<p>[Just a side note…I can’t believe I wrote “mosquitoes” above. Just yesterday I was laughing when I saw “potatoe” written on a restaurant menu!] </p>
<p>Anyway, I know what you mean about depth of exploration. On the other hand, I suspect they are trying to do some kind of interdisciplinary exploration of the students’ research topics. </p>
<p>Once again, I promise to post my daughter’s comments about CSSI as soon as she gets back. : )</p>
<p>It is now the end of November and I realize I never followed through on my promise of giving feedback on CSSI. </p>
<p>My daughter found it to be a wonderful experience. While she liked some of the classes better than others, overall she learned a LOT. She also made some fantastic friends who she’s still in touch with. </p>
<p>I would highly recommend the program to anyone who want to experience real scientific research and get a taste of college life.</p>
<p>Thanks, marama. How did your D feel about the depth of the subject matter “dive”? How intense was the classwork (my D wants something intense)? Also, what is she planning to do this summer (don’t recall what year she was)? My D is still considering various options for this summer… the biggest problem with CSSI is the late application/response date. If she doesn’t get in, she has then given up the opportunity to apply to the other programs that interest her.</p>
<p>I went to CSSI this past summer and loved it. If anyone has questions about it I’d be happy to answer them!
@intparent- The classes themselves were fairly intense; three hours in the morning of just a science class (this rotates each week–when you apply you rank the four offered classes in order of preference, and you get one for each week), and three and a half hours in the afternoon of research (your research group is taught by the same professor who teachers your first week class). There wasn’t much outside work, but what we did in our research groups was very involved. Of course, twelve hours isn’t really very much time to cover any big topic thoroughly, but I think the courses I took gave a good overview.</p>
<p>Do you know why the application review timeframe (May-June) is so late? This may interest my daughter, but she’d want to have a summer program in place before June. Those of you that have done this, did you have backup plans in case you didn’t get admitted?</p>
<p>My exact complaint, CRD. I emailed them a while ago to ask when the app would be up (it may be up now, I haven’t checked). And I prodded them a bit on this, told them their program would be D’s first choice this summer, BUT given their late timeframe she isn’t sure if she will apply because if she does not get in, she will have no summer program at all. The other programs she is considering require deposits well before the app is even due at Carleton. Honestly, I think she will not be applying this summer (soph this year, has some other options). And next year, it will be more of a backup program than her first choice because of the timeframe of the application process.</p>
<p>I have no idea. It actually worked well for me for the reason you both mentioned- when I didn’t get into another program I applied for, I was able to apply to CSSI anyway. It was effectively my backup (and I’m really, really glad I didn’t get into the other program). But yeah, I’m not sure why they haven’t updated their site yet. It seems sort of ridiculous.</p>
<p>Bring this up for a question. Was any research paper produced out of this summer experience?</p>
<p>I’m wondering the same thing as DrGoogle.
Are the research project topics new (as in, do the research projects actually contribute anything to the professor’s research or such?) Or is the research something that the professor has already done before and the students are merely replicating for the sake of learning a bit more about the field and getting some experience?</p>
<p>Also, to those who have participated during past summers, how much did each group member actually get to participate in the research? I’m wondering if the size of each group (10-12 people) made it more difficult to do the research, since everyone has to “share” the work? Or was it more like each group then split up into smaller groups, each of which worked on the same problem at the same time?</p>
<p>Maybe someone who has been can answer, but I find it hard to believe that a paper would come out of a reseach experience of only 3 weeks (half days). Seems like this is more to give the participants a flavor of research (do you like it or not) than to give you something for a paper (or an Intel project or something like that).</p>
<p>I called and there is no research paper. There is a presentation from a small group research from 2-3 students(not 10-12). It sounds like a science fair project from middleschool.</p>
<p>How was CLAE like for you, sstewart?</p>
<p>Hi, everybody. Sorry not to have replied to the private message I received from a forum participant who wanted more info about about CSSI… </p>
<p>The research project my daughter did there last summer was not high-school level. It required creative thinking and personal initiative. She and her two research partners were given full access to something like seven years of baboon data from Gombe National Park which they used to test out two hypotheses they had formulated. The professor overseeing their work was thrilled when they ended up discovering a significant trend in the data that no formal researchers had ever noticed before. The professor said she planned to address their discovery in her own research.</p>
<p>The program was intense. There were many hours spent in class, many hours spent on the independent research project, and many extracurricular activities which students were expected to attend. My daughter had an absolutely wonderful time and found some of what she learned about scientific research and writing at CSSI useful in her studies this year. Furthermore, the evaluation she received at the end of CSSI was a brilliant addition to her Early Decision college application, and she was accepted to her first-choice school.</p>
<p>It’s a great program, and quite selective. By no means does everyone who applies get accepted. </p>
<p>As regards transportation and safety issues, there is a bus which Carleton chartered to bring students to the campus from the airport and, later, to take them back to the airport for their flights home. My daughter’s only complaint was that the pick up from the airport was better organized and chaperoned than the drop-off was. It would be good for Carleton to provide chaperones who could stay and direct students to their respective departure gates at the airport. Other than that, the program was impeccably organized, smoothly run, and well worth the time and money.</p>
<p>I have been accepted and I am going to attend cssi this summer and I was just wondering if I could get some feedback on how the program helped you excell and what the overall expirence with the program was</p>
<p>@ marama: Thank you for your reply! I am definitely considering CSSI as a summer program, but right now I’m still waiting for a reply from my first choice summer activity.</p>
<p>@ amanda098: marama’s post, directly above yours, provides plenty of feedback about the program.
Also, I wasn’t aware that CSSI was already sending out acceptances, since the deadline is April 18. Are there rolling admissions?</p>
<p>I got my letter last monday, and I’ve been accepted! Like amanda098, any feedback from past attendees?</p>
<p>Hey that’s awesome flora1116! I hope to seeya there:)
archaic- I do believe that admissions are rolling but I would just double check the website for sure…</p>
<p>Last year at least, admissions were not rolling. Rather, there was an earlier deadline for those applying for scholarships, and a later deadline for everyone else. If someone didn’t win a scholarship, s/he might still get accepted full-pay. An important number of the available slots were filled by these initial scholarship applicants. The remaining spots were filled in the second round of admissions which came a few weeks later. </p>
<p>As for feedback on the program, flora1116, what else did you need to know? My daughter is busy finishing up her senior year in high school and doesn’t spend time on CC. However, if there’s anything specific you’d like to ask, I can ask her and tell you what she said. She’s still in touch with some wonderful friends she made at CSSI last summer, and perhaps they would be willing to answer questions for you, as well. Finally, you can always contact Jeremy, the summer program director, or Cameron, the CSSI coordinator, directly. They are both extremely helpful, nice people.</p>
<p>Congratulations to all accepted students! This program will look great on your college apps.</p>
<p>Amanda098- Ya, I’m so excited! I did a program last year through the Brown Leadership Institute, that wasn’t very science oriented, but I really enjoyed it and such. What focus classes did you choose on your application? It’s nice to know somebody else that’s going; where are you from? </p>
<p>marama- Thanks for your extended response! I think the main thing I was interested in was, whether or not the research that you do is in one of the core subject areas that we had to indicate on the original application, or whether they are science based, but not in one of the specific areas. Also, from what I understand, we take one of the core science courses that we applied to on the application each week. Am I right with that understanding?
I’m sure I’ll have plenty more questions until I am all packed and ready to go, but I’ll post those as they come up.
Thanks so much.</p>
<p>The research groups are decided by the program coordinators, and last year my daughter got her second choice topic. (Her first choice was Neuroscience, but that was the one the highest number of people requested.) Of the four subjects offered in the program, students do three, one-week-long, intensive courses during the morning sessions. In the afternoon, students work on their research projects.</p>
<p>My daughter has such fond memories of CSSI! I’m sure you are going to have a wonderful summer at Carleton, flora1116!</p>