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If you've noticed a group of students arriving at your school in the middle of the day rather than in the morning, don't immediately accuse them of oversleeping.

These students may be a part of the Academic-Year Governor's Schools, a state-sponsored regional program that allows students to specialize in a range of advanced courses, including math and science.

Less well-known is its counterpart, Summer Residential Governor's Schools.

"As soon as I heard about it I thought it was a cool program," said Blacksburg High School junior Anna Hochgraf, who heard about the program from her French teacher and then did some research on her own.

The program offers six summer residential schools: visual and performing arts; humanities; mathematics, science and technology; life sciences and medicine; marine science and engineering; and agriculture.

Every July, these schools meet for a month on various college campuses. The number of students admitted varies depending on the school. The School for Visual and Performing Arts and the School for Humanities are at Christopher Newport University from July 5 to Aug. 1.

The humanities school admitted 200 students this year, and Hochgraf considers herself lucky to be counted among them.

"I didn't really think I'd get in," Hochgraf said, "I was really surprised and really happy."

The program is intended to allow advanced juniors and seniors a free mock college experience. Every student will live on campus with a roommate in a dorm, and will be expected to attend three classes every weekday. It involves a core class, a seminar course and an interdisciplinary class that will intermingle humanities and visual and performing arts students.

Hochgraf has registered for classes that are primarily philosophical in nature, but she is hoping to get in a dancing class as well.

The humanities classes provide a variety of options, including several classes that focus on politics, philosophy and cinematography.

While students do receive homework and are expected to work, they are given several hours of downtime each day. There are no classes on Saturdays and Sundays, and students are allowed to enjoy their free time with field trips, day trips and optional scheduled activities, including theme dances.

Attendees are expected to be immersed in the program, so they can't bring cellphones or laptops on campus. They can, however, use the phones and computers provided at the colleges to reach the outside world.

Hochgraf is most excited about the prospect of meeting new people.

"I'm pretty shy, but it will work out."

Living away from your parents for a month may sound ideal, but it is not without consequences. "I'm going to be away from my family and friends for a long time," Hochgraf said, "and I'm going to miss my dog."

Midway through the Governor's School, students are allowed a day when their parents can visit. There is also a teachers appreciation day, when students can nominate a teacher to visit them and receive recognition from the program.

The deadline to apply for this summer's program has passed, but students can apply to Summer Residential Governor's Schools in October for next summer.