<p>I posted a similar thread in the Columbia forum. Thought I will ask a broader audience to get your opinion.</p>
<p>Took a course at Columbia's Summer Program for HS. These summer programs are offered by most Ivy League colleges and also by many other colleges. I got a very good evaluation/recommendation from the instructors and thinking of including the letters in the college apps.
Then again, maybe all students who take these summer classes get good evualations and grades. The letters and grades may be meaningless. Afterall, we had to pay for those classes. Anyone out there did not receive a good evaulation from those type of programs</p>
<p>I don't know personally the Columbia one, but these type of things usually are scams. They give these good evaluations in hopes that you speak well about the program to others or that you attend their school and pay thousands more. You could use it for your apps, but I doubt the recommendations will carry much weight considering you had to pay to attend. What are they going to do? Take your money and rip you apart so you go and tell everybody that you had a bad experience at their program?</p>
<p>I know someone will attack me and defend how great these programs are, but I'm just being honest with you. Ivy league schools are just one step ahead in scamming you. It's the nature of the game for American colleges.</p>
<p>A lot of the time yes. I mean they are for profit businesses. Everything they do is with the intention of making money. </p>
<p>There is no "charity" from these schools. Everything they do is carefully calculated. If they give a student a large aid package, it's not out of the kindness of their heart, they are looking for something in return, whether it is a bump in prestige or later donations. </p>
<p>Once they have built their reputation to the status of a Columbia, then they can pretty much rob you blind and there's nothing you can do about it if you fall for their games.</p>