<p>Which program would you go to? Shad Valley or Canada/USA Mathcamp?</p>
<p>I applied to Shad Valley and am accepted, but recently i got a letter from mathcamp inviting me to apply, and now i'm really torn. </p>
<p>For anyone who has attended Shad Valley, how did you find the experience? And what EXACTLY do you do, because i'm still hazy on that part. I know it's science/technology/business related, but that's so broad and vague. What kind of activity do you do? I mean do you just visit labs and do nothing yourself, or are you actually allowed to perform some experiments? and how much of the time is devoted to science and how much to business?</p>
<p>As for anybody who has attended the Mathcamp, how hard it is to get in? And also, are the material covered at the camp REALLY challenging? because i was just reading some of topics covered at the camp and for some i just have NO IDEA what they are. </p>
<p>Personally I'll probably go into the sciences, but at the same time i like math and i REALLY want to improve on the Waterloo math contests. Although it would probably be reasonable that i chose Shad, i'm now feeling that Shad is not really that focused on research. It seems you only get to learn about all these cool state of the art technology instead of actually getting to use them, but i may be wrong.</p>
<p>I live in Canada, but I tend to go to more prestigious, well-known US summer programs for highschoolers set on college campuses. I think you should try those, since you got to see WAY MORE than staying here in Canada. </p>
<p>For instance, last summer, I went to the Junior Statesmen Foundation summer program at PRINCETON, and we end up going to new york and attend the UN General Assembly and Security Council Meetings hours after the London terrorist attacks had occurred. It was REALLY fascinating seeing all these people who are elites in their related fields of study. At princeton, we also managed to see John Nash (do you know of him?), the world-renowned economist, mathematician, and 1994 nobel price winner. </p>
<p>I think you should open your eyes wider and try some more challenging, reaching summer programs that's offered throughout northamerica and around the world. </p>
<p>Oh, also, last summer at princeton, I managed to complete 2 AP courses in a month, with outstanding marks. I wouldn't think any program would offer such a good deal here in canada.</p>
<p>some of my friends have gone to shad valley and they absolutely loved it. i think you're placed in a campus, and then divided into groups and then throughout the whole program, you work together with this group (consisting of business, science and public speaking related people) and create some type of project. sort of like participating in science fairs.</p>
<p>it's very stimulating as i've heard and definitely if you get a chance, you should go (if you're into science, business or technology). and you get to meet tons of people in the field as i've heard. </p>
<p>as for going to other countries, well, lol, if you can afford to do that then by all means to it.</p>
<p>don't go to shad thinking its prestigious or something, cause its very easy to get into. hence no great international prestige like RSI. </p>
<p>I did hear it was a very fun experience tho, and looking back, i kinda wish i had known about it so i might've applied. Ya, u do some projects with a buncha people ur age, business/science/tech related. </p>
<p>I applied to, and got accepted into Shad Valley for this coming summer. Can't comment on what it's like, obviously, but the people that I have spoken to about the program have all highly recommended it.</p>
<p>You spend a month at a university campus. You attend lecture and workshops in all sorts of areas (I think you get some choice as to which lectures and workshops to attend). There's also group projects, and there's this one project where you and your team have to create a product (I think each year there is a theme that has to be followed...not entirely sure), and create a business plan for it, and present it to a panel of judges. In addition to all of the academic things, there's also trips to local sights and attractions.</p>
<p>Some people are also able to have a paid internship with a company, through Shad Valley. The internship usually lasts for the entire month of August, after the camp.</p>
<p>If you live in Alberta, they have a fairly prestigious summer research programe called HYRS. You get to intern at a lab allll summer and they pay you. A girl from my school went and talked to our IB Bio class about it...</p>
<p>I got into the McMaster campus, and i'm really excited. It is my first choice, as i heard that McMaster is the most medically focused campus of all of them (i know they have basically the same activities but each campus does take advantage of its facilities)</p>
<p>Oh cool, have fun! My first choice was UWaterloo, but UBC sounds like it will be a lot of fun too (and it was my second choice so whatever :)) Apparently we're going sea kayaking, which should be really fun.</p>
<p>Did you apply for the internship in August? I did, but I haven't heard anything yet, so I'm not too hopeful. (I blame my age, since I'm just in grade 10 right now :P)</p>