A Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program is a structured leadership track for teens, typically ages 14-17, that bridges the gap between being a camper and becoming a paid counselor. CITs take on real responsibility — assisting counselors with younger campers, helping run activities, and building the specific leadership and childcare skills camps look for in staff — while still living at camp within a supported, supervised program built specifically for their age group. For many teens, a CIT program is the natural next step after years of attending as a camper, and often the first real step toward a future summer job.
This guide covers what a CIT program actually involves, typical age and experience requirements, and how to know if it’s the right fit for your teen.
What Does a CIT Actually Do?
CITs typically split their time between structured leadership training and hands-on experience assisting counselors with younger camper groups. A typical CIT program includes:
- Shadowing and assisting counselors in a younger camper’s cabin or activity group, helping with supervision, activity setup, and day-to-day cabin life.
- Leadership and childcare training sessions — often covering topics like conflict resolution, age-appropriate activity planning, basic behavior management, and sometimes certifications like CPR/first aid.
- Running or co-leading specific activities, giving CITs a chance to practice instruction and group management directly.
- Structured reflection and feedback, with camp leadership regularly checking in on a CIT’s development and readiness for a future counselor role.
Unlike younger campers, CITs are held to real behavioral and responsibility expectations, and unlike full counselors, they still have their own dedicated living group, downtime, and camp experience built specifically around their age — a deliberate middle step, not a shortcut to either role.
Typical Age and Experience Requirements
CIT program requirements vary by camp, but common patterns include:
- Age range: Most CIT programs are designed for teens roughly 14-17, though some camps run earlier “junior leadership” tracks for young teens and reserve the CIT title specifically for older teens closer to counselor age.
- Prior camper experience: Many camps require at least one or two prior summers attending as a camper, since CITs are expected to already understand camp culture and routines.
- Application or interview process: Some camps treat CIT admission as a genuine selection process, not an automatic progression, particularly for older/more advanced CIT tracks.
Always confirm a specific camp’s exact age cutoffs and prerequisites directly, since requirements differ meaningfully between programs, and some camps use different program names (Leadership Program, Junior Counselor, LIT/Leader-in-Training) for similar concepts.
Is a CIT Program Free, or Does It Cost Tuition?
This varies significantly by camp. Some camps treat the CIT program as a paid tuition track, similar to a regular camper session but with an added leadership curriculum. Others offer reduced tuition in exchange for the CIT’s activity-assistance contributions, and some transition CITs to a small stipend once they take on enough real counselor-level responsibility. Always ask a specific camp directly how their CIT program is structured financially — this is one of the most-varied details between camps and worth confirming before enrolling.
What Camps Look for When Selecting CITs
Because CITs take on real responsibility around younger campers, camps tend to be more selective about CIT admission than about general camper enrollment. Common factors camps weigh include:
- Demonstrated reliability and maturity during prior camper summers, often based directly on feedback from that camper’s own counselors in previous years.
- A genuine interest in working with younger kids, rather than a CIT track chosen mainly to stay connected to friends at camp.
- Willingness to accept real feedback and coaching, since CIT programs are explicitly a training and development process, not just an older-camper privilege.
- Basic reliability markers — punctuality, following through on commitments, and general behavioral track record at camp.
Some camps run a formal interview or application process for CIT admission, particularly for their most advanced tracks; others use a more informal, invitation-based approach built on staff’s direct knowledge of a returning camper.
How a CIT Program Sets Up a Future Counselor Job
Camps consistently favor hiring former CITs into paid counselor roles, since a CIT arrives with camp-specific experience, a track record with that camp’s staff and culture, and direct, camp-verified references — a real head start over an external applicant with no camp experience. If your teen is interested in eventually working at camp, a CIT program is one of the most direct paths there. The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Summer Camp Job covers what camps look for in counselor applicants more broadly, and What Positions Do Summer Camps Hire For? breaks down the range of roles a former CIT might grow into.
CIT Program vs. Applying Directly for a Junior Staff Role
Some teens who are old enough to work could, in theory, skip a formal CIT program and simply apply for an entry-level paid position once they meet a camp’s minimum staff age (commonly 16-18, depending on the camp and role). A CIT program still offers real advantages over this path: a lower-pressure, more supported introduction to staff responsibilities, a built-in mentor relationship with camp leadership, and — importantly — a track record with a specific camp that makes that camp’s own hiring process for the following summer far more straightforward. Teens who are confident, highly independent, and simply aging into camp’s minimum staff age may do fine applying directly; teens who want a gradual, supported step up generally benefit more from the CIT route first.
Signs Your Teen Is Ready for a CIT Program
- They’ve attended camp as a camper for multiple summers and genuinely love the environment, rather than being pushed toward a CIT track by a parent.
- They show real interest in younger kids and some natural patience or leadership instinct, even if untrained.
- They can handle real responsibility and follow through on commitments without constant reminders.
- They’re comfortable with a summer that’s less “downtime and fun” and more structured and expectation-driven than a typical camper summer, since CIT programs intentionally ask more of participants.
A CIT program isn’t the right fit for every teen every summer — some teens benefit from one more summer as a regular camper before taking on a CIT role, and that’s a completely reasonable choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age do CIT programs typically start?
Most CIT programs are designed for teens around 14-17, though exact age cutoffs vary by camp, and some camps offer an earlier junior-leadership track for younger teens.
Do CITs get paid?
It depends on the camp. Some CIT programs are tuition-based (similar to a camper session), some offer reduced tuition, and some provide a small stipend, especially as a CIT takes on more real responsibility.
Does my teen need prior camp experience to become a CIT?
Most camps require at least one or two prior summers as a camper, since CITs are expected to already understand the camp’s culture, routines, and expectations.
Is completing a CIT program a guarantee of a future counselor job?
Not a guarantee, but a strong advantage — camps consistently prefer hiring former CITs given their camp-specific experience and track record, though most camps still expect a CIT to formally apply for a paid counselor role.
How is a CIT program different from being a regular camper?
CITs take on real responsibility (assisting with younger campers, helping run activities, leadership training) and are held to higher behavioral expectations, while still having their own dedicated peer group and camp experience appropriate to their age.
Can a CIT work at a different camp than the one where they were a camper?
It’s less common, since most CIT programs are built specifically for a camp’s own returning campers, but some teens do pursue a CIT or junior-leadership role at a new camp, typically by demonstrating relevant experience (babysitting, coaching, a CIT role elsewhere) during the application process.
Do CIT programs run for the full summer, or shorter sessions?
This varies by camp — some CIT programs mirror a full-season commitment similar to paid staff, while others run as a shorter, dedicated multi-week track. Confirm session length and expectations directly with a specific camp before enrolling your teen.
Explore Leadership Opportunities for Teens
Curious whether a CIT program is available at a camp you’re considering? Search ASC’s camp directory to explore programs, or visit our Work at Camp landing page to see what future counselor opportunities look like once your teen ages into a paid role.
