<p>Hey guys</p>
<p>Well, I have a dilemma here- I am thinking of applying to the Neurobiology program at the Harvard Summer School, as I really have an interest in psychology and cognitive sort of stuff. They offer this course through distance education, but I don't know if that'll be as fun, but its good to know that I can still somehow learn all this material.</p>
<p>At the same time, my school offers Precalculus over the summer and I can at the same time volunteer at a local hospital with a couple friends. If I do well in PreCalc, I can move to AP Calc next year (jr year).</p>
<p>What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Definitely the latter :</p>
<p>Spending the summer after my sophomore year at Harvard was one of the best experiences of my life; there was so much freedom and free time and lots of friends. Some of my friends took neurobiology and it was definitely manageable; they didn't need to study all the time and they still pulled of an A. If you can afford it (or get the financial aid) then it's definitely a fun experience. Hopefully you can abide the curfew rule better than I can ;)</p>
<p>To me, the second option seems more like the college-app plan. The first one is because you actually have an interest, and the experience is really worth it. The second one is for advancement... and volunteer work for college apps. I know some people who took precalculus at Harvard, but it would seem like you're not using all your resources. And in my experience, you REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE CALCULUS JUNIOR YEAR ANYWAY. My school is strongly against summer math advancement and they've strictly restricted anything but geometry, and if you don't have a strong foundation, then you'll definitely struggle with the first 3-4 chapters of calculus. I suppose volunteering at the hospital would be somewhat applicable to your interest in neurobiology... but you'll just be filling out charts and doing receptionist work the whole time- without knowing anything about the subject you like!</p>
<p>I would strongly recommend the first choice- feel free to PM me if you have any questions.</p>
<p>Ditto the fish, go to Cambridge. PM me too if you want more info on SSP.</p>
<p>Ah, I see. Thanks for your input!</p>