Help sorting through some summer STEM options please

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
21

Back from the dead! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

22

In the end DS chose Rice and WPI because reasons. WPI is later this summer.

Feedback on Riceā€¦overall it was positive. Even though run by a 3rd party, it was a great opportunity to experience time on campus, get a feel for the area, get to know current Rice undergrads (who taught many of the sections), etc. That was our primary hope tbh, knowing that the program itself isnā€™t competitive for admissions.

Academically it was a mixed bag, mostly because the program included rising sophomores and juniors as well. So the material had to be level-adjusted below that of a rising senior. But he did learn quite a bit of C++ which was a language he wasnā€™t overly exposed to previously. And he said the hands-on projects (e.g. building bridges for weight-testing) were fun.

The ā€˜adultā€™ monitoring in general and at night in particular was also done by Rice students. Which is to say, they were not remotely strict.

The program does provide some Rice admissions content at the end, though DS also did the ā€˜officialā€™ tour and student panel after the camp ended, and he said they were more comprehensive than what was presented in the camp.

Overall heā€™s very happy to have Rice on his list.

1 Like
23

Rice is an amazing enclave. If one can see themselves in Texas and tolerate the summer humidity, it would be a cool place to go to school.

WPI is also very cool. They teach on a 7 week term and are very project oriented. It made our sonā€™s final 3 many moons ago.

Have fun in the process!

1 Like
24

Hah yes the PBL acronym is now very much on our radar. They talked about it nonstop at Olin (way too small in the end) and it definitely holds appeal.

7 week terms - thatā€™s short/quick even by our standards (10 week trimesters at current HS)!

1 Like
25

Olin was cool, but felt too much like being at Hogwarts to our son. It was just too small. For the right kid though, itā€™s a great school.

At WPI the way they counter the length of the term is by only doing three classes, typically 2 STEM and 1 humanities. They have a real, project based travel abroad program too, where the student works on at a job rather than just taking classes in a foreign country.

2 Likes
26

Very cool.

Where did your son end up?

27

Cal Poly (BS/MS ME 2019)

1 Like