 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’ll 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.
“Over the years, many students have enrolled at Five Towns College after taking summer sessions here,” says Cohen. “One alumna comes to mind; she studied film and audio recording in the summer programs, enrolled at Five Towns College after high school, graduated, and since has worked at News12 and other media outlets.”
He recommends students interested in the summer program to “Give it a chance; try even one course—you might end up loving it.”
Apply today; and make it a summer to remember!
