Is there any evidence of specific summer programs boosting admissions chances?

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
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<p>Here's another case study, my D applied for TASP, got as far as the interview but didn't make the final cut. Last year, she did however get accepted to HYP as well as invitations to Emory Scholar and WUSTL scholarship weekends and a full ride academic scholarship at UMichigan. </p>

<p>So no, TASP is not a requirement for admission to the most selective schools. However it is still the most selective and highly regarded humanities summer program in the country. I don't think anyone has said that a student has to attend one of these programs to be admitted to a selective college, but that doesn't mean they aren't prestigious or a positive addition to a college application (not to imply that that is the reason that the student attended).</p>

<p>Tyler, like you, I would like to see rigorous, systematic studies, but that's not going to happen, because college admissions isn't that black and white. It's holistic, there is no one attribute that makes or breaks an application. But that still doesn't mean that one of these programs isn't helpful. About your assertion:</p>

<p>"I'm very skeptical because if TASP truly was the "most prestigious summer program in the nation" I'm sure they would compete a lot harder to recruit the brightest students in the country, beyond just sending them one brochure in the mail, while most of them have never heard of it before."</p>

<p>I agree, TASP recruits very little, whereas we got lots of mail for paid summer programs. As an analogy, HYP never sent my D anything in the mail, but WUSTL and a lot of other schools did. Truth is, HYP and TASP don't have to spend a lot of time, effort and money recruiting--due to their reputations. </p>

<p>My point is in no way to say that TASP/RSI are better than another summer activity a student chooses to do. The question asked by the OP was whether or not they are a boost to college admissions chances.</p>

<p>As far as cause or correlation....grades, SAT scores, essays, summer programs, letters of recommendation......which are cause and which are correlation for college admissions? They all take partial credit as the cause and they are all correlated IMO.</p>

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<p>I have a somewhat related question on programs looking better to colleges. My D attended a six-week residential math camp the last two summers called Texas Mathworks. She loved it and it made a big impact on her. The program is identical to the Ross program in Ohio which I have seen mentioned on CC. The program has connections to Stanford but my D is worried that colleges outside of Texas and Stanford won't know anything about it. In her applications should she try to describe the program? Also, for this coming summer my D got invited back as a junior counselor but she is torn between that and trying to go to a more well-known camp. So she is applying to some other math and physics programs and will have to decide if she gets any other acceptances. (She told the camp director about her plans and he was very supportive) Junior counselor would involve mentoring a group of younger students and working on a research project as well as attending classes and guest speakers. Any advice for my D would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>

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<p>I think if your daughter mentions "Honors Summer Math Camp" and the web address </p>

<p>Honors</a> Summer Math Camp : Texas Mathworks : Texas State University </p>

<p>in her application that college admission officers will know to refer the question to the math department if they wonder how special that program is. Most admission officers are humanities people; at all of the better colleges, math professors advise the admissions committee about the admission of math-liking students.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the information. Sounds great.</p>