Question 1

Am I officially enrolled in Summer Search once I receive my acceptance email and letter?

Accepted Answer

Nope! Once you receive your acceptance email and letter you will have a six-week period to try on the program. This period is called enrollment, and it is designed so that you can experience the different components of the Summer Search program before deciding to commit.

During Enrollment, you will need to complete certain steps. You can find those steps on the enrolment page, and your mentor will also go over them with you. Once you have completed the steps you will decide whether Summer Search is the right fit for you. If not, no problem! We respect your decision either way. If it is, you will sign and submit your contracts and have your parent sign and submit their contracts as well.

Question 2

How do I submit my Summer Search contracts?

Accepted Answer

We ask students and their parent or legal guardian to submit the Summer Search contracts via DocuSign. Once you let your mentor know that you want to commit to the program, they will have the contracts sent to the email addresses that you and your parent/legal guardian provided in your application.

You and your parent/legal guardian will each receive separate emails. Once you receive the emails simply review and sign the contracts. Your mentor will receive a notification when you do. If you are having trouble signing the contracts, just let your mentor know, and they will be able to resend them. Be sure to make sure that you provided us with an up to date and accurate email on your application!

Question 3

How am I assigned a mentor?

Accepted Answer

Summer Search Bay Area serves students from San Jose all the way up to Santa Rosa. Summer Search mentors work in certain geographic regions throughout the Bay Area. For example, this means that a mentor who works in San Jose won't be assigned to serve students in Santa Rosa and vice versa.

You will be assigned a mentor that works with students in your geographic region. This enables us to best serve our students since it allows your mentor to meet you in person and to attend Summer Search events with you.

Question 4

What am I supposed to talk about during mentoring calls?

Accepted Answer

Anything you want to! However, we know that is easier said than done, especially when you are just getting to know your mentor. During sophomore year your mentoring calls will largely focus on building a relationship with your mentor, learning about the Summer Search program, and preparing for your first summer experience.

Feel free to bring topics to your calls as well. This might look like get-to-know-you games and questions, curiosity about your first summer experience and the rest of the Summer Search program, and/or anything else you are interested in!

Question 5

What events am I required to attend during sophomore year?

Accepted Answer

During your sophomore year, you will be required to attend the Community Hike and your Send-Off Meeting.

The Community Hike is a chance to meet other Summer Searchers who will be attending the same summer experience, pick-up some of your summer equipment, and to try on hiking with a group. You will also be able to meet older Summer Search students who attended the same summer experience you are going on and ask questions about what it was like.

Your Send-Off Meeting is a time to meet with your mentor before leaving on your summer experience. During this meeting you will receive and try on all of your Summer Search provided gear, make swaps for anything that doesn't fit, go over your travel details with your mentor, and reflect and make goals around what you want to get out of your first summer experience.

Question 6

Do I get to pick my first summer experience?

Accepted Answer

You will be assigned to your first summer experience with Summer Search. However, we do our very best to make sure that we assign you to the experience that is the best fit for you! To do this, we ask students to fill out the Summer Experience Survey sent to you during the enrollment period, and we also ask that you remain in communication with your mentor.

Spaces are limited on our summer experiences. By completing the survey by the deadline and by updating your mentor if anything changes, we are best able to match you with the experience that works for you and/or to make switches to a different program if the need arises.

Question 7

Do I need to fill out a new application for my first summer experience?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Summer Search partners with other outside organizations that are experienced in outdoor safety, facilitation, and leadership for your first summer experience. We do this to make sure that our students have the safest and most meaningful experience that we are able to provide.

However, this means that you will need to fill out a separate application to the program that you are assigned to attend. In order to make sure that we assign you to the program that is the best fit for you, we ask that you fill out your Summer Experience Survey during Enrollment. You can learn more about that process on the Bay Area Summer Experience website.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM BAY AREA

Frequently Asked Questions