<p>I agree. And it’s certainly a less privileged experience than some of the other activities that get touted, such as working in labs (which might require a student to have his own transportation all summer long). Sometimes engaging in an activity IS studying it in a classroom. </p>
<p>Are the CTY programs (and their cousins, TIP and CTD), which were supposedly for “advanced” students and have at least some requirements in the form of ACT scores, etc., viewed any differently from the random “take a summer class at Elite U!” programs that don’t have such requirements?</p>
<p>“Are the CTY programs (and their cousins, TIP and CTD), which were supposedly for “advanced” students and have at least some requirements in the form of ACT scores, etc., viewed any differently from the random “take a summer class at Elite U!” programs that don’t have such requirements?”</p>
<p>No. While CTY and similar programs have high SAT requirements, they still are very expensive programs.</p>
<p>It’s fine and can be enlightening and educational to participate in expensive summer programs. My younger S, for instance, did CTY and TIP and had a wonderful time exploring his interest in philosophy, and interest that prior to TIP, I didn’t know he had.</p>
<p>I just don’t suggest that anyone do such programs just to boost their college applications. If all that’s wanted is an application boost, one can get a bigger one by staying home and working 20 hours or more a week cutting lawns or babysitting.</p>
<p>The one helpful college admission thing that my D got from attending a summer program at a well regarded university was that they had optional seminars at night about various aspects of the college application & admission process. Since she goes to a large, public high school, the counselors aren’t able to sit down with the kids one on one and explain the nuances. Most of the stuff she shared with me I already knew from visiting CC. But sometimes hearing from someone besides mom makes it more valid. She truly enjoyed the class she took, and is “friends” with the instructor & her TA on FB; they’ve encouraged her along the college app process. </p>
<p>Even though she was in a summer program for “gifted” kids, she realized that doesn’t mean that they’re all serious students. She liked going to the seminars at night about politics & current events and she would be so jazzed up when she’d tell us about them after. She was really surprised that the majority of kids didn’t go to those types of optional seminars. So that also made her realize that she needed to find a place for herself in college where she would have similar opportunities. And she got really annoyed at a few girls who obviously were there just because their parents made them and who kept talking in class to the point where the instructor had to call the director of the program in. </p>
<p>Again, not answering the OPs original query, but there can be great experiences had at these types of programs but they can be expensive.</p>
<p>I would recommend summer courses for international HS students because it will give them a better feeling for what the college experience is about.</p>
<p>I would want to know a LOT more about the program specifics. </p>
<p>For instance, DS attends an Ivy and his summer experiences were as a camp counselor (which he loved and it showed). He was denied at CalTech and MIT and I subsequently heard there are a couple of nerd camps that are highly regarded by those two schools (sorry, I don’t recall what they were. Space camp? Math camp? )</p>
<p>Meanwhile, one niece worked as summer staff for an expensive program at a college campus for gifted adolescents. She said it was insane. The campers were moved around at a gallop. The organizers seem to know their topics but very little about managing a camper program (as in how long to have for meals, for down time, for transit between activities). She said she’d never send a kid to such a week herself. </p>
<p>Thank you everyone all the advice! What I’m getting from reading these posts is this: while there can be some advantages if you especially impress professors like outside1’s kid did, mostly the value in these summer programs is personal for the student, and not necessarily as an advantage in college admissions. In that case, for me–personally–while I would love to do a program just for its own sake, that’s not something I can afford, and I’ll look into getting a job/internship, volunteering, and generally finding other interesting things to do in the summer instead Thanks again.</p>
Thanks again.</p>