<p>Alright so I'm thinking of applying here (kinda late, I know) but it costs flipping 4000 pounds (so like 7000 dollars) and I'm really questioning if it's even worth it. </p>
<p>Honestly, that's a huge expense and while it's at Oxford, I don't see it as being very prestigious considering pretty much everyone gets in as long as you pay the money.
I'll already be in England when it is going to start.</p>
<p>Will colleges know this or will they be like "Wow! This girl went to an academy at oxford, dang. That shows leadership and determination!"</p>
<p>I just feel I'm not doing enough over this summer. This is what I've done so far:</p>
<p>Work as a Gallery Facilitator at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Volunteer Work (40-50ish hours)
Studying Pre-calc
Mentored for 2 weeks at a hospital in England (I'll try to a get a rec from one of the doctors here, by the way I'm visiting my dad here in England as my parents are divorced)
Applied/Attended this digigirlz (lol) camp provided by Microsoft that is 3 days long. </p>
<p>Is this enough for a top tier college? By the way, I'm entering Junior year of high school.
Next summer I plan to do an internship at LSSI (which is pretty dang prestigious - they PAY YOU!)</p>
<p>I couldn't do any internships this summer as I'm not 16 yet :(
I skipped a grade when I was younger, and my age restricts me from doing ANYTHING.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input!</p>
<p>You are doing fine. Get your internship next summer to line up with something that you have done this summer, or that lines up with something that you have a genuine interest in, or that is stunningly unique (as in, 1st intern to actually go into space kind of unique). Your instincts on the summer program at Oxford are spot on. To paraphrase the Princeton director of admissions, who was speaking to a group of current prep school juniors: we are not impressed by your parents ability to pay for an expensive program, your 2 weeks of community service in Costa Rica, etc. We don’t care what you do with your summer- you can work in an ice cream parlor, babysit your kid brother, whatever- we want you to do <em>something</em>, to have a reason for doing it and to be able to tell us what you took from the experience.</p>
<p>I have hear similar statements from admissions people at several top tier schools. It is a lot about a story arc, which is why I am suggesting that you link your summer next year to something that fits a story line. Same with your in-school activities- a few with depth, showing increasing responsibility carries much more weight than any number of activities. And, from a parent’s point of view, I saw the maturity that came with genuine leadership roles, and for the first time saw it as more than a tick-list of things to do to get into a good college. A big part of the competitive process comes down to maturity.</p>
<p>Do what you want to do, and not what you think other people (including college admission officers) want you to do.</p>