Harvard Summer Program?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I was wondering if any of you have gone to Harvard's Summer Program and what you thought of it. My parents really want me to go, but I'm not sure that it's worth the 5,000 or so dollars that it would cost. If I don't go to Harvard's program, I'll be taking classes at the local college (branch of a major state university) where I took classes last summer. If I stayed local, I could also probably get a summer job.</p>

<p>What do you think? Would it be worth the money to go? I probably won't be applying to Harvard next year, but I am looking at some of the other ivies and obviously want any advantages I can get. Thanks in advance for your opinions!</p>

2

<p>Summer programs have no bearing on admissions. Taking similar classes locally and working would be more prestigious and show more desire and dedication.</p>

3

<p>Bandit's on the money.</p>

4

<p>Whose money are you spending? What courses are you considering? Are you concerned about being away from your boyfriend?</p>

<p>You say the classes locally are "similar" - but is the faculty and are the other students "simila"r?</p>

<p>Sounds like your parents just want you to experience the big scary world outside the home town, and are willing to pay for it!</p>

5

<p>The parents probably mistakenly believe it will improve her chances. The website would have you believe that admission to SSP is a great honor and difficult to obtain. Neither is true. Likewise, they would have you believe that the classes will be taught by Harvard professors that teach in regular term. Again, seldom true.</p>

6

<p>From someone who was there last year: If your parents are willing to let you go, then most definitely go to SSP!!!!</p>

<p>I want to address some of the points raised by the previous posts. Foremost, bandit is absolutely right when it comes to the fact that admission into SSP will not increase admission chances when actual college admissions come around - but performing well at SSP most certainly does. Since no one really knows how individual college decisions are made, I'll offer this anecdote on my experience after attending Harvard over the summer. When I came back to HS, I wanted to to an internship on capitol hill, yet only college students were allowed to apply. Nevertheless, as a High-Schooler, I applied anyway, and got the internship. Later I learned that they had perceived my coursework at Harvard, and my success in them, to be impressive, and that was the reason I had even been able to interview with them. Further, I received a recommendation from that office, which I included in all my applications, and I was accepted to all my schools. With respect to one particular college, 12 kids in my school applied EA, I was the only one admitted. Nevertheless, I had the worst GPA and SAT score of any student who had even applied to that school EA. The only positive difference I had with respect to the other kids was the internship and the Harvard coursework, all due to my decision to attend SSP.</p>

<p>However, I feel that you should attend due to reasons beyond an impact that this may have later in your college selection process. The summer at Harvard was probably the best of my life. I met incredible kids from all over the world (Harvard Summer School, although not hard to get in, is indeed the most prestigious summer school, having been around for 129 years. Therefore, over the summer, there were people from 90 different countries at Harvard, a more geographically diverse student body than Harvard has during the school year).</p>

<p>The classes were great, and unlike several friends of mine, I made sure that at least one of my professor taught at Harvard during the school year. Most importantly, being in college for 11 weeks allowed me to realize what were the important factors for me to consider in colleges when applying, and later, when selecting them. Therefore, by speaking to a lot of Harvard undergrads who had obviously successfully navigated the college process, I realized that success in that aspect of college life did not mean happiness once in college, and after speaking to a lot of students who were very unhappy about their experiences, I reevaluated my priorities and, for the first time in 17 years of existence, decided that Harvard was not my first choice. Going to SSP is a tremendous experience, and it will indeed allow you to grow in many ways if you take advantage of all the possibilities that are given to you. </p>

<p>That being said, I hope you decide to attend</p>

7

<p>Well said. My D did Brown for two summers. She did it for the intellectual stimulation and to live away from home. It is much less structured than SSP, and she took classes exclusively with upper classmen. It was well worth it for her, but she didn't have a home town option.</p>

8

<p>Go for it. As a past SSP-er, its not only a taste of what college really is like (4 weeks in adn you realized you have to start spending your money wisely), but also gettin ga A+ or even an A is impressive, seeing you are with both college and high school students. True, it would not necessarily help your admissions, but it will give you an opportunity to see Harvard in its full glroy. Another great thing is, if you are in fact looking to apply for Harvard for undergraduate, it almost guarentees the best interview you'll have in your whole college process. The simple small things (ie: going to pinochios, sleeping while studying in weinberg, eating at annenberg) are the things that show your knowledge of Harvard. So think about. A heavy price (Scholarship?), but I believe overwhelmingly worth the amount. Don't get caught up too much on whether or not this will help admissions; think about what would be best for you overall.</p>

9

<p>I, as a 2005 SSP attendee, thought I'd could have some input, take it as you may. Money is an issue, I attended the 8-week program, which cost upwards of $8,000 (although financial aid, thank heavens, was available). It sounds like your parents are up to paying for it, but I'd really recommend sitting down and going through with them all the pros and cons, giving them a chance to see that yes, it's harvard, but it's not HARVARD admission, nor will it necessarily help said admission, regardless of whether it's the 4 or 8-week program. </p>

<p>However, I would not trade my experience for the world, in all honesty. I come from indiana (think notre dame vicinity), and the chance to live in cambridge was ridiculously fun. The chance to experience college life on-campus, i think, was invaluable, it gave me a nice taste of what that life would really be like, gave me a chance to somewhat get acclimated to it (the downside is that it made my senior year a bit less tolerable, anxious as i now am to GET TO COLLEGE!!!). I had 2 harvard professors teach my classes, including one seminar with 13 kids in it, sitting around a table just talking about books...i learned an immense amount, and I got a recommendation from one of my professors to send to my schools, and i know that it was a good one. </p>

<p>But obviously, you can learn at a local school, and a job's a great thing. However, one thing i loved about harvard is that I could've gone there, not taken any courses, sat down smack in the middle of harvard yard, and i woulda gotten smarter...what's remarkable is that you're in a unique atmosphere, one where EVERYone around you is so SMART (some absurdly so), and they can talk to you about ANY subject on the face of the earth, and then some. I got smarter on so many different levels that I can't remember all that well what i thought of college before SSP, so I highly recommend it. </p>

<p>Oh yeah, my being able to describe the little things about harvard not only helped my interview, it nailed it: I made my interviewer pause and just reminisce for 15 minutes, talking about how good i was at bringing back what made harvard so special for him...</p>

<p>wow...i ended up rambling...sorry bout that, but truly, it was a wonderful experience that i'd really urge you to think strongly about.</p>

10

<p>the only thing that i dont understand is why a lot of people are saying its just a harvard ssp and all they want is money.I got accepted to the ssp and i plan on going getting a good grade and having a good time. The way i see it is i do a bunch of community service, mentor kids, i worked the summers of my freshman and sophmor years, im going away for my whole summer to learn, i took a course in my community college last summer, and the summer before while working. I mean if you go to harvard for the summer that has to count for something, it shows you want to learn, if you get a good grade it shows you can work hard..im also up for making new friends....</p>

11

<p>That's a good approach. Just don't expect it to count any more than your CC courses as far as admissions is concerned.</p>

12

<p>yeah i went to SSP... it was great. if you think about it the money you pay and the credit you get is the same cost as doing it in college. So its not like its a waste of money. </p>

<p>i had an amazing time and met some really cool people.</p>

13

<p>also consider the fact that your community service does not have to die simply because you're at summer school. your free time is considerable, and yours to do with as you wish. A rather large percentage of my entryway volunteered at the homeless shelter, including some brave souls who left at 4:30 for the early-bird shift, and many of us donated blood during their drive as well. We could get politically involved (I was president of the extension school democrats, the title of which meant absolutely nothing, but sounds really nice, haha, and heavens knows it was something to do, and a great chance to meet like-minded people). volunteering your time is something that certainly need not diminish, and of course, you're still taking harvard courses and getting college credit, while living the college experience.</p>

14

<p>Don't go to the program.........do some research (find a mentor) at a near by university, universities LOVE that stuff.........</p>

<p>Or try to win some competitions or contests, Harvard just wastes your money and doesn't improve your chances.</p>

15

<p>it doesn't specifically help your chances of getting into harvard itself, no, but it can help you get into harvard anywayz. Show them that you can do well in a rigorous college environment, that your dedicated enough to give up a summer to work on academics, that you can handle college in general, etc. I will not knock summer research, that can really help your chances too, believe me...but i distinctly disagree with sonbac that it doesn't help you, or that research is necessarily superior to it. It really depends on your individual situation, and I can personally attest to my roommates, and several others having gotten into top tier schools (including harvard) having been told that their summer really helped their admission chances. Brown sent me a letter after I got in there, and specifically noted that summer program as something they were particularly impressed by. </p>

<p>Just thought you guys should hear the opposite side of the argument. However, one of my best friends spent his summer doing DNA tiling research at Notre Dame, and he got into WashU St. Louis, Notre Dame, UChicago, and Northwestern (all the schools he wanted to), so it's not like that won't work either. Later</p>

16

<p>I read pretty much all the posts above, and I had a question.</p>

<p>What grade did you guys attend SSP? I'm a sophomore, and I'm debating whether or not I should go this year or next year. This summer I was actually planning to take Spanish 2 and Pre-Cal so I can take AP Calc next year to "get ahead" of everyone in my grade (ha), and also so I can take AP Stat my senior year....however, if I go to the SSP, I will have to scratch out these plans. What should I do?</p>

17

<p>well, if you read through there, you'll see some of the pros and cons of the summer program. In all honesty, it's your call, your plan, I can't make it for you. If you think spanish 2 and pre-calc are integral to your future plans, then that's not really something harvard can impact. If you're prepared to take the slightly more restrictive rules and the somewhat lower maturity this year, and are willing to give up 8 weeks of your summer, then go for it, one of my dormmates actually came both his junior and senior years, so it's obviously been done...if you like math enough to be willing to put in the AP work, then it can't hurt to do that...but if you really like some course or another at harvard...sorry, i've rambled and said nothing, but I can't really help you too much with what you want besides what's already been said...</p>

<p>haha, my bad, i just realized i've posted in the wrong thread. if you go to the high school section of this site and find the thread titled "Harvard SSP" it's got a LOT more information on that kinda thing. Hope that helps</p>

18

<p>Thanks for the input... I'm actually excited about my AP classes next year (call me a freak), and I can't wait to be in a class that actually challenges my brain! So...I'm leaning towards taking the pre-cal and spanish 2 this summer and save the Harvard SSP for junior year, when I will have had more experience with college level courses anyway.</p>

19

<p>good for you...in all honestry, in your shoes, i'da prolly waited a year. Harvard's SSP isn't going anywhere, and advancing academically at home is even more important, i think, then simply taking a few college courses, esp. when you can just as easily take them the next year. Best of luck with your decision</p>