Impact of the summer research program

My HS junior does not have any research experience. She got into two summer research programs for this upcoming summer and cannot choose which one to attend. She is a typical high stats kid with average EC so this research experience might be something that not only be an eye opening experience for her as a future STEM major, but also something that might enrich her application in the eyes of admission officers. Here is the dilemma: one research program is a full time , well known, highly selective 2 months program on the opposite coast. Another program is one month part time grads students run program at the local university. If she attends first program, she probably can enter her project into competition. I do not think the quality of the research of the local program will allow her to do so.

She never been away from home for two months and this is a big deciding factor. Also with this two month program she will not have time for anything else, like getting her driver license, volunteering, working on essay, etc. One of the questions she has is what would be the weight of any of these summer programs on the admission decision with all other factors be the same.?

If she’s aiming for top universities like, HYPMS, I suggest that she takes the full time program and enters her project for the competition.

It does sounds more organized, which means she will learn more.

That said, my son went to a state program that was only a few weeks. Everything was free but the plane reservation. It was well run, and he learned a lot. It was a chance to live in a college dorm and plan week end activities (or rather, go with the plans). Hard to say how he would have felt if it was 2 months. I think there are advantages to both programs. I’m just concerned how your kid will be treated in the less intense program bay grad students–real involvement or busy work?

Thank you @bookworm i don’t know. One more thing to consider is that the free program is at local university that is a high match low reach for her. She will be applying next year and if they offer her merit money will be glad to attend. Also she might ask her mentor if it will be possible to continue her internship during her senior year.

We just learned that the free program actually going to pay $300 stipend. So here are the options:
Well known research program, 8 weeks, $3,500 to pay plus travel expense, possibility to enter project into competition
Local university ranked in the top 25, 5 weeks, $300 stipend, possibility to continue to work on this project during senior year.

Unless your child has a strong preference for the $$$ program, the local one sounds great. Has she visited?

How do people enter into Siemens and Intel competitions? How strong should the project be to be considered?