For many high school students, thinking about college is a very scary experience. The Early Outreach Program (EOP) is designed to put those fears at ease and highlight the best features of college.

This summer 180 students ranging in age from 8th grade to 12th grade are gaining the experience of college life for one week during the summer, thanks to a collaboration of different groups associated with campus.

EOP is sponsored by The College Bound Program, Department of Residence, Educational Talent Search, LEAD Program, Minority Student Affairs and the Science Bound Program.

Karen Webb, program coordinator of College Bound through Minority Student Affairs, said it brings an interactive approach to looking at college.

“The program is a chance to give them a simulation of what college life is like,” she said.

This summer is the program’s fourth year and is generating a lot of positive responses from parents and students, Webb said.

“There is a waiting list of about 10 to 20 students for the first session alone,” she said. “Parents have been calling hoping to bump their student from the waiting list.”

The students are chosen from applications given through the sponsoring programs of Educational Talent Search, Science Bound and College Bound.

Each week is a different session and has a different age group, Webb said.

A typical day begins very early, said Stacy Crecelius, language arts activity assistant.

Language arts classes are also part of the curriculum, Webb said. The students’ math/science and language arts classes center around a common curriculum theme. The first group of students had the theme of “A Crime, A Clue” and they use biotechnology techniques in their classes to solve a mock crime, Crecelius said.

“They had guest speakers on collecting evidence, logging evidence and securing crime scenes,” Webb said.

Webb said the program has grown every year since it began.

“The first year it was just rising 8th-graders,” she said.

The students also take part in personal growth and development activities such as speakers, Crecelius said.

“For the first group of students, the speakers included a presentation on media and pop culture’s representation of gender, race and class,” Webb said.

The students have different reactions to the various activities throughout the week.

“I like being able to stay in a dorm room and being independent,” said Brittani McMichael, a sophomore from Des Moines.

Most of the students said they enjoyed the atmosphere of the dorm, but did not particularly like the food service or getting up early.

“EOP is a great opportunity for students to gain self-awareness and boost self-esteem,” she said.