To give some context, I am from Michigan and just finished working in a lab at Michigan State University for about a year and half now.
I was accepted into the High Schools Honors Science Program (HSHSP) at Michigan State University.
I was also placed on the waitlist of the Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University. Unfortunately, I was not pulled off the waitlist; however, a professor there has offered me an independent research opportunity and the research is quite fascinating and promising and in a different field than my previous lab. The program directors said that I can still partake in all of the Simons program activities and I have access to Simons housing and food options.
I am having trouble deciding between joining a program at a university that I am already familiar with (and I would probably conduct research in the field I did my previous research in because of how I structured my application) or pursuing the independent option in a new place and conducting research in a field that is more interesting to me.
Could I still mention on my college applications that I was accepted to HSHSP if I choose to do the independent option at Simons?
How seriously do colleges take program prestige? I know that both programs are great and I would have a great time at either, but I also want to make sure I make the best decision for enhancing my college applications.
Please let me know if I need to elaborate on anything. Thank you for any input you may have!
If staying at Michigan makes your current/existing project stronger and publishable, you might want to stay there. Usually school year does not offer much time for a meaningful project - but summers can strengthen the existing project.
On the other hand if you have to start a a new project at HSHSP, or do not want to continue with existing project, it may help to see a new campus, new professors and a good group (Simons). You might do a better project at Simons or at least get to interact with a nice group and make new connections.
Either way you can’t get it wrong. Cost may be another factor too. Stony Brook is a research powerhouse so that makes a difference too.
I would be starting a new project if I went to HSHSP and not continuing my current project as I have already finished it.
If money is not an issue then just go to Simons/Stony Brook and meet new people and faculty. I am saying this only because you already know plenty of people at Michigan. Technically, independent research and Simons label don’t matter so much as you will be living with same set of people and at day time, most will be away to their labs and such.
Yeah but HSHSP has a lot of program prestige which could help a lot for college admissions and if I went to Stony Brook I would not be able to say that I was part of the Simons program.
@cognizance Yeah but HSHSP has a lot of program prestige which could help a lot for college admissions and if I went to Stony Brook I would not be able to say that I was part of the Simons program.