<p>I wonder to what degree the colleges themselves see summer programs as a way to boost there own admissions numbers? Sadly, there's always an angle.</p>
<p>Lladner,
This is one of the worst stories I've heard. I really feel for your son. This was almost abusive.
Good luck elsewhere. I hope you get some good karma out of this in RD.</p>
<p>Lladner - yikes, that's a horror story... but (thankfully) not all profs who teach at summer programs are like that...</p>
<p>My prof from Columbia wrote me a general rec that was required by the program, but also has offered numerous times to write me a more personal one. I've taken her up about twice on her offer and both are wonderfully written and I think they show who I am and my interest in the subject matter and learning, in general. I also keep in touch with her regularly. I guess I really got lucky ... I would definitely recommend the course to anyone (Narrative and Religion ... haha, I'm so trying to sell this class) and the prof is awesome!! I wish I could take it again!! So all rec promises aren't false, but there are those who talk but don't walk the walk. :)</p>
<p>In contrast, the Pennsylvania Governor's Schools (at least the Science one my son attended) writes a personalized letter for each attendee. The director of the program gets input from all of the teachers and instructors the student has had for courses and for the group research project which is part of the program. These comments from the teachers are put together into an extremely detailed letter which also gives a description of the program and concludes with an overall summary evaluation of the student. The student is sent the letter to review, and can then decide whether or not to have it sent to the colleges where he or she is applying. The director's secretary (who was an extremely conscientious and wonderful person) sends them to as many colleges as you request, with no need for the student to provide an addressed envelope or anything. The Governor's School was of extremely high quality in every regard and the work put into the recommendation letters was just the icing on the cake. I have told many people that this was the first time I really felt like I was getting something great in return for my state tax payments :)</p>
<p>Wow, I would definitely put the Governor's School on my list (if I lived in PA) after reading MotherOfTwo's post.</p>
<p>Although it certainly is a nice bonus if a summer program helps the college app, I agree with those posters that feel that the program should be selected with the interests and benefit of the kid involved. Work is always a plus on the app and and a benefit to the kids. I am still looking for something for my 14 year old who is really too young to work this summer, though our eyes are open for possibilities, but I what I would love to find is something that could spark some interest in him. Not worried about the college aspect of it at this point at all, but he is the first kid I have had who really does not have much in the way of interest. He is pretty good at a number of things but does not want to go on to the next level of involvement in any of them. Is very good at math, but he would truly be upset to be put into any academic type program.</p>
<p>It actually turned out okay...my son was accepted to Tufts ED2, we weren't taking any chances with regular admissions, too many horror stories.</p>
<p>I think summer programs should only be entered into if a student has an interest or passion in the subject. When people start asking "how would it look ..." it reminds me of clothes shopping - people trying on different outfits and looking at themselves in the mirror. It seems to me if you have to ask how it looks, you know the answer. It "looks" like you're posturing. We can never read the mind of an admissions counsellor on the particular day of the particular year that our child's file is in their hands. We're much more likely to be able to figure out (even though it's not always transparent) what our kids' passions are and help put them in the right place to explore those passions. Let's all agree to stop jumping through imaginary hoops.</p>
<p>very well said</p>
<p>"It seems to me if you have to ask how it looks, you know the answer. It 'looks' like you're posturing." </p>
<p>This one should go into the one-line advice thread. Well said.</p>
<p>Summer programs add luster to your college application, especially if they are related to your major or are extremely prestigous such as RSI.</p>
<p>Have any of you ever had a child or known one that has used their summers to take academic classes, ok'd by current high school, in order to move a head a grade? This is something that my own may be doing... I don't want to bore you with the whole story as to why...basically she "lost" a year due to a combination of things health related. She is now doing super well finishing 9th grade but really, really wants to graduate in two years. Her current private school has outlined a plan of action and said she needs to take two specific courses this summer and then next... I'm still gathering information...and wondering about it all.</p>
<p>If she wants to do it, we'll most likely support that decision...at least she'd have several weeks in August to relax/do something for sheer enjoyment/passion or volunteer/work someplace.</p>
<p>It's so difficult to know at this stage what her consuming interests are...having just come out of years of a consuming interest that she put aside last spring. </p>
<p>Anyone here been in this situation?</p>
<p>Blumini:
If your private school is willing to let your D take summer courses, CTY or Northwestern's Center for Talent Development have courses that usually last three weeks and would suit your D's needs very well.
My S took two CTY courses to move ahead, but for slightly different reasons from your D. My S was primarily concerned to avoid taking courses that would be too slow especially since the high school was dropping Honors track in favor of heterogeneous classes where student abilities would range from 5th to 12th grade. He took Fast-Paced High School Physics which prepared him very well for AP-Physics (he'd already begun to study Calc, so it worked out well). The following summer, he took Fast-Paced High School Chemistry. Again, it prepared him very well for AP-Chem. After each CTY session, the students are given a test devised by the National Science Teachers Association to ascertain that they have indeed mastered the materials covered in a year-long science class.
Some might find the three weeks too intensively academic, but my S loved his time at CTY.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. My daughter is a HS Jr who has never done a summer program despite being invited to many good ones. She has been playing travel softball since 8th grade and spends every weekend in June & July traveling to different tournaments and then spends a week at the nationals. She has been to NY/NJ/PA/CT/DE/MD/NC/VA and this year Fla to play ball. During the week she practices almost every day, reads and basically enjoys some quiet time. This experience has given her the opportunity to travel to many places, meet people she would not have met otherwise and has left her with memories she will have forever. When the season is done in Aug, she then does volunteer work. If a school doesn't admit her becuase she chose to do this over a summer program, then she probably didn't want to go there anyway. Life lessons are not always learned in the classroom, she has learned a lot both on and off the softball fields during these summers.</p>
<p>Colleges don't care specifically about whether students do summer academic programs. What select colleges want is students who do something productive over the summer, which could mean working a job, doing sports as yankeegirl's D does, volunteering, doing independent research, being in a summer program, etc. Top colleges just don't want students who spend the summer completely vegging out.</p>
<p>Yankeegirl:
If your D prefers to play softball, then do volunteer work, that's exactly what she should do. For colleges, the important thing is that she DO something; it does not mean that she has to have her nose in books. They just do not want students who spend three months vegetating in front of the TV. As you say, you can learn a lot outside of class.</p>
<p>Thank you Marite for your response. I'll have to check out whether that program would be OK'd by my daughter's school. They have given us the names of two private schools in our area that offer what they consider to be qualifying summer academic courses, not for remedial use only... Thanks again, for your input! :)</p>
<p>This might sound like a stupid question (and it probably is), but what is a Summer program? Where can you apply for one?
And I've noticed a helluva lot of people take maths summer courses... Yeah... that's not for me. So, is there a summer thing where one can delve deeper into the humanities and not in the sciences (everyone these days seems to be obsessed with sciences... where did all the other stuff go?).
I am inetersted in pursuing a career in law, so a bit of work at an attorney's office would be ineteresting. I want it to look good on my resume too, kill two birds with one stone.</p>
<p>So, have any suggestions? By the way I live in Switzerland. Oh, and I don't like sciences.
My mum has a friend whom I know as well, and she is a lawyer here in American law in Switzerland and international affairs or whatever, so I could ask her, I guess.
Oh, and she's on the Harvard Committee. By the way would this be a big help/connection for getting me into Harvard?
Cheers.</p>
<p>nick3333, interesting that you ask this question because it makes me wonder if this summer program "mania" ;) is mainly American. You might be best served by posting your questions on the other thread: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26515%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26515</a> where recommendations are made.</p>
<p>As for what a summer program is - it's just about anything that is organized and usually seems to require payment of some kind by the student seeking the "experience". I'll let one of the other members give you their more well rounded answer.</p>
<p>I wonder when the ubiquitous "summer program" became what it has become today? I pity the poor mail carrier who must lug the bag full of brochures that have only just started appearing at our house. </p>
<p>It sounds as though you've answered your own question with regard to a good summer experience that might be excellent for you - an internship at your family friend's law firm! It certainly sounds a lot better than any "summer program" you might have to pay to do, too. :) </p>
<p>As for the Harvard connection, that's something I can't speak to, but it certainly doesn't sound as though it could hurt. The main thing is that, if you do work at this law firm this summer, you work hard and present yourself well in all ways. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity, nick3333.</p>
<p>Nick,
Whatever you do over the summer that allows you to dive deeply into productive extracurricular or academic interests is excellent. It does not need to be paid or formal.</p>
<p>For instance, if you were interested in creative writing and spent the summer writing a novel, that would be considered pursuing a passion in a productive way.</p>
<p>If you were considering going to med school, and spent the summer volunteering at some kind of health facility or agency or, for instance, designing a substance abuse prevention program to use at your school in the fall, that would be considered productive.</p>
<p>Your law firm idea sounds good. Keep in mind that what excites adcoms is how students use and obtain such opportunities. Thus, if all that you did was bide your time at the law firm, answering the phones and reading video game magazines during your free time, that would not be impressive even if you spent 60 hours a week there.</p>
<p>If, though, you had the same official duties -- answering the phone-- but used your position to gain knowledge about the legal field, and to even research some things that interested you, that would be something that would help you figure out whether law is the field for you, and it also would be something that could impress adcoms.</p>
<p>For example: Some people could answer the phone and never see any pattern to the calls. Other people would learn a lot by simply answering the phone. They even might implement some kind of info sheet to give to prospective clients. </p>
<p>Some students might work such a job and never talk to the lawyers except about trivial things. Other students might use their job as an opportunity to learn out about different aspects of law and to get ideas for school year or summer research projects that they could do to help further their own interests in the legal profession. They might even do such projects purely for the fun of it because that's their interest.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>nick3333, interesting that you ask this question because it makes me wonder if this summer program "mania" is mainly American.>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>I don't know about other European countries but "colonies de vacance" is a well-entrenched feature of summers in France. Children go there at a much earlier age than in the US. I went to one as a 6-year old. I can't recall much of what happened except that a huge number of kids got lice and we walked around with turbans on our heads for several days.</p>