A summer program to attract potential computer science majors

Abstract

Computer Science (CS) is not taught in enough high schools thus many students arrive at college or university knowing little about it and often do not consider taking a CS course during their first year. At the same time, we encounter many college or university juniors and seniors who, while taking their first CS course, discover an aptitude and interest, at which point it is too late. We describe an innovative one-week residential summer program designed to educate non-computer science majors, before their second year of college or university, about the field's many areas and long-term prospects. The program has succeeded at encouraging undecided students to major or minor in CS and thus somewhat ameliorates the lack of CS in K-12 education and furthers the conference goal of "CS For All".