Planned Program Activities & Free Time
Boston University Summer Term Pre-College Programs offer a true pre-college experience. Along with rigorous academics, our high school programs provide a well-planned and exciting social experience at BU. We want you to spend your time with us figuring out what it means to be a college student. That means learning to balance your academic work with fun events and free time.
To build a strong student community, we plan a variety of mandatory activities. These include group outings in Boston and engaging social events around the BU campus. Activities occur during the afternoon, evenings, and on weekends, depending on the program. These events are an important part of each high school program, and all residential students are required to attend mandatory events.
Our staff is available every step of the way as you immerse yourself in your classes, the dorm, BU’s campus, and the city of Boston to make sure you are fulfilling your potential and getting everything out of your summer experience—academically, socially, and personally.
Attendance and Exceptional Absence Requests
You are allowed to leave campus during your free time. However, you are not permitted to leave campus by yourself—you must be accompanied by at least one other student in your program or by a program assistant. You may not leave the boundaries set by the program within the city of Boston without the permission of your parents and our program. These boundaries will be reviewed with students once they arrive on campus. Our program reserves the right to restrict your access to any part of Boston for security or other concerns.
When you do leave campus, you need to inform a program assistant of your destination and time of return. You must return before any scheduled activity and no later than curfew. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in disciplinary action and possible removal from the program.
If a student needs to leave campus during free time (not during class or a mandatory activity), a parent/guardian must complete a Leave Request Form at least 72 hours, before the student is planning to leave campus and, for weekend requests, by Friday at 3 pm EDT. Requests are not reviewed on nights and weekends. This form will be emailed before the program begins and requires the date, time, purpose of the outing, and the contact information of the approved adult (at least 18 years of age) who will accompany the student. The student may only leave once written approval is received from the Summer Term Pre-College Programs office. The Leave Request Form must also be used to provide permission to attend large gatherings within program boundaries, such as, but not limited to, concerts, sporting events, festivals, etc., even during free time.
If a special family event or emergency arises that may overlap with the program, the student’s parent/guardian must email the Program Manager at summerhs@bu.edu as soon as possible (and at least one week prior to the program start date). These requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and approval will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Do not use the Leave Request Form for these situations as approval must come directly from the Pre-College Programs staff via email. Examples of events that are generally not approved include college tours, athletic recruitment events, standardized tests, birthday parties, academic conferences, weddings, or family vacations/gatherings.
Remember: If the Summer Term Pre-College Programs office authorizes any approved leave, you must return before curfew.
