Peter Greenberg: Senior Summer School

Q: Question for you, Peter. Many of my friends rave about Senior Summer School to escape the summer heat and their great classes and professors. What do you know about their programs?
–Thes, Delray Beach, Fla.

A: Senior Summer School is a great organization that offers modestly priced combination travel/educational tours to cities and universities around the country. Although the company is not directly affiliated with specific schools, it has worked with many universities and colleges in the past, including the University of New Mexico, Appalachian State University, Colorado College, the University of Wisconsin, and San Diego State University. Senior Summer School even offers one program abroad every year. In 2009, it was in the town of Engleberg, Switzerland.

The programs last from one to six weeks and range in price from $999 to $2,999, depending on the location and length. A typical schedule includes three or four lectures per day on topics ranging from politics to history to poetry, plus excursions to hiking trails, state parks, farmers markets, and theatrical performances. You can attend as many or as few classes as you want and participate in more than one summer-school session. Numbers of participants per program vary but usually range from 20 to 86. Accommodation options include private residence halls, hotels, university dorms, and private apartments.