My mom is convinced that attending Summer@Brown (or some other similar summer program) will help my resume come application time (I’m a current junior so I’ll be applying fall of this year), but I really don’t think it will… Almost everyone who has satisfactory grades and can pay gets admitted so how would that help my resume? I would love to go to one of these programs for the experience and learning environment but I think my summer before senior year would be better spent doing other things. I wish i had gone to one of these programs last summer, but it’s too late for that now.
So basically my question is, is spending maybe 5 weeks of the summer before senior year (and I’m hoping to start applications in early August) at a pre college summer program worth it? Will it really add anything to my application?
Not really, not as a tip. What they can show is how you pursued an interest, but there are other ways to do that, too. The possible benefit can be to your own growth and the perspective of learning with kids from more than just your own local area. Some programs do set higher standards than you own hs can. Their facilities (eg, labs) will be better and you’ll be in that environment.
But many of the summer programs are their own ways the U uses the space, makes a little profit, keeps a part-time faculty member or adjunct employed. You want to weigh what this opp really is.
The short answer is no. But the experience can be awesome. My kids did the 3-week Cornell Summer College and loved it. (btw: the courses were taught by real Cornell professors.)
If you would earn college credits for the class, you will have to chase down that transcript every time you apply for admission to a degree program, or for a job that requires all of your transcripts. The grade will become part of your permanent academic record. So unless you plan to work hard and get a good grade, and the course is something you are really interested in (or that will take care of a college requirement once you do start), I’d encourage you to find something else interesting to do with your summer.
My kids did summer programs, but they did things that interested them or helped them explore careers. One of my kids spent the summer abroad in Finland summer before senior year. Another went to a program to try out engineering. There are lots of productive ways to spend your summer – do something that matches your interests.
The schools say that it does not help with admissions. If the summer program is interesting to your child and you can afford it, it could be a great option, but don’t do it just to try to get an edge for full time admissions.
One example I know is a kid who the professors at a summer program thought through having him in their classes was such a rock star that one offered to write a recommendation for the HS student even though professors were explicitly told not to do this. You could argue this kid would have made it in anyway but we’ll never know for sure.
For my DS, we used summer programs to check out settings (somewhat isolated LAC, small university in a suburban environment) to help decide what would be a good fit. I think this could prove somewhat helpful on application for indicating how much homework you did before deciding what schools to apply to.
I think it does help sometimes. they often time say it does not. but if you stand out in the right peoples mind I think it helps. like in a theater program or such where a professor may work with high school students and gets to know you.
Greatest advantage is to help you confirm interest in your college major.
For example, my oldest daughter did summers exploring criminal justice and forensics … she is currently majoring in criminal justice and starting her masters in the subject next year. For her it confirmed her interest in the subject.
For my youngest daughter, she did summers exploring biomedical science, engineering, and business data analytics. She’ll be studying statistics and business data analytics as her major in the fall.
For this purpose it has been invaluable and we’d do the same thing again. Good luck!
One of our kids did the summer at brown program As you point out, it’s not selective but it is self-selecting. My son met kids from all over the world, enjoyed his class and loved his first taste of campus life. He has stayed in touch with the friends he made there. My son was given a recommendation by his professor but it clearly didn’t effect his admission outcomes.
My suggestion is to take a look at the yale explo program. My other son loved the program, there was a lot more to do and they had great events that were included in the price (like broadway shows).
I think it’s great for career and major exploration. And if you expand on it by doing research or an independent study in the subject, it may be one more thing that’s memorable about you or is part of the story of what you’re interested in, good at, whatever. D had a blast too, met interesting motivated kids from around the world, became more interested in college in general, and definitely had a leg up when she went to real college because she knew a lot already about how to meet people in a residential college situation.
“actually, some people believe that it is a detriment to your application and a waste of money:” I went and read their post … and there is lot of irony coming
from a company that makes money off of the same student pool who attends those summer programs and many people think that paid college counselors are a waste too.
you should only attend a program if you are interested …no doubt. but it can help even if the admissions office will not admit to it. (which if I was speaking for them I would say the same thing)
if you stand out …they will hear about it.
personally I don’t believe summer programs are detrimental to college apps but I do agree with their perspective that taking a real class at a local college or working in an area of interest will help your app more than a summer program.
if I was doing admissions or hiring somebody I would rather admit or hire a person who worked in a fast food restaurant for 2 years than a person who had an internship at some ritzy office or non profit. because that shows dedication to a hard job in a hot stressful environment where you work with a lot of folks who are not to happy and the job is not glamorous. and to me it builds character and shows character to last 2 years . so I agree with the concept on face value of college summer programs are a “rich” persons domain. but, I think the people working in elitist schools admissions offices probably pay more lip service to frowning on summer programs than actually following that belief system.
I know a student this happened to, doing a science program at Harvard- he developed a new thing that they are still using. Harvard prof stayed in contact, wrote rec, etc. Statistically sound kid did not get offer from Harvard.
Moral of the story- as pretty much everybody here is saying- use your summer to do something that means something to you. It will fit in your overall story. Do Brown if you want, do a summer job, just do something that challenges you / gives you opportunities to grow. And tell your mom that summer programs- except for a few hyper-competitive ones- are only worth what you take from the experience!
RSI is not the same category as one of these other “pay to play” programs. It is extremely competitive admissions, well known to both employers and Adcom’s, and is in a category of its own.
I should add that my daughter attended the islands thru time program at college of the atlantic last summer and I believe it was a much more immersive, intellectual experience than the brown or yale programs and attracted a different demographic.