<p>My Japanese teacher wants me to do this thing where I go to Japan for 2 weeks and stay with a family, and have a family stay with ours in September. Is this a good idea? And is it college application worthy? (You guys are the only ones that I dare to ask such a question) I do hear stories about people who write little essays about going to a third world and having a change of heart and how admissions officers are killed by cutsieness. Of course, Japan is Japan!!!!!!! Whoooooo! But would you guys recommend it? I really would have fun with it, I just need to know if it's a good summer program.</p>
<p>I will first mention the main downsides
-Expensive overseas programs can make you look like a spoiled rich kid on applications</p>
<ul>
<li>The only way to include such a program on your app is
1) In a two sentence response about what you did last summer (which only a few colleges ask about and which doesn't give you enough space to do justice to the experience)
2) In your essay, which all too often sounds cliche and trite. Most of them fall into 3 categories: "I went overseas and discovered how lucky I am to have all that I have." , "Although we're all different, we're all the same", and a travelogue "We did this, went here, and ate this."</li>
</ul>
<p>That said, you can still have a great time and write a wonderful essay about it if you wish. To be corny, the key to wowing admissions officers is following your passions. If this sounds fun, I would do it. Please don't base your final decision on how it would look on your college app.
Good luck +let me know what you decide!</p>
<p>I wen overseas (to China) to do this beijing camp thing. But it was a scholarship program that the government sets up. If I say this on a app, will it make me look like a spoiled rich kid?</p>
<p>I think I'm going to be going to stay with a family in either Ecuador or Costa Rica this summer for a few weeks to improve my Spanish. I think it's a great thing to do in the summer, and will be a great experience. Everyone I know that has done something like that has loved it. Even so, I don't think going overseas will help you all that much with getting into colleges.</p>
<p>I took a Biology course in Italy (in English) over the summer. i didn't learn much Italian though - i didn't know any even before i left.</p>
<p>I went to Peru for a month last summer and had the greatest experience of my life. It honestly was a life altering experience even though that is exremely cliche/trite to say. I learned so much about the culture and peru and stuff and it was definiltely worthwhile!</p>
<p>sunshine_breeze: I think if you decide to talk about your experience in China, definitely mention that it was a scholarship program - that's what I did on my apps with an overseas experience.</p>
<p>Go! You might never have the chance again! Travel as much as you can and don't get too caught up with what colleges think. They wan't to see what kind of person you are and what interests you, not what you think will impress them. As long as you're not too cheesy in your essays, you're fine! Try to look at the bigger picture: won't you regret it if you didn't go to Japan just because of some college admissions officer?</p>
<p>I think I'm going to Europe with some friends, just to travel around and such. Probably flying into Amsterdam.</p>
<p>"I went to Peru for a month last summer and had the greatest experience of my life."</p>
<p>Woah... same here... and it was a great experience.
Where in Peru were you?</p>
<p>Went to Canada last summer to help with a kid's program at a small church in Toronto, and this summer I'm going to Belize (yeah, not the cleanest place from what I've been told) to help with a medical clinic. w00t.</p>
<p>my son is very interested in all things asian and I would love to hear more about the program you went on. We are not a wealthy family and without a scholarship type program, he will not get the chance to travel to asia.</p>
<p>thanks!!!!!</p>
<p>I'm going to France and Spain! CANNOT WAIT!</p>
<p>hsmomstef</p>
<p>I took a chinese test that measured how your ability in chinese. it's the HSK. If you scored high on the test, you got the scholarship and went to the camp. The test is not popular, but they only take 30 ish kids.</p>
<p>To answer the original question: no, I'm poor and not a member of any super-elite programs where I can travel the globe for free.</p>