The Advanced Studies Program (ASP) at St. Paul’s School is a five-week-long summer program in Concord, N.H. that aims to prepare students for college through enriching educational experiences. Hollis Brookline High School (HBHS) senior Chloe Gisetto participated in ASP last summer after getting the opportunity to apply because of her academic performance and achievements. 

ASP allows students to select a main course that will be the focus of their studies. There is a wide variety of available courses including Astronomy, Ecology, Law & Governance and Forbidden Fiction. Due to her academic interests, Gisetto chose Forbidden Fiction as her course during ASP. “My favorite subject is English because I love reading and analyzing literature. I plan to go forward with this subject in college as I hope to major in English,” she said. 

The Forbidden Fiction course allows students to read banned books. Many of the book’s contents deal with serious themes. “The Color Purple by Alice Walker has stuck with me the most along with The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. These two novels meant a lot to me as we read them in class together,” said Gisetto. Books such as these broaden ASP pupils’ horizons as they might not have gotten the chance to read specific books in a regular school setting. 

ASP is designed to further students’ education in a chosen field that dives deeper than a regular class at school. The subjects and approach to the material at ASP widely differ from HBHS. “I do not think my teachers at St. Paul’s taught me in a similar manner to HBHS. There was more communication between students and teachers, along with also eating at the same mealtimes and being able to talk with our teachers whenever. Another difference is there were no grades, just feedback on our work. Also, since we had smaller classes and a lot more time together per week, we got to know the teachers a lot better,” she said. 

An advanced program during the summer can appear daunting, but Gisetto was excited after talking with another HBHS student who attended the ASP. “I had heard the program was really good when I talked to another student at our school about their time at the program. I also had teachers who pushed me to take this opportunity along with my parents,” she said. 

ASP is a big adjustment for high school students because of its college-structured schedule and living situation. The environment and setup are very different from HBHS, which can be intimidating and unnerving. “[My] expectations were skewed as I was really stressed before getting there and kept having stress dreams. Once I was there, though, I felt as if I belonged where I was, and everyone was very welcoming,” said Gisetto.

A component that fostered the welcoming environment was the exceptional community. “There was definitely a sense of community. People actually wanted to be there, would talk to others and do group activities together,” she said.

Another aspect of the ASP that sets pupils up for college is that all students enrolled live in dorms and eat all of their meals at the St. Paul’s dining hall. This builds a sense of self-sufficiency in students. “I think my schedule did help me feel more prepared for college, especially since a lot of it was up to our own independence,” said Gisetto.

It is important to recognize that the ASP is not only extending a student’s academic knowledge but also teaching responsibility concerning one’s freedom and privileges. “During ASP, everything revolved around my independent choice to put the effort in,” said Gisetto.

The ASP came to an end in mid-July. Reflecting on the experience, Giestto doesn’t regret her decision to attend. “If I could go back this summer, I definitely would. The schedule was rigorous, but I loved it and the time I spent with my dormmates and classmates,” she said.

Additionally, the experience helped foster significant academic growth. “I would say it helped me in writing personal narratives and my general discussion skills in English,” she said. 

Overall, the ASP was not only a successful academic journey for Chloe Gisetto, but also a triumphant accomplishment in personal growth and improvement.