Frequently Asked Questions
Everything You Need to Know About Summit
We know that choosing the right program for your family is a big decision, and you likely have questions. Below you’ll find answers to the most common questions we receive from students and parents exploring Summit Achievement. If you don’t see your question answered here, our admissions team is always happy to help.
Campus Life
What do students do when not in school or therapy?
What does supervision look like on campus and in the cabins at night?
In what ways is your program separated by gender?
We offer all-gender teams. They’re created based on the current milieu and the needs of our clients. We’re an intentionally small program with an emphasis on family and community. We want all of our students to not only feel a sense of belonging to their team but to the greater Summit community. Expeditions, cabin life, and classroom schedules are done by teams; however, all teams eat together in the lodge when on campus and come together for the stage movement ceremony that takes place each Monday. On campus, there are also times when the teams have an opportunity to meet each other and play a supervised game or other activity.
My child wants to know if they can wear makeup while at Summit?
My child likes to fall asleep to music and/or a sound machine. Will this be an available option at Summit?
There won’t be music in the cabins or on trail for sleeping. Your child will adapt with time. With a packed schedule, students are certainly tired enough to get a good night’s sleep even without music. Many students have come before with the same adjustment to make and have transitioned better than they expected.
In Traverse, students recieve a Summit-issued ipod they can use in the Maintenance phase of the program.
Can I send my child a package?
We ask that you refrain from sending packages unless an essential item is missing and you’ve discussed this with someone at the program. We also make exceptions for birthdays and other holidays. Please check with your child’s clinician on the appropriate items to send.
My child recently became vegan. Can you accommodate their diet?
Yes, we offer a wide range of healthy foods and can assist your child in maintaining a suitable vegan diet for the range of activities they’ll be doing.
One of my child's issues is social skills and making/keeping friends. Do you think they'll bond with the other students and make friends while at Summit?
Our clinicians and staff are trained in helping students develop social skills and work through the nuances of interpersonal relationships. We believe one of the best ways to work on social skills is to receive in-the-moment feedback to better understand what you’re doing well and what you could do better. Our community has many intentional moments of feedback that are especially useful for students working on social skills.
Realizing that you’re not alone in some of your life struggles can be very eye-opening for students and brings about a certain compassion and understanding amongst peers. At the very least, they learn valuable skills about how to be a productive member of a team and to respect those around them, regardless of differences.
My child can be pretty manipulative. How do I know they'll actually take advantage of Summit?
Do students ever get to cook while in your program?
Yes! They get to cook in the backcountry on camp stoves during adventure activities. All students will have the opportunity to plan and prepare a meal for the whole team while on expedition. The teams also rotate helping prepare and serve dinners on campus. Additionally, Traverse students make independent meals over the weekend as well as participate in cooking community meals.
What are the age ranges in the groups? How do you decide which student goes in which group?
We’re licensed to work with students ranging from ages 13 to 19, depending on their issues and overall fit for the program. Students are placed in the group that best fits their needs, personality, and maturity.
What types of clothes should we pack? Can my child wear their own clothes?
We provide all of the expedition clothing and gear needed to keep our students dry, warm, and safe while in the backcountry. Monday through Wednesday, while Venture students are on campus and attending school, they can wear their own clothes from home. We ask that students not wear clothes that are provocative by nature or contain offensive words or graphics. A packing list that details these guidelines is available through our Admissions Department.
Traverse students wear their own clothes 7 days/week.
My child is very musical. Can they bring their instrument?
YES! We love music. Acoustic instruments are welcome on campus to be used during free time. We often have musical students and staff on campus and welcome the occasional jam session or sing-along.
My child is very close to their siblings. Will they be able to write letters back and forth?
Can you accommodate a gluten-free diet?
Yes, although it’s important for staff to know whether your child has a severe gluten allergy or simply prefers gluten-free foods. Our campus kitchen is not a gluten-free kitchen, so some accommodations might need to be arranged. Please discuss these needs further with our Admissions Director so that we can assess ahead of time whether we’ll be able to meet your child’s unique needs.
What happens if my child doesn't get along with the other kids in their group?
Our students are always supervised by our team guides. If students are struggling to get along, an adult will help them process and learn from the situation. Depending on the therapeutic needs of your child and the team, we have the flexibility to move them to another group if necessary. At Summit, we hope to teach students that we can’t always choose who we work or go to school with, but we can choose how we deal with people and manage our behaviors around them. Summit is a safe place to practice some of these life skills.
What do you do if my child tries to run away?
We go with them. It happens from time to time that a student feels the need to walk away out of frustration. This is often an opportunity to walk, talk, and process their treatment. Most of the time, this student will come back to the program in a better place than before they walked away.
What if my child refuses to participate once they get there?
Unlike a parent who has to get to work and can’t wait for their child who is “shut down” or refusing to go to school, we can absolutely wait while your child goes through this stage in their process of accepting where they are. We’ll work with your child to help them feel safe, heard, and encouraged. We’ll work to uncover the root cause of the refusal and address that through counseling, coaching, setting boundaries, and providing structure.
Academics
There are computers in your classrooms. How do you keep students off social media?
Will my child earn credit for the classes at Summit? Will the credit be accepted by their next school?
Summit is a fully accredited private school through NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges). We provide a wide range of courses at both the middle and high school levels. All credits earned are completely transferable to public or private schools. Students enroll in 3-4 individually selected courses based on their course of study before admission. The courses they’re enrolled in while at Summit allow them to earn a half credit in each subject upon completion of the course in full.
What does self-paced mean in the classroom? How will my child be pushed to do their best?
The online curriculum we offer is self-paced, which means students move at their own pace instead of keeping up with an entire class of different students. Students need to demonstrate a certain level of mastery and understanding to move on to the next assignment, which prevents them from getting lost or moving ahead before they’re ready. Each student has academic goals tied to stages within the program. This encourages students to put forth sufficient effort in the classroom. They also have an academic advisor who helps them develop healthy goals in the classroom.
Adventure Therapy
How is Summit Achievement different from "wilderness programs" that have been in the news?
We understand this concern, and it’s an important distinction to make. Summit Achievement is a licensed Residential Treatment Center (RTC) — not a wilderness survival program. While we incorporate adventure therapy as one pillar of our integrated model, students in Venture spend the majority of their week (four nights and three days) living on our residential campus in modern, heated cabins with beds, bathrooms, and showers. Students in Traverse spend every night on our campus.
Our approach to adventure therapy is evidence-based and focused on building skills, confidence, and therapeutic growth — not survival or punishment. Venture students go on carefully planned four-day, three-night expeditions each week with trained guides who hold backcountry medical certifications. These expeditions are therapeutic experiences designed to help students practice new skills in real-world contexts, not labor or punitive isolation.
Key differences that set Summit apart:
- Licensed and accredited: We’re licensed by the State of Maine as a Residential Treatment Center and accredited by the Association for Experiential Education for Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare, meeting rigorous standards for safety, ethics, and clinical care.
- Balanced model: Students aren’t living in the wilderness full-time. They spend three days each week in traditional classrooms earning accredited academic credits, meeting with master’s-level therapists, and living in comfortable residential cabins.
- Fully-informed participation: Every student understands what the program entails through an inclusive, transparent admission process. Our approach is built on collaboration and trust, not coercion or control.
- Safety first: We provide high-end gear, trained staff with extensive wilderness experience, satellite and cell phones on every expedition, 24/7 medical support, and heated shelters for extreme weather.
- Modern outdoor skills: Our expeditions focus on hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing, and team-building — not primitive survival skills. Students learn to challenge themselves in a supportive environment, not to endure hardship for its own sake.
- Family involvement: Parents participate in weekly family therapy and are kept informed throughout their child’s treatment. This isn’t a “send them away and hope for the best” model; families grow alongside their students.
Our outdoor experiences are designed to be challenging and growth-promoting, but always safe, supervised, and grounded in clinical best practices. If you have concerns about our approach or want to understand more about how we ensure student safety and wellbeing, we encourage you to speak directly with our Admissions Director, Shannon, who can walk you through our protocols and answer any questions.
How many miles a day do the groups hike on expedition?
The number of miles a group might cover varies depending on the season, weather, and overall ability level of the group. Each week we tailor each team’s expedition with all of these factors in mind. A group might cover as much as 10 miles in a day or as few as one or two miles. In the summer months, we also offer canoeing expeditions where students don’t hike at all, although they might cover several miles in a canoe. Our goal is to help our students feel challenged while also keeping them safe so they can benefit from the powerful feeling of success and sense of accomplishment.
How do you keep students safe in the snow and cold?
Safety is our number one concern. We’ve been keeping students safe in the cold and snow for 30 years! We provide all of our students with high-end gear and clothing designed to keep them safe, dry, and warm for the current season, including a snowy winter. We teach all of our students about backcountry safety and appropriate layering for all conditions. When temperatures get extremely cold or wet, we have access to shelters as well as heated wall-tents equipped with wood-burning stoves. Each of our teams carries satellite phones as well as cell phones so they can reach out for help in the event of an emergency. A director and an on-call support system is always in place to assist groups out on the trail as needed.
Do you hike and camp all year round? Even in snow?
We sure do! Because of their fears, very few people get to experience the pleasure of hiking and camping in the snow. Snow-covered landscapes are beautiful, and our students get to see spectacular views that ordinary folks do not. Like all things in the wilderness, this activity requires careful planning, good gear, and a sense of adventure. Your child will be hiking with snowshoes to keep them above the snow. If you’ve never been, snowshoeing is great fun!
Summit provides our students with the best gear, the warmest boots, and a sleeping pad to protect from the cold when sleeping. Setting up camp in the snow is actually quite nice, as the snow packs down to create comfortable sleeping and sitting areas. What most people don’t realize is that it’s actually easier to stay dry in the snow than in the rain, and staying dry is an important aspect of keeping warm.
What if my child has no outdoor experience and is scared of the idea of camping?
Summit has trained and experienced guides ready to teach your child all of the skills necessary to be safe and comfortable in the wilderness. Our students come from all different types of backgrounds and experiences, which means fears of the unknown in the outdoors are common. Part of the beauty in this experience is having your child try something new and exciting, to overcome their fear, and to realize that they’re capable of whatever they put their minds to. Students often discover a love for the outdoors, especially reaching a mountain summit, during their experience with us.
My child already loves the outdoors. Will they still be challenged by the experience at Summit?
We welcome students with outdoor experience! Our expedition model of adventure therapy will allow your child to utilize some of their skills while also providing new experiences and adventures. No two expeditions are alike, and there are plenty of exciting new challenges waiting in the White Mountains!
Can students take pictures while out on expedition?
No. However, our guides take pictures of each student, which we send to parents on a weekly basis.
How do you keep students safe in the backcountry, considering that there are bears and moose out there?
Safety is certainly our number one concern on our expeditions (as well as on campus). We have many protocols in place to help keep our groups safe in the wilderness. All of our guides are trained in backcountry safety and have extensive personal experience camping and hiking in the wilderness. We take care to teach important expedition safety skills to all of our students. As for the animals, fortunately, most are more scared of us than we are of them, and they tend to avoid our noisy groups easily. For the occasional run-in with a moose or bear, our staff are trained on what to do to keep the group safe and how to move away from the animal.
My child is afraid of being cold. Your program is in Maine. What should I tell them?
Depending on the season, it’s true that your child might get to experience both the pleasures and challenges of Maine in the cold. Summit will provide all students with exceptionally warm, premium layers and boots, along with a sleeping bag rated to the highest degree of warmth for the season. Students are taught the appropriate layering techniques for optimal effectiveness and will be guided at all times by trained professionals. We want our students to be safe, dry, and warm whenever possible. Summit has access to heated shelters for those nights that get extremely cold, windy, or wet while on expedition. These shelters come complete with a raised wooden floor and a wood-burning stove, allowing students to stay nice and toasty!
Expeditions are four days and three nights long. Upon returning to campus, students are able to take a hot shower, do laundry, and sleep in their campus bed in a modern heated cabin. For four nights and three days of the week, students come in from the backcountry and regroup, warm up, and live on our fully equipped residential campus.
How will Summit help my child gain self-esteem?
Your child will have the amazing opportunity to accomplish new goals and gain a strong sense of self-satisfaction while at Summit Achievement. Positive self-esteem is fostered through a strong sense of self-worth and from the accomplishment that comes from hard work and overcoming challenges. While on expedition, your child will climb to the top of many mountains and experience the joy of reaching the summit. They’ll push through the discomforts of being in an unfamiliar environment and learn how to create their own comfort and safety. Back on campus, they’ll move forward with academic goals and work closely with their therapist to foster a stronger sense of self. Coping skills will be taught to help combat negative emotions and to push through adversity. To make sure your child doesn’t overlook their own growth, we gather each week as a community and recognize students for their accomplishments and movement through the stages throughout the week. By the time your child finishes the program, they’ll have many reasons to feel that they can do whatever they put their mind to.
Clinical Care + Therapy
How much therapy will my child receive?
Do therapists ever go on expedition?
Yes, therapists go out and camp for the first night of an expedition every three weeks. Spending time with their students in the backcountry provides them with valuable insight and observations, as well as some great bonding and rapport-building time.
What happens if my child doesn't like their therapist?
Our therapists have a knack for working with this age group and population and tend to be very good at building rapport and trust with their students. That being said, we’ll do everything we can to ensure that your child has a productive experience here at Summit Achievement. Every child has a treatment team consisting of a therapist, academic advisor, and a team of guides that work together for each child to get the most out of their experience in our program. Together, this team can collectively work through any roadblocks in your child’s progress and find the most effective way to help them move forward.
My child has already been through a wilderness program or other therapeutic program. How will this be different?
It’s likely that your consultant recommended Summit Achievement specifically because it will offer a unique and different experience, unlike any other your child has experienced so far. Our unique blended model combines weekly adventure-based expeditions with time on our residential campus and in the classroom each week. This model will help your child transfer those skills more easily to a traditional environment. Our trips into the wilderness are based on an expedition model and focus on modern outdoor skills and accomplishments, instead of focusing on the primitive skills taught in many traditional wilderness programs. Your child will likely have a very different type of wilderness experience here at Summit Achievement and will learn coping mechanisms and techniques to take home, should they determine that time spent in the wilderness has positive personal value. They’ll also be communicating with you on a weekly basis through family therapy so that we can continue to work together to help maximize this experience and transfer both new and old skills.
If your child is coming straight from another wilderness program, the Traverse phase of our program might be more appropriate. Please reach out to Shannon, our Admissions Director, to discuss further.
My child doesn't do drugs; that isn't their issue. Will the group contain students struggling with substance abuse?
We offer several different groups or “teams” of students and will do everything we can to place your child on the team that best fits their needs, age, and issues. However, it’s still possible for your child to be on a team with a few students who have used drugs or alcohol in the past. This is a therapeutic program, and all of the students at Summit are here to work on their own personal growth. Any discussion regarding drug use would be educational and therapeutic in nature and would be focused on the negative impact of choosing to use substances. No casual talk of drug use or “war stories” will be tolerated. The guides, therapists, and teachers are there to supervise and curb these conversations toward a productive means.
What kind of experience do your therapists have? Are they licensed?
All therapists are master’s-level clinicians with many years of experience. Each of our therapists carries independent licensure or is supervised directly by our Clinical Director.
How do you assign therapists?
All of our therapists are great at what they do. We’ll match your child to the therapist that we feel best suits their needs, while also taking into account which group your child will best fit into.
My child has been in therapy for several years now, and it hasn't been very effective. How will this be different?
At Summit Achievement, your child’s therapist will do much more than meet in an office for an hour once a week. The therapist will get to see your child in a range of environments on campus and in the wilderness. The therapist works as part of a treatment team that collaborates for the greater good of each student. As a team, we have the privilege of seeing your child interact with peers on campus, on video calls with you, and in a classroom as a student and learner. We’ll get to see how they handle the adversity of a challenging hike and the reward of a beautiful view at the top of a mountain. With all of this information, your child’s therapist will have so much more to work with, including a clear assessment of what makes your child thrive as well as what challenges them. Most importantly, the therapist will have a relationship with your child that’s built on trust and understanding. All of this will help to make the therapeutic process more productive and rewarding for your child.
What happens if my child becomes suicidal while at Summit?
Is Summit LGBTQ+ affirming?
Health + Medical
What happens if my child gets sick while at Summit?
We’ll care for your child and provide medication and medical attention as needed. We’ll evaluate whether the student is well enough to participate in the expedition of the week. If not, we’ll make arrangements for your child to stay on campus to receive the care and rest needed to recover appropriately. Our consulting physician is on campus once a week and is available for consultation at any time — even when a team is out on expedition — should a medical need arise.
What if my child needs their medications to be changed or adjusted while in your program?
No problem! We have a medical doctor on campus every Tuesday who serves as our medical director. He can write prescriptions and make changes as needed. He’s also happy to communicate or partner with your child’s other medical providers if necessary.
What happens if my child gets injured on expedition?
Each team has one guide on the expedition who acts as the team medic and is qualified to provide backcountry medical care (EMT, WEMT, WFR, or WFA). The medic will provide initial treatment for any injuries that come up while in the backcountry. Summit’s consulting physician is always available by phone. Once students are back on campus, they’ll be seen by our nurse and doctor (if necessary). If your child’s injury looks serious enough to warrant evacuation from the field, our guides will contact the director on duty and work to develop a safe evacuation plan. Our guides carry satellite phones as well as cell phones on every expedition, and we always have a team ready to help if such a plan is needed.
Program Length + Outcomes
How long does the program last?
The length of stay depends on your child’s pace through the six stages of Venture, which leaves their forward progress in their hands. A student can accomplish up to one stage per week, making six weeks the minimum length of stay. Most students complete Venture in 6-10 weeks.
In cases where a family or student wishes to extend their time beyond the traditional six stages of venture, we offer three Graduate stages.
Students in our Traverse phase of our program typically stay 2-6 months
I would like my child to attend a traditional boarding school after Summit. Is that possible?
What percentage of your students return home after graduation?
Roughly 40%. This may seem low, but many students come from boarding schools and return to boarding schools after graduation.
Will you help me figure out what the next best step is for my child after graduating from Summit?
We’ll be happy to provide you with some guidance in determining your child’s next steps in education. One of the great things about enrolling your child in Summit Achievement is the level of assessment they’ll receive. Upon completion of the program, we’ll provide you with a therapeutic and academic summary, which includes recommendations for the level of care, structure, and academic setting that we feel your child would benefit from. For more detailed suggestions, we may recommend that you work with an Educational or Therapeutic Consultant who can help you find the specific school to meet your child’s unique needs. We’d be happy to provide you with some names of consultants if you don’t already have one.
Family Involvement + Communication
What is your visitation policy?
We encourage you to bring your child on admission day to meet their therapist and get to know the Summit team and setting. Our program allows for weekly family sessions facilitated by video conference.
Once your child makes it to Stage 3 (with therapist approval and guidance), you’re invited to come and take them off campus for the night. This usually takes place on Sunday after they return from their expedition. Upon return, there will be a session with your child’s therapist.
Once your child completes the program, we invite you to participate in their Good-Bye Circle, as well as a final family session.
Can we speak to the parents of students who have completed your program?
Yes! Please contact our Admissions Director, and she’ll provide you with a list of parent references you may contact.
Logistics + Admissions
What is the closest airport, and how far away is it?
Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Portland, Maine, is the closest airport to our campus and is 1.5 hours away by car. Manchester, NH (MHT) is 2.5 hours away, and Boston, MA (BOS) is 3.5 hours away.
What options do you have to help families finance your program?
We’re pleased to inform you that Summit Achievement is one of the approved programs for a partial grant fund called the Sky’s the Limit Fund. You’re welcome to apply for a grant, and Summit Achievement will match whatever amount Sky’s the Limit grants you. We don’t bill directly through insurance, but we can direct you to services that can help you work with your insurance company. They can assist you with the task of seeking insurance reimbursement for portions of our program. As a licensed Residential Treatment Center (RTC), we’ve found that some families have success in gaining partial reimbursement from insurance, depending on the company and individual insurance plan.