Academics
Summer Courses and Camps

Current Student Courses - Rising 10th-12th Grades

Registration for Summer 2025 is OPEN for most courses, workshops, and programs.  Some courses with department approval have specific opening dates that will be communicated from the applicable department.

Current Student Credited and Co-Curricular Summer Programs
We offer a number of different academic learning opportunities, college application supports, and leadership development workshops for our current Saint Ignatius students looking to advance their skills and prepare for the future.  Details about each of the offerings are included in the specific program descriptions.

Academic Coursework 
Math Advancement
Saint Ignatius students who are rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors may be eligible for one of the Math Advancement Summer Courses (Algebra II/Trigonometry Survey or PreCalculus Survey) by recommendation from the Math Department.  Please contact Ms. Sheila Walsh (sheila.walsh@ignatius.org) with any questions about the Math Advancement Program.

AP Biology Prep
Saint Ignatius students who are rising juniors may be eligible for AP Biology Prep by recommendation from the Science Department.  Please contact Mr. Matt Dowling, (matthew.dowling@ignatius.org) with any questions about advancement into AP Biology.

Major Authors Seminar: Jane Austen; Great Cities; On Holy Ground
Students who are going into their junior or senior year at Saint Ignatius College Prep are invited to consider taking one of our new summer credit-earning courses to fulfill one semester of credit in English, Social Studies, or Theology.  The Major Authors Seminar: Jane Austen fulfills one semester of an English elective and meets throughout the month of June at Saint Ignatius College Prep.  Great Cities is a Social Studies elective that includes traveling to a few great North American cities (Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, and Chicago) as a part of the coursework.  On Holy Ground is a Theology course that includes a formative travel experience to the deserts of the American southwest in Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Grand Canyon National Parks.  On Holy Ground fulfills one semester of senior Theology credit and completes the student's senior retreat requirement.

Co-Curricular, Enrichment, and Leadership Programs
Any current Saint Ignatius student from incoming freshmen through rising seniors are welcome to take the Introduction to Python course in June.  Any Saint Ignatius student who is entering junior or senior year is eligible to enroll in the SILS Leadership Seminar, ACT Preparation course, or Personal Finance Bootcamp.  Writing the College Essay courses and College Application Workshops are open to rising seniors.  

Students who need to remediate a failing grade should work with his/her School Counselor and the Assistant Prefect of Studies, Maura Maloney (maura.maloney@ignatius.org), to coordinate a remediation plan.

For questions regarding financial assistance, please contact tuition@ignatius.org

List of 12 items.

  • ACT Preparation

    Saint Ignatius, in partnership with Academic Approach, is offering three-week ACT preparation courses for Saint Ignatius students. Each student will receive highly customized classroom teaching from expert tutors. Twenty-four hours of classroom instruction and three diagnostic tests are included. There are twenty seats available in each class and a minimum of ten students are required to run a class. 

    The three-week ACT course will  be available in Summer 2025 with dates TBD.

    Where: Classroom in main school building (TBD)
    Cost: $749 (Financial aid is available. Contact Mr. Schmidt with questions.)

    REGISTRATION FOR THE ACT PREPARATION COURSE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN APRIL THROUGH A HYPERLINK ON THE WOLFPACK POST UNDER THE COLLEGE COUNSELING SECTION. QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MR. KURT V. SCHMIDT, DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING AT 312-432-8352.
  • Algebra II/Trigonometry Survey

    ENROLLMENT IN THIS MATH COURSE IS BY RECOMMENDATION ONLY

    If you have questions, contact Ms. Sheila Walsh (sheila.walsh@ignatius.org).

    This is a summer school option that allows eligible students to take Algebra II/Trigonometry during the entire month of June and advance into PreCalculus the following school year.  Algebra II/Trig Survey covers an entire year of Algebra II. Students will be expected to complete asynchronous online modules prior to the in-person course. During the month of June, students will attend class in person for 3 hours a day and need to complete additional assignments outside of class.  This class provides an opportunity for acceleration for students who have completed a Geometry course and want to take Calculus in their junior or senior year.  This is a non-credit advancement course.  Students must earn a minimum grade of a B in order to qualify for advancement into PreCalculus.

    Students are encouraged to speak with their current math teacher or counselor as they plan their classes for next year.  Specific details of this course can be found in the Curriculum Guide on Blackbaud.  

    Approval from the Mathematics Department is required for all enrollees.

    Dates: June 2 - June 27 (No class on June 19), 2025
    Times: 8:00 am - 11:00 am OR 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Cost: $650
  • AP Biology Prep

    This four week course will be offered online or in-person and is a non-credit advancement opportunity for students wanting to take AP Biology in their junior year.  This course is by recommendation of the Science Department.

    Dates: June 2 - June 27 (No Class on June 19), 2025
    Times: 9:00 am - 11:00 am OR 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
    Cost: $550 in person; $400 online
  • College Application Workshop

    Rising seniors are invited to join College Counseling in a summer workshop that will help students complete the Common Application, build an activities list, and effectively navigate Naviance. We will also spend time brainstorming essay approaches and unpacking how an application is read from the perspective of a College Admissions Officer.  College Counseling is hosting three separate workshop sessions listed below.  For all of these workshop dates, a student who is interested may take the Writing the College Essay in the morning during the same week as their College Application Workshop.

    Dates:
    Tuesday, June 10 - Thursday, June 12
    Tuesday, July 29 - Thursday, July 31
    Tuesday, August 5 - Thursday, August 7

    Time: 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

    Cost: $40
  • English: Major Authors Seminar - Jane Austen

    This credit-earning English course is open to all rising Seniors and rising Juniors, pending space and Departmental approval.  It fulfills one semester of an English elective requirement and is a graded course that will be included in the student’s transcript and calculated into the student’s GPA.  This course is offered for College Prep or Honors credit pending the student’s completion of the Honors work.  During the school year, students must minimally enroll in at least five courses at any given time and all students must be sure to complete the English graduation requirements.  Enrollment is capped at 20 students.

    The Major Author Seminar is intended to give students the time and space necessary to take a deep-dive into the creative works of one specific author — Jane Austen. Through a survey of some of her most popular works, excerpts from several of her other texts including her adolescent writings, and intentional, critical viewing of multiple adaptations of these works (generally in film), this course seeks to convey how an author’s voice can shift over time in reaction to particular personal and historical contexts. The course will incorporate particular focus on secondary sources of literary criticism and the way in which these sources can supplement and expand a student’s own arguments. The course is designed around the following units: (1) Introduction to Jane Austen and Adaptation; (2) Sense & Sensibility; (3) Mansfield Park and; (4) Self-Selected Text – Persuasion OR Northanger Abbey.

    The enrollment deadline for this course is March 15, 2025.

    For questions regarding Tuition Assistance, please contact tuition@ignatius.org.  For questions regarding the course logistics, please contact Ali Meehan, alicia.meehan@ignatius.org.

    Dates:
    Coursework at Saint Ignatius College Prep: June 2 - June 27, 2025

    Time: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. daily

    Cost: $650
  • Introduction to Python

    This non-credit enrichment course is designed to provide Saint Ignatius College Prep students entering 9th through 12th grades with an introduction to programming using Python. The course will provide basic instruction for beginners and will guide learners through skills culminating in a final project. A foundation in Python is invaluable for students who might be interested in a variety of career paths in growing industries. The goal of this class is to introduce students to programming so that they can pursue our more advanced classes during the school year in Computer Science with confidence and excitement.  The class is capped at 20 students.

    Location: IHMC Computer Lab

    Dates: Monday, June 9 - Friday, June 27 (No June 19)
    Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am
    Cost: $300
  • Personal Finance Boot Camp

    The Wolfpack Personal Finance Boot Camp is intended to provide students entering their junior or senior year with a basic understanding of key economic transactions.  The course will be hands-on and will provide students with an understanding of the fundamentals of budgeting, the use of credit, legal issues related to landlord-tenant relationships, and getting, keeping and succeeding in the workplace (including an understanding of taxes, benefits and workplace culture).  The goal of the course is to provide students with tools for managing the next steps in their personal, academic and professional lives.

    Dates: 
    Monday, June 2 - Friday, June 6
    Monday, June 9 - Friday, June 13

    Time: 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

    Cost: $40
  • Precalculus Survey

    ENROLLMENT IN THIS MATH COURSE IS BY RECOMMENDATION ONLY

    If you have questions, contact Ms. Sheila Walsh (sheila.walsh@ignatius.org).

    This four week June session course covers the prerequisite content from PreCalculus in order to be prepared to take Calculus in the fall. The course is intended for students who perform at an A- level (or better) in College Prep Algebra II/Trigonometry or who perform at a B+ level (or better) in Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry. Students who complete this summer survey course with a B or better will enroll in College Calculus (MA 550) in the fall and will earn a grade of “Pass” for PreCalculus. Students who finish with an A or better can enroll in AP Calculus AB (MA 549) in the fall. The grade earned from this survey class will determine placement, but it will not factor into the student’s overall GPA. Approval from the Mathematics Department is required for all enrollees.

    Dates: June 2 - June 27 (No Class on June 19), 2025
    Time: 8:00 am - 11:00 am
    Cost: $650
  • SILS: Student Ignatian Leadership Seminar

    The Student Ignatian Leadership Seminar (SILS) is back!

    SILS is an overnight seminar for building leadership skills with hands-on experiences and community building. Part of this robust leadership development experience takes place at the Go Ape high ropes course and students will stay overnight at the Carmelite Retreat House in Darien. This summer's cohort class is limited to 40 students who are entering sophomore, junior, or senior year at Saint Ignatius College Prep. SILS certification is a significant factor if you wish to hold leadership positions at Saint Ignatius College Prep in the future.

    Dates: Monday, August 4 - Tuesday, August 5; OVERNIGHT seminar
    Times: Departure and return times TBD

    Cost: $225

    Tuition Assistance is available.  Please email tuition@ignatius.org for more information.
  • Social Studies: Great Cities

    This credit-earning Social Studies course and travel experience is open to rising Seniors and rising Juniors, if space allows.  It fulfills one semester of a Social Studies elective requirement and is a graded course that will be included in the student’s transcript and calculated into the student’s GPA.  This course is offered for College Prep or Honors credit pending the student’s completion of the Honors work.  During the school year, students must minimally enroll in at least five courses at any given time and all students must be sure to complete the Social Studies graduation requirements.  Enrollment is capped at 16 students.

    Great Cities is a comparative course exploring the history, development and human geography of major urban areas.  Avenues of inquiry include migration/immigration; processes of urban development; density, land use and infrastructure; and urban challenges, sustainability and redevelopment.  Students will travel to and complete field work in each of this summer’s highlighted cities.

    In the inaugural year of this Social Studies summer course, Great Cities will travel to Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, and Chicago.

    The cost of the course includes tuition, travel to, from, and within the cities, accommodations, all breakfasts, 2-3 dinners, and entry fees/tickets for planned activities.  

    Students participating in this course must have a current United States passport.  Passport verification is required no later than March 15, 2025.

    The enrollment deadline for this course is February 15, 2025.

    For questions regarding Tuition Assistance, please contact tuition@ignatius.org.  For questions regarding the course or travel logistics, please contact Hallie Fahey, hallie.fahey@ignatius.org and Matt Miller, matthew.miller@ignatius.org.

    Dates/Times:
    Coursework at Saint Ignatius College Prep: June 2 - June 13, 2025 AND June 24 - June 27, 2025
    9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. daily

    Travel: June 16 - June 23, 2025

    Cost: $3000
  • Theology: On Holy Ground

    This credit-earning Theology course and travel experience is open to rising Seniors and fulfills the senior one semester Theology elective requirement.  It is a graded course that will be included in the student's transcript and calculated into the student's GPA. This course also counts as the student's senior retreat requirement. During the school year, students must minimally enroll in at least five courses at any given time and all students must take the senior World Religions semester course during the school year. If a student chooses, they may still enroll in a Theology elective and/or attend another senior retreat during the school year in addition to this Theology elective credit.  Enrollment is capped at 15 students.

    On Holy Ground: Catholic Spirituality and God's Creation seeks to connect the traditional Catholic spiritual practices of prayer and contemplation with experiences of the beauty of God’s creation. Students will be prompted to consider the beauty of the natural world as reflections of God’s own beauty and goodness. The course will emphasize the experience of wonder and awe as an experiential gateway to Catholic spirituality and theology. Students will be prompted to critically examine the challenges of developing a rich spiritual life in a continually advancing consumerist and technologically centered society. Students will be introduced to an incarnational spirituality that seeks to find God’s presence in the natural order. The course will center on classical and contemporary works of Christian spirituality and theology. The course will culminate in a formative camping and hiking trip in which students will experience the country’s most beautiful and awe-inspiring landscapes.

    The Summer 2025 course will aim to incorporate the theme of Desert Spirituality exemplified by early Christian figures such as Anthony of Egypt.  The course will culminate with an 8 day hiking and camping trip to the American Southwest, including visits to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

    The cost of the course includes tuition, airfare, transportation during the trip, tents, most meals, and entry fees/tickets for planned activities.

    The enrollment deadline for this course is March 15, 2025.

    For questions regarding Tuition Assistance, please contact tuition@ignatius.org.  For questions regarding the course or travel logistics, please contact Tom Weiler, tom.weiler@ignatius.org.   

    Dates/Times:
    Coursework at Saint Ignatius College Prep: June 2 - June 18, 2025
    8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. daily

    Travel: June 19 - June 27, 2025

    Cost: $2250
  • Writing the College Essay

    This one-week workshop is designed to help students write their main college application essay and draft a supplemental essay.  The workshop includes brainstorming, pre-writing, drafting, and revising essays.  Students must obtain the book "College Essay Essentials" by Ethan Sawyer prior to class and bring it for class as a reference.

    Dates:
    Monday, June 9 - Friday, June 13
    Monday, June 23 - Friday, June 27
    Monday, July 28 - Friday, August 1
    Monday, August 4 - Friday, August 8

    Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am daily

    Cost: $150

Saint Ignatius College Prep

Saint Ignatius College Prep, a Jesuit Catholic school in the heart of Chicago, is a diverse community dedicated to educating young men and women for lives of faith, love, service and leadership.