<p>Ok....so I know tens of thousands of juniors received the invitation packet from harvard summer school due to their PSAT (99%) score this year. I dunno what to do about it. Honestly, I got the impression that IVY-league summer schools display you as cute-little-rich-thing who just has rich parents wiling to pay the money to send you there. However...it's HARVARD (haha so lame I know)...they don't accept just anyone...</p>
<p>So, my question is this: I'm planning for my summer now and was originally going to do research/internship. However, if I conduct some research while at harvard and take summer school there at the same time, would that be a better option?</p>
<p>Sorry if I sound presumptuous saying i will be at harvard summer school....that's ridiculous i know. but i have to count on the possibilities and decide what i should be looking into: other internships/research, or harvard summer school/research. </p>
<p>Thanks in advance! You guys are awesome! =)</p>
<p>not worth it. doesn't help a bit in admissions, not even 'get your foot in the door'. it's not very selective either. mainly just a money-making scheme. do the research/internship, particularly if that's something that really interests you and this harvard thing is only something you want to do to help you get into harvard.</p>
<p>Imagine you are a college. You have the opportunity of collecting a couple of thousand of dollars per student for a course taught during your slow period in the summer. Do you do it or not?</p>
<p>It is important to do things in the summer that will enhance your app, but courses at elite colleges and programs like the National Leadership Conference are not the only way to go. Such programs are expensive and taking an internship, a course at a community college, doing volunteer work, or other activities are just as good and cheaper. They might even be better since they indicate more of an interest in an EC rather than an interest in getting into college. The expensive programs could be very good, but they are not necessary.</p>
<p>It is DEFINITE that taking the Harvard summer course will not directly help you get accepted to Harvard in particular.</p>
<p>but its probably a ton of fun - took one of those betweent the summer of junior and senior year at penn state. had a ridiculous time. but it was expensive...like 6 weeks 7 grand.</p>
<p>I say go. I went the summer of 1980. It was a great adventure. Spend 2 months in Cambridge, taking classes, hanging with new friends from all over the world. The 2 As I received were applied to my transcript and, no matter what ya'll say - it does look good there. And, I've mentioned Harvard in passing conversation - the fact that I took 2 classes there (with professors who teach there during the reg. school year, as well) know the campus, know the curriculum, have lived in those great old dorms - it's impressive. I would do it again in a nano.</p>
<p>For me, it was a terrific, memorable, mind-broadening experience. I went to undergrad at USC, so a summer in the northeast was a nice change of pace. I'm still in contact with some of the friends I made there. Took a couple of great Art History courses with published professors. Did some fascinating research at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I can't imagine it's as expensive as the $7k qoute from previous Poster. -- but, I could be wrong. If one can afford it, it's a lovely experience.</p>
<p>well it wasn't just you know...take 3 classes and sit in a room. they had a bagillion things to do, as i'm sure harvard will have too. You can't just let a bunch of 16 year olds run amuck in boston now can you?</p>
<ul>
<li>These summer programs are not very selective, if you have about average grades and good recommendations you will get in. As others have pointed out it is more of a money making for these universities during lean periods.</li>
<li>If you are still interested in a excellent college experience and want to get some college credits, these summer programs are highly recommended (if you can afford them).</li>
<li>I would recommend that you choose a college (particularly the ones where they give you preference for showing interest in their college) which is your reach and you'd love to go there for undergraduate studies. This will help you get a good feel for the college and hopefully help in admissions.</li>
</ul>
<p>I agree with jaap001. To add my two cents, I would say that summer activites that are more individualized might actually impress adcoms more. It is always going to be a very bad thing to write your essay about how much you learned touring Europe over the summer with your parents. To some extent, the expensive programs seem a little like that.</p>
<p>The OP was asking not about how nice the programs are. It was asking whether or not they were worth the money.</p>
<p>It must be fun to hang out with people and live in the dorms, but I took a Harvard Extension school class last winter and I wasn't particularly wowed. The professor seemed disinterested and we covered material at about the same pace as my high school class, which admittedly is pretty fast. </p>
<p>I figure if you want to go someplace cool, you should just go, none of this expensive academic pretext.</p>
<p>Colleges are in business to make money. Johns Hopkins has a night school operation where people in industry work towards their Masters. It is something like $2K per credit, and practically anybody can be accepted into the program. The requirement is basically that you have a BA/BS degree. There is nothing different on the diploma to indicate that it is the night school program. Of course, it is the Masters and not the Doctorate.</p>
<p>No, don't be a prestige whore. It's extremely overpriced and colleges will know that not only is it an unselective program and that the classes are easier summer classes, but that the students in it are uppity rich kids. Look, if you want to take summer classes to improve your resume, look into what is offered by some of the public colleges in your state. You'll get the same academic experience at a fraction of the cost. Then, you can either save the money for college or donate it to starving children in africa.</p>
<p>Westside, I'm working on undergrad at USC too! Never did Harvard SS though. I don't suppose they have programs for those already in college. If I take a course in the summer, it would most likely be at my community college.</p>