<p>I had a program lined up but it turns out that it will not work out logistics-wise. In all areas I am a fairly competitive Ivy-league applicant but it won't look great if I spent the summer between sophomore and junior year sitting around at home.</p>
<p>My areas of interest are fairly broad, but I am mainly interested in an academic program that looks good to colleges and is actually interesting and good. The latter being more important. If you know of a program that focuses on politics, economics, or debate, that would be best.</p>
<p>I understand that one main barrier is that I am applying so late. Are there any competitive or great programs still accepting applications?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for the help!</p>
<p>Mannnn if all you’re worried about is what “looks good to colleges” you’re kinda doing it all wrong. XD</p>
<p>I don’t know of any programs in particular (especially since, as you said, it’s already really late), but I’d suggest doing some volunteering or getting a job instead. Maybe you could tutor some kids or take some online courses or take up a new hobby since you say you have broad interests.
Maybe you could do a CTY camp? I dunno.</p>
<p>Anyway it’s not going to look awful if you don’t “do anything” from sophomore to junior year lol. Relax. Focus on doing some advance studying for junior year and plan things early. Get a head start on AP studying if you’re really that college-oriented. All in all, GPA and standardized test scores are far more important than whatever random programs you do over the summer. Take it from a [admittedly somewhat worried] junior who spent way too much time on ECs this semester and ended up lowering 3 classes by a letter grade. :P</p>
<p>Dude, colleges realllllly don’t care that much whether you do a summer program or not. Just replace it with something different that you’re interested in. I could offer suggestions if I knew what your interests were, but if you JUST want to impress colleges you’re going about it the wrong way and will probably have the opposite effect.</p>
<p>Oh, and as a sophomore-turning-junior who also has yet to figure out what the hell they’re gonna do with their summer (especially after two internship opportunities fell flat)… I feel your pain</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the responses! I only mentioned that I want it to look good to colleges b/c if I were to just do what I REALLY want to do for all of summer, it would be to sit and read all day!</p>
<p>Is there a book club or literary magazine at your school? If you love reading so much you should join one or make one.</p>
<p>But in all seriousness, sophomore-to-junior year isn’t a superbly critical period of time, and neither will it horribly mess up your chances for top-tier colleges if you don’t attend any prestigious camps. It’s too late now anyway. I’d still suggest starting summer-camp hunting NOW for next year, however. Work on studying for APs and SATs as I previously mentioned, and of course, keep that GPA going.</p>