<p>Hi everyone! I'm a junior who's going to apply to a few prestigious universities in the fall. I'm wondering how important summer programs and internships are. All the ambitious kids in my school seem to have enrolled in expensive summer programs or gotten paid internships. I heard that if you go to a summer program at a top-tier college, you can make connections! Unfortunately, those programs can cost up to $7,000, which is far more than I can afford, and scholarships only cover a few thousand at most. It's also too late for me to apply for any paid internships, which is a bummer.
I've been so busy lately with AP classes, SATs, and extra curricular activities that this is the first time I've thought about the impending summer. Will colleges care if I don't seem to have made any accomplishments in the summer? All I want to do is relax with friends, maybe take a few classes at my local CC, and do some volunteer work. My parents don't have the money to take me on a vacation let alone pay $5,000 so that I can be in a summer program.</p>
<p>I think summer programs that cost money are a waste of time for college admissions, or at least they are not worth their money. Most of them are just cash-grabs my universities. This is what I did the summer before my Senior year:</p>
<ol>
<li>Went to a month-long, free, and rather prestigious pre-college program hosted by my state. (I know most people don’t have this opportunity, but going to an expensive program is not really a substitute)</li>
<li>Went to a novel-writing class. (This cost money, but I didn’t mention the program at all. I just talked about the novel I wrote for my essay.)</li>
<li>Volunteered every week day at an inner-city children’s program. Got about 150 hours.</li>
</ol>
<p>I’m not saying you need to do this, but this is an example of what I think was a productive summer.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>At this stage, volunteer opportunities is your best bet. Also will provide great story line later for essay topic.</p>
<p>There are some “free/low cost” summer options, but they had application dates in the winter.</p>
<p>From Kenyon’s admissions:
</p>
<p>In your early high school years it is considered mildly important to participate in summer programs, however that fact differs by the later high school years. By later high school years one should be accomplishing something. Think of it this way: early high school is spent learning and later high school is spent putting that into action. Colleges love creativity and innovation, so think of a big original concept (like creating a foundation, making a patent, etc.) and make it real!</p>
<p>My son who got into Harvard and Carnegie Mellon:
Summer 1 - took a fast-paced High school chemistry Course
Summer 2 - took a computer programming class at Columbia
Summer 3 - worked (paid) in computer programming and volunteered at the computer lab at the senior center (continued the paid job through the rest of senior year)
Summer 4 (too late for college admissions) - worked in computer programming</p>
<p>My younger son (got into Tufts, U of Chicago, Vassar)
Summer 1: went to music camp
Summer 2: worked in an architecture office (mine)
Summer 3: made origami earrings for sale, volunteered at the senior center (taught origami, gave violin concerts, helped with lunch)
Summer 4: same as summer 3</p>
<p>Honestly, I think that colleges want to see productive summers perhaps on interests that you don’t have time to get involved in as much during the school year. It certainly doesn’t have to be a paid program.</p>
<p>Both my kids read several books a week all summer long every summer. And their SAT scores reflected that.</p>
<p>My son is teaching tennis this summer. I haven’t really heard of summer programs til I started reading this board. His classmates this year who are going to great schools also worked at the Y, did volunteer things, and vacationed. Personally I think the whole summer program thing is not crucial to college admission. If your kid enjoys a program, great. But I am not going to put my kids on a path to work on curing cancer while they are teenagers when they could be working a typical job, going to camp for a week, vacationing with family, playing pick-up sports, doing chores etc.</p>
<p>My son worked at Marshall’s the summer before Sr. year (and all during senior yr) and got into every school he applied to. He also had an unpaid internship with a Judge at a county court during his Sr. yr. </p>
<p>Before that his summers were spent as a camper and going into his Jr yr. he took a writing class at a private school because I didn’t want him sleeping all day.</p>
<p>I spent most of my summers doing nothing and was accepted to several top-25 schools.</p>
<p>Do not try to buy your way into any college. The worthwhile schools understand that many applicants can’t afford these expensive summers. Likewise those “volunteer” trips to foreign locales during vacations. Use your summer to recharge- the way you do it depends on your personality but you will do yourself the most good keeping your brain active. The “read” suggestion sounds great to me. It can be difficult to find summer jobs or transportation for volunteering but libraries are usually accessible. Explore fiction - great and otherwise- as well as any nonfiction that captures your interest at the moment. Art subjects for the potential science major and science for the humanities major- branch out from your usual interests.</p>
<p>My D '13 and S '14 have pursued summer programs but I only paid for one - the summer before they started 9th grade. The others were all scholarship programs. I couldn’t afford multiple expensive programs but I think there are many low cost and free programs available in many communities if you do your research and begin early (i.e. the winter before). I have found that summer programs inspired my children - gave them opportunities to meet bright, motivated kids from other parts of the country and gave them opportunities to either discover interests or rule out potential majors. I figure that listing their summer programs on their applications will demonstrate that they are curious, independent people who are interested in learning about a variety of subjects, but I think you can demonstrate that in many ways. As other posters have mentioned, working for pay or as a volunteer demonstrates many valuable characteristics such as motivation, perseverance, adaptability, responsibility and citizenship. Any college is seeking students that demonstrate these character traits.</p>
<p>I believe it’s most important to explore avenues that interest you, and where you can make a difference. Share a talent w/a local youth group, senior citizen center, library or other organization. Take a class in an area you want to pursue. Create something and share it. Advocate for a cause that will improve your community. Work hard to save money so that you can afford the college experience. I believe that colleges are looking for well rounded individuals to fit into the many slots they’ve deemed integral to the success of their school. Students that display enthusiasm, interest, effort and skill attract colleges–best of luck!</p>
<p>I think summer programs that are genuinely selective are probably helpful–things like TASP, for example, and perhaps some of the writing programs. But programs that are not selective, but just expensive, probably don’t make much difference.</p>
<p>I’ll echo Hunt’s comment… a genuinely selective summer program can be an admissions asset. Not sure if they still do it, but years ago some of the NSF-funded research internships were a good example of programs where admission was based on merit, there was significant education value, and there was often a work product of some kind by the end of the summer. I’m not saying that attending such a program would be a huge hook, but it was a lot better than goofing off and might provide essay fodder and interview talking points.</p>
<p>Fancy programs that you just have to write a check for won’t count for much at the selective schools.</p>
<p>Ideally, the topic of a summer program could match a major theme in the application, e.g., underscore a student’s particular passion. Then again, I wouldn’t pick a program based on that - I’d opt for how interesting and enjoyable it would be for the student.</p>
<p>I don’t have any insight into how adcoms view these programs. However, I do alumni interviews of applicants for a highly competitive university. Generally the students who eagerly discuss these programs as academic enrichment are hard-pressed to point to any specific accomplishments resulting from their time there. The more honest students point to it as a sign of their devotion to the university and eagerness to enroll as undergraduates. I have reached the point that I roll my eyes when someone brings a summer program up in response to my “Summer Activities” question - here’s another kid with too much time and money on his/her hands.</p>
<p>I would rather spend time talking about an applicant’s summer job as a grocery cashier or burger flipper and the lessons they learned from the experience.</p>
<p>Mathmom, your boys sound fantastic.</p>
<p>My kids have spent their summers in programs that mean a lot to them regardless of if they are impressive. I hope colleges give credit to kids who just do something because they love it.</p>
<p>kataliamom, my sons aren’t perfect, but they do have their good points. One kid knew exactly what he wanted to do and most of his summers were spent doing that - other kid hadn’t a clue and did a lot of different things exploring various interests. Both wrote extensively about summer activities for their essays. I think their summers helped them, but we didn’t plan those summers with colleges in mind except to insist that they do some community service.</p>
<p>My D & S both got into all the schools they applied at, including highly selective, and their summers were spent playing their sport, although Freshman and sophmore years they both did some summer school along with their sports to take some reqs, and free up regular school for better classes.</p>
<p>So bottom line, IMO, is that the expensive summer programs might bea lot of work, and fun, but not necessary.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>One benefit of these college campus-based programs is the opportunity to test run the campus. A university might seem great for an afternoon visit, but over a several week course, the student may grow to dislike it. My son had just this reaction to an urban campus with a major and a summer program that is tops in his field. I am so glad that we found this out for a few thousand dollars rather than $60K and having to transfer.</p>
<p>The second reason to do these programs is that a student may actually have a burning interest in an academic topic (!). It’s nice to make it into a free selective program like RSI or TASP, or a program that pays you, like SEAP. But let’s be honest, there are few spots available for things like that, and the rest of the great programs you have to pay for.</p>