<p>OK, so I think that this is an understandable question.
How much weight do summer programs actually have on college admissions? I mean, if you attend a prestigious program, will they recognize a hard working student? But then again, you could have all this stuff written down on a piece of paper, but it's how you translate that into an effective application, am I right? So, how would do you go about telling your experiences at a summer camp?</p>
<p>none except i have heard of kids getting pretty good recs from them.</p>
<p>There are oftentimes questions on supplements/apps like "Explain what you did last summer." And "I did research/attended college classes" sounds a lot better than "I stayed home all summer long with nothing to report".</p>
<p>I really don't believe it when people say going to summer programs have no weight in college admissions. Going to TASP, RSI, NIH, etc. will obviously help you, but I think that going to ones like Cornell, Brown, Harvard, JSA, Andover Summer Session, Stanford, etc. also help at least a little. It looks a hell of a lot better than sitting on your ass all summer.</p>
<p>But I sit on my ass so well.... Oh well, guess I have to get my fat ass up and apply to something then.</p>
<p>More than just a ++ or gold star on your app, for a lot of people I know, summer programs are life changing experiences. Many gain new insights and outlooks, so that's always something you can explain through an essay.</p>
<p>When it comes time to start my applications, I plan on talking a bit about how I changed over the summer after going to SAMS, and perhaps I'll have more interesting experiences to elaborate on after this summer, where ever I'll be. It's about how you take what you've learned or experienced and apply it.</p>
<p>thanks, because you could have all these stats and summer program experience, but if you can't relate the experiences well enough on your app and explain their importance to your growth scientifically, mathematically, artistically, etc., you just appear as a robot doing stuff just to get in.</p>