great books summer program 2015 brochure

@Oxford. Amherst. Stanford.

2013great books summer program® • exciting sessions for middle and high school students

greatbooksCheck out our

Great Films Program!

2015

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S U M M E R P RO G R A M

On the campuses of Amherst College Stanford University University of Oxford

The exceptional young people who participate in the Great Books

Summer Program experience a special community—one

that values the freedom to express ideas, encourages listening carefully to others, and delights in the discovery of new insights into timeless works of literature. For many of our participants, this is the

first time they’ve come together with like-minded

young people passionate about reading and ideas.

Summer Friendships

Great Books and Big Ideas

Travel Abroad with Us!Join us for our third season at Somerville College at the University of Oxford.

This program is designed with exciting exploration in mind. We utilize this magnificent location at the world’s oldest university near the heart of the English countryside to best advantage. Reading selections will be inspired by our historic surroundings. And they will allow us to investigate Oxford, London, England and a breadth of literature with insight and understanding.

We will spend our mornings taking part in Shared Inquiry discussions and our afternoons exploring all that our surroundings have to offer. Afternoon excursions and day-trips take us out into our historical and literary environs. This is truly a special program—perfect for students who want to broaden their horizons.

For more information about this newest and exciting program, please see pages 12-13 and visit our website.

Great Books and Big Ideas

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• A community of literary-minded, thoughtful young people to explore the challenging questions of literature, both classical and contemporary.

• The intellectual passion of world-class professors through lectures, seminar groups, and informal discussions.

• New friends from around the world who share their passion for literature and ideas.

• One, two, three, or four-week programs based on their grade level.

• Access to outstanding libraries, museums and facilities at three of the finest institutions in the world: Amherst College, Stanford University and University of Oxford.

Discover What Great Books Summer Program Can Offer Your Child…

An Exceptional Summer Experience for Bright Young MindsHow will your child be spending the summer? At the Great Books Summer Program, your child can spend one, two, three or four weeks walking the paths of Amherst College, Stanford University, or the University of Oxford, talking about Plato, Homer, Cervantes, Jefferson, Wolf and Tolstoy. Our mission is to create exciting, warm, and welcoming communities of outstanding young people from across the nation and around the world who love literature and ideas.

Gaining Valuable Thinking Skills in a Prestigious College SettingThe Great Books Summer Program builds on the 40-year success story of the Junior Great Books Program. As a result of completing the Great Books Summer Program your child will:

• Learn how to read and think at a college level—thinking critically for deeper meaning

• Learn how to engage in lively, spirited, yet disciplined discussion

• Gain new powers of perception, critical thinking, and self-expression

• Develop greater confidence with peers and adults

• Launch his or her own lifelong intellectual journey

• Have fun and make great new friends!

Intermediate Program for students entering grades 6-8.

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Senior Program for students entering grades 9-12.

Pages 10-13

See page 14 for ourGreat Films Program

For middle and high school students!

Homer, Plato, Socrates, Emily Dickinson, Cervantes—what an inspiring list of great writers, and what an exciting opportunity for young and old alike to pick up these works and make them new.

And yet, great literature is timeless. The classical heroes are precisely the heroes we seek; the conflicts of our past point to the issues we still struggle with today. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that “What Plato has thought, I can think, and what any saint has felt, I can feel.”

Our approach to sparking dialogue dates back to Plato’s teacher Socrates.

Each morning students gather for two exciting lectures/discussions led by our distinguished faculty from world-class universities and schools. Each lecture/discussion focuses on a short selection of literature that the students have read the night before. The professors use this time to raise big questions like, “What is the good life?” “What do I owe my neighbor?” and “What must we do in the face of injustice?” to provoke thought and close examination of the text at hand.

Following these morning gatherings, the students break into smaller discussion groups, where discussion leaders act as catalysts for the students’ own ideas. The discussion groups are open forums for discussion of the text—the leaders stoke the intellectual fires by asking careful questions, really listening to the students’ answers, and

taking seriously all that they have to say.

This method of teaching by asking questions is at the heart of the Great Books tradition.

Our approach drives students to develop the habits of reflective reading and critical thinking, to recognize their own best thoughts, and to develop their ideas with care. Participants develop an easy ability to get to the key content, to see the big ideas, and to more readily understand the subtleties in literature and in life.

These are wonderful gifts to take back to the classroom, to help prepare for the SAT, and to enhance personal reading, thinking and life!

Teaching by Asking Questions

“Discussions take on a life of their own as students propose, argue, and defend points of view about great literature.”

Michael cannon, huManities & Gifted teacher, el Paso, tX


“I really learned new ways to think about what I read. ”

Sydney, Nashua, NH

Why We’re UniqueThere is nothing quite like Great Books Summer Program in education today. Each summer for the past thirteen years, a carefully selected group of outstanding students has come together at Amherst College, Stanford University, and the University of Oxford. Together with distinguished educators and bright young counselors from top colleges, students enjoy the kind of intellectual experience most can only dream of during the school year. Visiting guests and writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners and other eminent individuals from the worlds of literature, publishing, film, and broadcasting, regularly join us to help create an exciting and memorable community of Great Books and Big Ideas.

Professor Rob Reich leads a discussion at Stanford.

Great Books Summer Program attendees take part in two electives each day to provide an outlet for all that’s being explored and discussed. One elective is focused in the arts and the other in literature. These classes allow the students an opportunity for creative expression while having fun. To begin the process of putting each student in charge of his/her own educational journey with us, they see presentations about the various electives at the start of the week. Students then get to select their classes based on their interests and the course content. Once selections have been made, students work in small groups with highly talented teachers to collaborate and contribute to a week-long project. At the end of the week, arts electives culminate in a final performance, which is always a program highlight.

Arts Electives• In theater, students explore traditional elements of stage

craft and performance technique, such as voice, movement, and prop construction, before creating an original production—perhaps a re-staging of a classic myth, a comedy game show starring famous literary figures, or a unique performance piece from their own writing.

• Writing enthusiasts craft poems, short stories, and critical essays as they explore the campus, the towns,

and the trails around them. Daily exercises refine important technical skills, while allowing plenty of space for creative expression.

• Music is an integral part of campus life, from informal sessions to the organized music elective, where musicians combine their diverse talents to perform everything from an a capella version of a Beatles song to highly theatrical renditions of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Instrumentalists, vocalists, and aspiring composers work together to create an inspiring final concert.

• In the art elective, students can explore different media, including photography, sketching, filmmaking, and sculpture. The remarkable finished pieces form the “opening” of our gala evening.

Literature Exploration Each week our talented staff invites students to participate in a literature elective, where they delve deeply into texts and writing exercises, focusing on a genre or author of particular interest. Past topics include: Franz Kafka’s short stories, Shakespeare’s Monologues, The Metaphysical Poets, Graphic Texts, Monster Literature, and Manifestos! With at least four new electives to choose from each week, there is always something exciting for everyone!

The Joy of Self-Expression

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GBSP Quick Facts Founded: 2002 Alumni: 3300+ Student to staff ratio: 6:1 Seniors per session: 70 Intermediates per session: 50Demographics: Students from 49 states and 28 countriesCountries of origin: Turkey, Croatia, England, Canada, Georgia, Greece, Argentina, Guatemala, France, Monaco, Switzerland, Estonia, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Russia, China, Brazil, Denmark, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, Peru, Portugal, Jordan and USOur students have attended: Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia, Wesleyan, Reed, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago, Bowdoin, Haverford, Oberlin, UVM, Swarthmore, Northeastern, UConn, Stanford and more.Faculty/staff from: Harvard, Amherst, Stanford, Oberlin, University of Chicago, Oxford, Cornell, Berkeley, Columbia, UPenn, UMass and Yale among others.

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Our Renowned EducatorsDr. Peter Temes is an educator, author, and leader in business and organizational innovation. He has taught in the Great Books Program at Columbia University and is past president of the Great Books Foundation. He has also taught at Harvard and Chicago. He is the author of five books, including Against School Reform (and in Praise of Great Teaching).

Ilan Stavans, PhD, is the Lewis-Sebring Professor of Latin American and Latino Cultures at Amherst College. His latest project is Restless Books, an e-book publisher of world literature. He recently translated Pablo Neruda’s All the Odes and Juan Rulfo’s The Plain in Flames. Professor Stavans lectures all over the world and is the recipient of many awards including the Guggenheim Fellowship.

Priya Purohit is a PhD candidate at Indiana University where she studies English and Contemporary Postcolonial Studies. She is also conducting research for IU Bloomington’s Maurer School of Law’s Center for Constitutional Democracy and the Center for the Global Legal Profession, and serving as a writing tutor to middle school students. Priya started with Great Books as a PA and is so excited to be on board as an Academic Director.

Christopher Dreeson is currently on the faculty of Miami Beach Senior High School. He serves a dual role in the English and Humanities departments. Aside from teaching, he plays bass in a rock band, sings with a jazz quintet and tutors students in ACT and SAT preparation. For the last eight years, Christopher has been proud to serve as Academic Director for the Great Books’ Intermediates at Stanford University and Amherst College.


Dr. Rob Reich is Associate Professor of Political Science and Ethics in Society at Stanford University, where he received his MA and PhD. He is the Faculty Director of the Program on Ethics in Society and the faculty co-director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. Before graduate school, he was a sixth grade public school teacher. He has also been the Laurence S. Rockefeller Visiting Fellow in the Center for Human Values at Princeton.

Dr. Chris Bobonich is the CI Lewis Professor of Philosophy at Stanford University, where he received the Dean’s Award for distinguished teaching. Professor Bobonich has a PhD from Berkeley and has taught at the University of Chicago. His main areas of research are Greek Philosophy and the History of Ethics.

Uri S. Cohen, PhD, has recently moved from Columbia University to Tel Aviv University where he teaches Hebrew and Italian literature. He is the author of a novel and a documentary film. Uri has translated prose and theory from Italian and has published on a variety of scholarly topics that range from the prose of Primo Levi to The Hebrew Cultures of War. He considers teaching to be the most important mission of a scholar.

Andrea Lawlor is a fiction writer and teacher at Amherst College. She earned a BA in English at the University of Iowa, a MA in English/Creative Writing at Temple University, and a MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She has taught literature and creative writing at Temple, UMass at Amherst, and at Barnard Pre-College Program.

Noah Rosenblum is pursuing his JD/PhD at Yale Law School and Columbia University, where he studies European and American intellectual history. Before joining GBSP, he was a factotum for the Telluride Association Summer Program at Cornell, and a research fellow with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Noah is the recipient of a 2011 Javits fellowship. A graduate of Deep Springs and Harvard College, he comes from Cambridge, MA.

Michael Obel-Omia is currently Interim Assistant Head of the Cambridge Friends School and has served a number of communities as a teacher, coach, advisor and administrator. Michael has published a number of essays, particularly on NPR, including the This I Believe program. Michael is a recent trustee of Middlebury College. He is an expert on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and often speaks on Dr. King and the civil rights movement.

Steve Volk is Professor of History at Oberlin College where he teaches Latin American history and museum studies and is the founding director of the Center for Teaching Innovation and Excellence. In 2011, he was named U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation. In 2001, he was recognized by the government of Chile for his efforts in helping to restore democracy.

Our Talented Program AssistantsEach summer we bring together a very select group of outstanding college and graduate students through a nationwide talent search for Program Assistants. Counselors are chosen from hundreds of applicants based upon their academic excellence, intellectual enthusiasm, outgoing personality, maturity, and experience in working with younger people.

Our 2014 staff hailed from Harvard, Yale, Amherst, Wesleyan, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, Bowdoin and more. They brought many diverse talents to the program and a shared love of great books. We had Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars, Latin translators, philosophy majors, blossoming novelists, rugby stars, guitarists, debate team members, actors, musicians and artists.

The Program Assistants help facilitate seminar discussions, collaborate with students on their electives, and organize fun indoor and outdoor activities. Each Program Assistant is assigned to a “pod,” a group of 6-8 boys or girls on their dorm floor. PAs lead informal evening discussions in the dorm, assist their students with daily camp life, supervise, and make sure that everyone has a wonderful experience.

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Summer is a time to relax and have fun. It’s a time to enjoy new friends, take advantage of the beautiful Amherst College, Stanford University and Oxford University campuses, and kick off your shoes.

At Great Books Summer Program there are lots of fun activities to choose from every day—playing ball, fountain hopping, jam sessions, swimming, museum visits, hanging with friends, or taking an afternoon hike. Evenings are filled with movies, theater games, mixers, outings, and our special performance night.

Time for FUN!

“It would be easier to describe the PAs

with a string of adjectives: wonderful,

fun, inventive, hilarious, helpful,

understanding, nice, friendly, supportive,

easy to talk to, amusing, and great

in every way!”Emily, Lamoine, ME


One, Two or Three Week Sessions for students entering grades 6-8

AcademicsFor younger students, the Great Books Summer Program is often a time of intellectual awakening and fascination, as their own personal powers of critical thinking and perception blossom. Through stimulating questions and expertly led discussions, young minds learn how to make connections between the themes and scenes of great literature and their own lives and aspirations. We help our students gain confidence and find their own voice to share their ideas. In addition to practicing and developing their language skills, self-expression and reasoning, students develop their ability to listen carefully and consider the views of others. The end result is a more thoughtful young person who is better able to articulate opinions based on textual references, and who possess the confidence to be heard.

CurriculumStudents in the Intermediate Program will read such texts as Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, LeGuin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, Dante’s Inferno, Jorge Luis Borges’ The Aleph, Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron and more. All reading materials are provided to students upon arrival at camp. No advance reading is required; we prefer that students do the reading together on campus. While we are a reading and literature program, we take care to choose selections and excerpts that can be digested during the daily reading period to provide rich content for our lectures and discussion.

Intermediate Program

“I feel free! I can read and write as much as I want without feeling odd about my passion for the written arts.”

Caroline, arlington, Va

Multi-week programsStudents who take part in multi-week programs get to experience two or three times the academics and fun at Great Books. Each week has a different thematic curriculum to engage the students with challenging texts and thought-provoking questions; the longer you stay, the more you learn! Multi-week stays also give students ample time to acclimate and thrive socially. In addition to the enhanced educational and social opportunities afforded by a longer program, students in multi-week programs take part in off-campus excursions on the weekend. Some past excursions have included The Winchester Mystery House, Boston By Foot, The Exploratorium and Fisherman’s Wharf, MASS MoCA and a performance by Shakespeare and Company.

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Fun and Social InteractionAt Great Books, we are committed to providing a fun and engaging environment. There is plenty of opportunity each day for students to interact with each other outside their classes where they can play field games, take a supervised trip to explore the campus and nearby shops, swim in the pool or go fountain hopping. We understand that even the most intellectually curious students need time to play and make friends, so we make certain that there is time each evening for social events. Some activities that our students take part in are theater games, pod trivia night, a dance and the final day art elective performances. While some students come with a friend, the vast majority come alone, so we make sure to help them make connections with other students that lead to great camp friendships.

CommunityStudents in the Intermediate Program are housed by age and gender within our dormitories. They are assigned to pods which are comprised of 6-8 students along with one college-aged Program Assistant. These counselors live on the hall with the students and are involved in every aspect of the student’s day. They escort them to classes, meals and activities. They facilitate the reading and initial comprehension of the texts for lecture, and they provide an adult presence to help the students transition to their time on campus.

Apply online now!www.GreatBooksSummer.com

A Typical Day 8:30 a.m. Breakfast9:15 a.m. Lecture/Discussion: The Odyssey10:00 a.m. Snack Break10:15 a.m. Lecture: Harrison Bergeron 11:15 a.m. Discussion12:15 p.m. Lunch1:00 p.m. Free Time/Pool Time2:30 p.m. Literature Elective (Utopia, Plato, Short stories, etc.)3:30 p.m. Creative Elective (art, music, theater and creative writing)5:30 p.m. Dinner6:15 p.m. Reading Time7:00 p.m. Ice Cream Social7:30 p.m. Trivia Night9:30 p.m. Pod Reading

www.GreatBooksSummer.com

Senior Program

One, Two, Three, or Four Week Sessions for students entering grades 9-12

AcademicsThe Great Books Summer Program will be a positive academic influence on your child. The senior sessions provide participants from wide-ranging backgrounds the opportunity to help each other hone their creative instincts and intellectual risk-taking. Advanced reading selections and greater peer-to-peer interaction lead to exciting discussions and debates. Students take command of their own deep thinking and powers of expression. The entire program delivers the best possible preparation for the SAT critical reading section. Senior program attendees also meet with college professors and students from top universities to discuss college choices and experiences. Successfully completing a program of this caliber is an honor to note on college applications. Each student will receive a Certificate of Completion. In addition, an individual evaluation will be sent to the student to provide insight into his or her personal and academic accomplishments.

CurriculumStudents in the Senior Program will read such texts as Seneca’s On the Happy Life, Emerson’s Nature, Homer’s The Odyssey, Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, Borges’ Everything and Nothing and more. All reading materials are provided to students upon arrival at camp. No advance reading is required; we prefer that students do the reading together on campus. While we are a reading and literature program, we take care to choose selections and excerpts that can be digested during the daily reading period to provide rich content for our lectures and discussion.

Fun and Social InteractionAt Great Books, we are committed to providing a fun and engaging environment. There is plenty of opportunity each day for students to interact with each other outside their classes where they can play field games, take a supervised trip to explore the campus and nearby shops, swim in the pool or go fountain hopping. We understand that even the most intellectually curious students need time to have fun and make friends, so we make certain that there is time every evening for social events. Some activities that our students take part in are theater games, pod trivia night, a dance and the final day art elective performances. While some students come with a friend, the vast majority come alone, so we make sure to help them make connections with other students that lead to great camp friendships.

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CommunityStudents in the Senior Program are housed by age and gender within our dormitories. They are assigned to pods which are comprised of 6-8 students along with one college-aged Program Assistant. These counselors live on the hall with the students and are involved in all aspects of the student’s day. While the students are allowed a sense of independence, counselors are present at all activities. Academically, Program Assistants facilitate the reading and initial approach to the texts for lecture, and they provide an adult presence to help the students transition to their time on campus. Socially, they help students connect with each other and to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the program and on campus.

Multi-week programsStudents who take part in multi-week programs get to experience two, three or four times the academics and fun at Great Books. Each week has a different thematic curriculum to engage the students with challenging texts and thought-provoking questions; the longer you stay, the more you learn! Multi-week stays also give students ample time to acclimate and thrive socially. In addition to the enhanced educational and social opportunities afforded by a longer program, students in multi-week programs take part in off-campus excursions on the weekend. Some past excursions have included The Winchester Mystery House, Boston By Foot, The Exploratorium and Fisherman’s Wharf, MASS MoCA and a performance by Shakespeare and Company.

International StudentsEvery year students from across the US and around the world attend the Great Books Summer Program. We work with international students to ease their planning and make the most of their Great Books experience. If you are outside the US, please contact us at: [email protected] or call us at +1-203-612-9470

“The program was a thrill ride. I was having too much fun to see just how much I really learned.”

Alec, Wayzata, MN

A Typical Day 8:30 a.m. Breakfast9:15 a.m. Lecture/Discussion: Civil Disobedience10:00 a.m. Snack Break10:15 a.m. Lecture: The Metamorphosis11:15 a.m. Discussion12:15 p.m. Lunch1:00 p.m. Literature Elective (Chekhov, Kafka, Plato)2:00 p.m. Creative Elective (art, music, theater and creative writing)4:00 p.m. Free Time/Pool Time 5:30 p.m. Dinner6:15 p.m. Reading Time7:00 p.m. Ice Cream Social or visiting author7:30 p.m. Dance9:30 p.m. Pod Reading

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Warwick Castlewww.GreatBooksSummer.com 12

Cotswolds

Roman Baths Museums

Let’s go abroad:Tower of London

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Great Books is delighted to be going back to Oxford. This little gem of our summer offerings has an intentionally smaller student body, striking the perfect balance between outstanding academics and exciting excursions. We spend our mornings taking part in Shared Inquiry lectures and discussion, and our afternoons exploring points of interest. We take advantage of our location to create a curriculum that includes English literature and features visits from Oxford dons, authors, and other luminaries. Even our PAs (counselors) include Rhodes Scholars. Our afternoon and day-long excursions throughout the two weeks allow us to have a truly varied and exciting experience of England. Students see the different colleges that comprise Oxford, including Christ Church and New College, which were featured in the Harry Potter movies. We visit local museums, spend a day in London including a ride on the London Eye, experience the Roman Baths in Bath, and go to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see Shakespeare performed at the Swan Theater in the village where he was born and raised. In addition to that, we also explore at least one castle, spend a lovely afternoon having a traditional tea, and so much more.This two-week program is open to students in the Senior Program. Upon registration for the program, you will receive information regarding group travel and more details about the itinerary.

Great Books at the University of Oxford!July 19th-August 1st

Let’s go abroad:

Parliament & Big Ben

OxfordChrist Church

Royal Shakespeare Company

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• Sample life at university under the watchful eye of our Program Assistants

• Gain insight to aid you in seeking a fit for your college selection

• Live in dormitories and experience the communal nature of college life

• Engage in the lively exploration of timeless philosophical questions with professors and like-minded peers

Experience life on a college campus

Amherst Campus Only July 26 – August 1

Works as a stand alone program or can be added to an existing

week of camp!

Great Books goes

to the Movies!

Great Films takes the Shared Inquiry method and applies it

to the realm of film.

Great Films

This is a perfect program for both new students and Great Books veterans who are interested in movies and looking to expand their critical thinking skills.

Since the beginning of cinema, audiences have been captivated by this visual method of storytelling. Just like a book, movies can be viewed and analyzed at a deeper level that rewards close attention to detail.

The theme for this summer is “The City,” and our films will explore the urban community, the individuals that exist within them and how they are shaped by the city. Our films will lead to discussions of citizenship, belonging, and exclusion against a backdrop of communities—from families to social circles to market society—that comprise the city landscape.

In addition to exploring large thematic ideas, we will also introduce students to the methodology and terminology used in talking about film and provide them with the fundamentals of film analysis.

Come spend a week watching important movies and exploring cinema as a source of big ideas.

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Amherst College Amherst, MassachusettsAmherst College, founded in 1821, is widely regarded as one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the world. Located in Western Massachusetts, close to the beautiful Berkshires, Amherst draws students from nearly every state and more than 40 countries. With an endowment of more than $1 billion, Amherst’s academic and athletic facilities, including the Mead Art Museum and Robert Frost Library, are among the best in the nation. Hiking and biking trails wind through the college’s scenic 1,000-acre campus.

Stanford University Palo Alto, CaliforniaWith its palm trees, breathtaking views of the Santa Cruz mountains, Spanish architecture and sunny 70-degree days, Stanford University is an idyllic setting for the Great Books Summer Program. The 8,000-acre campus is one of the most beautiful in the country, offering room to explore as well as carefully crafted residential and academic spaces for study and comfortable California living. Stanford University opened its doors in 1891 and has been one of the finest and most highly-regarded American universities ever since.

Somerville College of Oxford University Oxford, EnglandSomerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Oxford was the first university in the English-speaking world, begun around 1096. Founded in 1879, Somerville is a relatively newer college among the 38 which make up Oxford. Its alumnae include two prime ministers, Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher, and Nobel Prize winner Dorothy Hodgkin. Somerville is situated close to the city centre and bordered by the vibrant neighborhoods of Little Clarendon Street and Jericho.

Three of the Finest Campuses

The program is independent of Amherst College, Stanford University and University of Oxford. All names are trademarks of their respective owners.


Supervision & Safety Trained and experienced Program Assistants (PAs) supervise students for their entire stay and are each assigned to lead a “pod” usually made up of 6-8 students. In addition, adult faculty and staff members reside in the dorms and are present at discussions, meals, and activities throughout the day. All students are required to stay within the safety of the supervised group and to observe pertinent rules concerning free time. All employees of Great Books Summer Program must clear a rigorous personal background check.

Medical CarePrescriptions and over-the-counter treatments for pain and minor discomfort will be administered by our adult staff with a signed parental permission notice. Amherst College, Oxford University and Stanford University have on-campus health facilities or community-based physicians who are on-call for participants in the Great Books Summer Program. A completed medical form is required to attend.

AccommodationsStudents are ordinarily assigned to single or double rooms in the dormitories of Amherst College, Stanford University and Oxford University. Boys and girls are separated by floors or wings, and in some cases by buildings. Most of our students come to the program by themselves, but if there is a request for a friend or sibling roommate we will do our best to meet it.

MealsMost of our meals are provided by the college dining services. They offer a wide selection of nutritious foods and beverages and can accommodate special dietary concerns if we are notified in advance. During the sessions, we often have outdoor barbecues, picnics and ice cream sundae parties. Snacks and water coolers are provided in the dorms.

Registration FeeAll applicants incur a non-refundable $200 registration fee payable with their tuition deposit.

MaterialsThere is a materials fee of $225 for one-week students, $275 for two-week students, $325 for three-week students, or $375 for

four-week students. Materials include digital reading anthologies, books, notebook, t-shirt, book bag, water bottle and all other necessary supplies. Students receive their books and all other materials when they arrive on campus. No advance reading is required. Reading selections are generally brief, with a majority of the time spent on discussions, activities, and group projects. Students should come ready to have an unforgettable experience!

Airport TransportationFor Amherst and Stanford, we can arrange transportation to and from the airport for students traveling alone. A staff member will meet the flight and accompany our students on a shuttle van to or from campus. Airport transportation service costs $85 each way. Students traveling by air should use Bradley (Hartford) Airport for Amherst and San Francisco airport for Stanford. Students who apply to our Oxford program will receive information about travel upon registration.

Excursions The weekend excursion fee is $175 for a two-week session, $350 for a three-week session and $525 for a four-week session for all students attending Amherst or Stanford. Students attending our Oxford program will have an excursion fee of $600 to cover the weekend trip as well as weekday adventures. The fees cover all travel, admission, and meals.

LaundryCoin-operated laundry facilities are in each of the dormitories. Multi-week sessions will include a break for students needing to use the laundry. Program Assistants are available to accompany or help students.

Communicating Parents are encouraged to write or email their children. Students are allowed to bring cell phones, but we ask that phone calls be kept to a minimum and during specified times only. All phones must be turned off during classes and activities. For all middle school students we ask that electronice devices be turned in at lights off. Emergency contact numbers will be provided at registration.

Essential Information

“I love it here and am always sad to leave.”

Kate, White Plains, NY

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AdmissionAdmission to the Great Books Summer Program is open to all students entering grades 6-8 and 9-12 who complete the application and whose application is supported by a teacher (or counselor, principal, or head of school). If your child has already been nominated by a teacher, please submit the application in this packet along with the teacher’s Nomination Form.If your child has not yet been nominated, we have streamlined the recommendation process for your convenience. Simply send in the application, filling in the nomination information with the email address and phone number of the nominator. We will seek a recommendation on your child’s behalf. We strongly suggest that applications be sent in as early as possible to reserve your spot for summer 2015. Acceptance to the program may be granted or denied at the sole discretion of the program administrators.

Tuition Tuition includes all instruction and supervision, three meals per day with snacks provided, and housing. There is a $200 registration fee per student. Materials FeeThere is a materials fee of $225 for the one-week session, $275 for the two-week session, $325 for the three-week session, and $375 for the four-week session. Excursion FeeThere is a $175 fee per weekend excursion for multi-week students. Students attending our Oxford

program will have an excursion fee of $600 to cover the weekend trip as well as some weekday adventures. All transportation, meals, tickets, and organized events, other than spending money, are included in the excursion fee. Transportation FeeArrangements for airport transportation can be made for an additional charge of $85 each way. International Student FeeStudents arriving from outside the US will incur a $125 processing fee. Discounts Sibling Discount If two or more siblings attend, each sibling receives a savings of $100 on tuition.Referral Discount For each first time attendee you refer for the 2015 Great Books season, you will receive a $100 savings on your tuition.

Financial Aid Limited financial aid may be available in certain circumstances based upon demonstrated need. To request financial aid information, you can download forms from our website or contact us via email at [email protected]. Financial aid forms along with a student application are due by April 24, 2015. To contribute to the scholarship fund visit: www.openbooksfoundation.org

Payment Schedule

Application Deposit: $400 which includes the $200 registration fee due with applicationRefund Policy: Payments for tuition and fees are refundable until April 3, 2015. The registration fee in non refundable. Cancellations received after April 3, 2015 forfeit full tuition and all fees. Cancellation requests must be made in writing and refund eligibility will be determined by postmark or email date.Final payment is due: May 1, 2015.

“From the first day at Great Books, I felt fully welcomed and engaged. The discussions taught me to analyze literature on a higher level, the people taught me not to judge, and the electives taught me to try new things. I had an amazing time!”Jackie, Stamford, CT

Tuition & Schedule Campus Length Tuition Dates

Stanford University One week $1995 June 21 – June 27 One week $1995 June 28 – July 4 One week $1995 July 5 – July 11 Two week $3790 June 21 – July 4 Two week $3790 June 28 – July 11 Three week $5535 June 21 – July 11

Intermediate Program | entering grades 6-8 in September 2015

Tuition at Stanford reflects higher cost of room and board.


Campus Length Tuition Dates

Amherst College One week $1825 June 28 – July 4 One week $1825 July 5 – July 11 One week $1825 July 12 – July 18 One week $1825 July 19 – July 25 Two week $3450 June 28 – July 11 Two week $3450 July 5 – July 18 Two week $3450 July 12 – July 25 Three week $4995 June 28 – July 18 Three week $4995 July 5 – July 25


Stanford University One week $1995 June 21 – June 27 One week $1995 June 28 – July 4 One week $1995 July 5 – July 11 Two week $3790 June 21 – July 4 Two week $3790 June 28 – July 11 Three week $5535 June 21 – July 11

Senior Program | entering grades 9-12 in September 2015

Tuition at Stanford reflects higher cost of room and board.


Amherst College One week $1825 June 28 – July 4 One week $1825 July 5 – July 11 One week $1825 July 12 – July 18 One week $1825 July 19 – July 25 One week $1825 July 26 – Aug 1 Two week $3450 June 28 – July 11 Two week $3450 July 5 – July 18 Two week $3450 July 12 – July 25 Two week $3450 July 19 – Aug 1 Three week $4995 June 28 – July 18 Three week $4995 July 5 – July 25 Three week $4995 July 12 – Aug 1 Four week $6450 June 28 – July 25 Four week $6450 July 5 – Aug 1


Oxford University Two week $4600 July 19-Aug 1

Great Films Program

Amherst College One week $1825 July 26-Aug 1


Toll-free 1-866-480-732319

Student Information (all information is required)Name ___________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________ State________ Zip ______________Student Email ____________________________________ Cell Phone ______________ Gender: Male Female Date of Birth: _____________ Grade (as of Jan. 15) ______ (circle one) (Month/ Day /Year)

How did you hear about us? _________________________________________________

Family InformationMother’s Name ________________________ Home Phone _______________________ Address (if different from student’s) _____________________ Cell Phone ____________ Mother’s Email _________________________Work Phone _______________________Father’s Name __________________________ Home Phone ______________________Address (if different from student’s) _____________________ Cell Phone ____________ Father’s Email __________________________ Work Phone______________________

Reserve your space today!Please mail this completed application along with your $400 tuition deposit which includes the $200 registration fee to: Great Books Summer Program, PO Box 743, Fairfield, CT 06824, or fax it to 1-203-255-0675. You will receive a confirmation within two weeks of receipt.

Application Form

Please choose one: I am enclosing a completed Nomination Form from my teacher

(or counselor, principal, or head of school). I would like a representative of Great Books Summer Program to contact

my teacher to obtain a recommendation on my behalf.

Student Nomination Information

School Name _______________________________________________________School Address _____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ School Phone ______________________________________________________Teacher/Counselor/Principal to contact __________________________________Nominator’s Title ___________________________________________________Nominator’s Email __________________________________________________

great

S U M M E R P RO G R A M

books

Apply now for Summer 2015! Please complete the application below or apply online at www.GreatBooksSummer.com

Payment InformationPlease accept my application deposit of $400 which includes the $200 registration fee for the session indicated above.

I enclose check #________________ in the amount of $_________________ (please make payable to Great Books Summer Program)

I prefer to charge my credit card in the amount of $________ VISA MASTERCARD

I authorize GBSP to charge the balance automatically on April 24, 2015Card # __________________________________________________________

Cardholder’s Name _______________________________________________ (as it appears on card)

Expiration Date (mm/yy)___________________CVV2 Code _______________ Signature ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

➤ Registration Fee $200 for each student➤ Materials Fee $225/one week, $275/two week, $325/three week, $375/four week➤ Excursion Fee $175/two week ($600 for Oxford), $350/three week, $525/four week➤ Transportation Fee $85 each way (optional; if you wish to be met at or taken to the airport)

➤ International Fee $125 for each student arriving from outside the USA

Additional Fee Schedule

Please Enroll my child in the following session (see page 18 for offerings):Choose your campus Stanford Amherst OxfordChoose your program Intermediate Senior Senior—Great FilmsChoose your length of stay One week Two weeks Three weeks Four weeksChoose your start date June 21 June 28 July 5 July 12 July 19 July 26

Tuition InformationThe Application Deposit will be applied to your child’s total Tuition Fee. The tuition balance is due by May 1, 2015. Registrations received after May 1st require full payment.

The application deadline is May 1, 2015.Late applications may be accepted at the sole

discretion of the program administrators. To be sure you get the session you want, apply online now!

Outside the US call +1-203-612-9470


Peter Hedges Peter Hedges has written: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, An Ocean in Iowa and The Heights. He was nominated for an Academy Award for both What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and his work on the adapted screenplay for About a Boy.

Chris Columbus Screenwriter, producer and director. His directorial work includes Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Rent and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Doris Kearns Goodwin Doris is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and author of the bestseller, Team of Rivals. Her newest book is The Bully Pulpit. She is also a world-renowned presidential historian and baseball fanatic.

Joe Ellis Pulitzer Prize winner for Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation, Joe Ellis has also been honored with the National Book Award. GBSP offers a scholarship each summer in recognition of Dr. Ellis’ years of support of our program.

Jodi Picoult Highly prolific author who was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003. She currently has 40 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

Exciting News! Special guests invited to lead Summer 2015 discussions.Watch our website for more details and announcements: www.GreatBooksSummer.com!Here are some guests who have visited the Great Books Summer Program:

Apply online at: www.GreatBooksSummer.com or call toll-free at 1-866-480-7323

The information contained herein is accurate at the time of printing. We reserve the right to change any part of the program. In limited cases, financial aid might be available to help with the cost of attendance. Please call for details. This program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin or disability. Admission to the program is limited and shall be granted or denied at the sole discretion of the program administrators. The program is independent of Amherst College, Stanford University and Oxford University. All names are trademarks of their respective owners. ©2014 Great Books Summer Program. Images of Amherst College courtesy of Amherst College Public Affairs office. Images of Stanford University courtesy of Stanford University News Service Library.

“Each summer, students ages 12 to 17 gather against the idyllic backdrop of either Stanford University or Amherst College. They attend lectures, participate in discussions, eat meals, and live together as a community of precocious thinkers.”

EMILY ESFAHANI SMITH, The Wall Street Journal

Great Books Summer Program featured in The Wall Street Journal!

Authors & Filmmakers inMeet World-Class 2015

great books summer program 2015 brochure

Documents

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exciting program

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