<p>for all the students who got accepted and are planning on attending harvard ssp this summer i guess :)</p>
<p>btw im considering going for economics (8 credits) im a rising juniorr yaay 
i hear the rules are stricter for us though?!</p>
<p>I also applied and got accepted:D i am trying to apply for financial aid but apparently i have to wait till March 1st:cool: anyway, i am also interested in Economics, but i am still debating on whether i should just take principles of econ for 8 credits or micro econ and intro to philosophy:)</p>
<p>congratulations to everybody!!! i’m also accepted to the program and am probably going for the the 8 credit economics course.classes are from noon - 3 pm monday-friday. i really think that’s ideal class time 
ps im so excited for this program(: hear its great</p>
<p>@aimforthesky
You are correct. I attended HSSP last summer as a rising junior ('10 HSSP). There are curfews on both weekdays and weekends for juniors. It was rather inconvenient because there’s an early curfew and a late curfew (for checking in; once you check in, you are not allowed to leave the dorm). On weekends, the early curfew was 9 PM and the late curfew was 11 or 12, I forgot. So either you check in super early and don’t get to hang out, or you have to stay up late and sometimes after a long week, staying up late is difficult. On the third day, I was in my dorm and forgot to check in downstairs. So I ran downstairs (after seeing the missed call from my proctor on my phone) and checked in 3 minutes late. I was sent to the assistant dean and she gave me early curfew for 2 days. </p>
<p>I took Calculus and Neurobiology, which were both really fun (except Calculus had meeting times on Friday, so I didn’t get to go on any trips).</p>
<p>@thisisyourlife
I heard that the economics course 8 credits is fun.</p>
<p>@Bakina
One person in my dorm took intro to philosophy. I thought it was the most intriguing subject ever. He had to write a 10-20 page paper or something ridiculous like that though. We had discussions at night about the philosophy stuff and it was really fun. I think there are youtube videos on a few of the lectures. It’s about robots vs. humans and a few moral issues. I would highly encourage it.</p>
<p>^what did you think of calculus? what do you need to take/study in order to be prepared for the class?</p>
<p>@Bakina
Calculus was stressful. The curves are very generous. We got a 20 point curve on every test. I ended with an A, but I got a B on the first exam. I failed the final pretty bad, with a 50% or so. Haha… They are really tough tests (except the second one - I got an A).
There is no multiple choice, just 5 free response questions for the first two exams. The final exam is 8 free response questions.</p>
<p>There is a qualifying test to get into the class, but it’s really simple. Just know basic Algebra/Geometry and you should be fine. They post the people that made the class the day after I believe. The graders accidentally posted the wrong set of names (they were '09 names) and everybody freaked out because nobody got into the class. Then they corrected it.</p>
<p>If you really want to challenge yourself, take Multivariable Calc. I had a friend who took multivariable calc without taking calculus before and she pretty much died, but still pulled a very respectable grade in the class.</p>
<p>Just curious… do they ever reject anyone?</p>
<p>Bibimbap: </p>
<p>did you have fun? do you recommend going ?
also what was the curfew on weekdays? </p>
<p>and </p>
<p>iceui2:
i’ve heard a few stories. one is that its highly selective and they only accept 20 % and the other one is that because people who apply are self-selected, therefore highly qualified already, most likely you will get accepted.</p>
<p>i was accepted and i’m pretty qualified, but i didn’t think i’d get in :)</p>
<p>i actually think i’m going to do psychology now. and are there a lot of people internationally? is it hard to make friends if ur kind of shy?</p>
<p>@thisisyourlife, ive heard not that many people apply because of the price</p>
<p>@aimforthesky
I highly encourage Intro to Psychology! I took this course and absolutely loved it. The Professor has been teaching the class at HSSP for I believe five years now, and he is HILARIOUS. I’m talking innuendos and profanity hilarious, so if you are faint of heart the class may not be for you.
Do not worry about meeting people. Well, I guess you can’t help but worry, but after you get into your dorm and meet the people on your floor then go to your classes and form study groups or go for coffee after class, then you’ll think back at your stress over finding friends and laugh. It’s an easy environment.</p>
<p>Everyone else,
your initial classes should not stress you out too much. There is the “Shopping Period” during the first week of classes where you can attend any class which sounds interesting and can still switch into them for that first week. I took Intro to Psych and Intro to International Relations, which were both great classes and initially I was enrolled for the 8 credit Biology course.</p>
<p>@thisisyourlife
Haha I had a blast. HSSP was seriously the best 7 weeks of my life, midterms and finals and all. I personally knew all the starbucks workers because I went in every morning and afternoon before and after classes. I wouldn’t recommend walking out past 7 PM because I was followed by hobos several times, since Harvard is an open campus. It was quite scary. There’s a great boba shop if you know what it is called Boston Tea Stop. It’s just by the Lowell House, where I stayed. All rising juniors (or most of them, except for a few exceptions) stayed at Lowell House. </p>
<p>Curfew on weekdays was 11 PM (sweetnight correct me if I’m wrong). On weekends, there’s an extra hour or hour and a half. Something similar to that. I already forgot.</p>
<p>I recommend going (if you can afford it). Even if you can’t, there’s financial aid. If you want to challenge yourself, you should go, but it’s not so challenging as some of the other camps. You do get credit for the courses. It’s really difficult to fail the courses as well. In my Neuro class, the curve was: 25% A’s, 50% B’s and 24.999% C’s (just for safety reasons, since I’m not sure if anyone failed).</p>
<p>@aimforthesky
There are so many international people. The guy living across from my was from Russia. One of my best friends was from Brazil, and I knew a few people from Canada. There are plenty of people from all over the world, and that makes it a great experience.</p>
<p>The price is quite expensive, but when you compare it to the other Ivy League summer programs, it suddenly becomes average in cost. Trust me, it’s worth every single penny. </p>
<p>Don’t worry about being shy. I’m really shy, and I made tons of friends. Some were good and some were not so good (party-ers and drinkers). A few people got kicked out for drinking. And a few people got kicked out for not obeying curfew (for the rising juniors).
As a rising senior or a rising freshman for college, there is no curfew, and you get to live in the Yard, a convenient walk to Annenburg (I forgot how to spell it).</p>
<p>thanks so much for all the advice everybody. how much homework did you guys do every night? i feel like im going to end up going and b the only one studying all the time and then i wont get time to relax</p>
<p>11 is a good curfew. do people go out and have fun until that time? </p>
<p>are guys and girls haused together? like same building but different floors?</p>
<p>and </p>
<p>study sessions at starbucks sounds sofun. im so worried though because im REALLY REALLY shy at first before u get to know me and i usually feel left out . thats what happeend at the last camp i went to because everybody was so snobby so i hope that doesnt happen again</p>
<p>another question, do you have to be really rich? ill b able to afford it with financial aid (even without) but im not going to have much extra cash lol</p>
<p>@aimforthesky
There wasn’t too much homework. I remember reading ~75 pages of neurobiology textbook per class session and the homework for calculus (since it was everyday mon-fri) was about 2 hours per day. You will NOT spend all your time studying. There’s way too many fun things to do.</p>
<p>Yeah I always ran back to the dorm with my friends at 11. A few times were really close calls.</p>
<p>For me, mine was different floor = different genders, but same dorm is co-ed.</p>
<p>Haha I did a few study sessions at SB. I went to the boba place too. I doubt that will happen. There will be like 2000 people on campus. You’re bound to be friends with someone. I was left out of the “popular” Lowell group, but I found some really great friends despite that.</p>
<p>No you don’t. For me, I had some money, so I spent a lot of time with my best friend there who had quite a bit of money. Most of my other friends were stingy, so I hung out with her a lot. You’ll probably end up being around other people who don’t have much extra cash. (No offense, really).</p>
<p>Lol I’m taking economics does that change anything? Also I HAVEE to get an A in this course- will thAt change the amount I study? </p>
<p>Do guys And girl sneak out at night? Somebody did that at my last camp and got in so much trouble </p>
<p>And I’ll have about 500 rxtra to spend hope that’s enough :)</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions too but are you grouped in dorms by the classes u take</p>
<p>lol - aimfortheskies- im sure you’ll be fine don’t be too worried!!</p>
<p>Neu Bio: good job! i was so happy when i got my letter lol
what prograM/? im guessing science lol
im really nervous too tho!! a few months away but like how much spending cash r u guys bringing and stuff?</p>
<p>lol cool im bringing 500- ill try not to spend it at ALL but just in case</p>
<p>@aimforthesky</p>
<p>Let me know if you got my message since I’m not sure if it sent D:
Also, I definately spent 300 purely on food. And by food I mean ice-cream at Ben n Jerrys and chips from CVS in the middle of the night.
It’s true that there are a lot of hobos, but if you’re in a big group you don’t need to worry. Don’t ever walk outside the Harvard gates alone late night. If you pop your head in someone’s room and invite them to CVS you’re bound to get 5 other people saying “Yeah I wanna get some candy too”.</p>
<p>Also, something I absolutely loved in Cambridge was the music scene. There are musicians at every corner playing every night with amps and mics. There was one man who would play acoustic John Lennon songs every night, then there was this random middle aged man band every weekend with electric guitars and a drum set, haha. There was this guy playing Pachebel on his Cello in the subway :)</p>