Taste of College (grades 11-12)
For over 20 years, the TOC program has been offering students the opportunity to get a jumpstart on their college careers by taking courses for credit.
- Taste of College courses are taken alongside our own undergraduate students and offered during the traditional University semesters.
- A residential component of this program is available for high school students for four weeks over the summer.
- Earn college credit, which can be transferred to most colleges and universities.
- Grow confident in your ability to perform at a college level.
- Explore subjects that are not offered in your high school.
- Study with top-notch faculty and students who are interested in the same topics you are.
Program Overview
The University of Rochester's Taste of College program provides high school juniors and seniors from the greater Rochester area the opportunity to take classes on a part-time basis for intellectual enrichment. These are regularly scheduled undergraduate courses that are offered during the fall, spring, and summer.
Please note: First-time students are only permitted to take one TOC course.
The program offers you the chance to:
- Study with top-notch faculty and students
- Earn college credits now and get a head start on college
- Gain valuable experience in a college classroom before enrolling full-time
- Clarify the next steps in your educational plans
- Explore topics not offered in your high school or continue studying a subject at a higher level
Program Schedule
Classes are offered during the University semesters:
- Spring 2012 : January 18 – May 14
- Summer 2012 (four weeks) : July 9 – August 3*
- Summer 2012 (six weeks): : July 2 – August 10*
* Residential housing is available for both four-week and six-week Taste of College summer sessions.
Course Descriptions
Four-week courses:
| Course # | Title | Pre-Req |
|---|---|---|
| 12268 CHM 100 | Prep For College Chemistry | None |
| 18730 PSY 278 | Adolescent Development | None |
| 19392 DAN 190 | Middle Eastern Dance: Folkloric/Bedouin | None |
| 19419 ECO 108 | Principles of Economics | None |
| 19631 ENG 139 | Applied Interpersonal Communication | None |
| 19337 ENG 225 | Studies in American Romanticism: Hawthorne, Poe & Melville | None |
| 15036 ENG 259 | Popular Film Genres: The Baseball Film | None |
| 19581 HIS 248 | America in the Cold War | None |
| 16362 LAT 221 | Medieval Latin Prose | None |
| 17634 PHL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | None |
| 19773 FMS 161 | Introduction to Video & Sound | None |
| 19677 PSC 117 | Introduction to American Government | None |
| 18874 SA 111 | Introductory Drawing | None |
Six-week courses:
| Course # | Title | Pre-Req |
|---|---|---|
| 10228 ANT 104 | Contemporary Issues & Anthropology | None |
| 10478 BIO 110 | Principles of Biology I | None |
| 19529 CLA 100 | The Ancient World | None |
| 16830 MTH 141 | Calculus I | None |
| 18668 PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | None |
| 12778 CSC 170 | Introduction to Computer Programming | None |
View course schedules and descriptions
Tuition and Fees
Learn more about tuition and fees
Please note: For the fall and spring semesters, 50% of tuition is due at the time of registration. For the summer sessions, 100% tuition is due at the time of registration.
Employees: If you are a University of Rochester employee, your children may be eligible for tuition benefits. Learn more.
Forms and Information Available to Download
Student Application Process
- Complete the TOC application form (at least 30 days before the start of class)
- Complete an admissions interview
- Submit the completed registration form with payment (in the form of a credit card, check, or tuition waiver)
- Attend orientation
Dropping/Adding Courses
The deadline for dropping a course or adding a new course is the end of the fourth week of classes. All of these changes must be submitted on an official Drop/Add form to the Office of Pre-College Programs. Students must obtain the instructor's signature for all courses added after the first day of classes. Courses dropped during the first four weeks of classes will be deleted entirely from the official record; however, you will be financially responsible following the refund schedule below.
Any additional tuition for an added course is to be paid at the time the change is made. The deadline for withdrawing from a course is the last day of the eleventh week of the semester. Courses from which non-matriculated students withdraw will appear on the grade report and transcript with a "W" and the week of withdrawal.
Tuition Refund Schedule:If you are dropping or withdrawing from a course, you may only be refunded a portion of the tuition paid. Learn more.
TOC Orientation
Newly admitted part-time TOC students must attend an orientation given by a current undergraduate student. During orientation, students will be given a tour of campus, including their classroom location, and be taken to the ID office, parking office, and bookstore.
Obtaining an ID card:Your ID card will allow you to check books out of the library, attend campus events, etc. Learn more.
Parking Pass:
All parking on campus requires a parking pass. Learn more.
Books:
Most classes require books. These can be purchased in person at the bookstore or online.
