It's so late...can I still do a credible summer program?

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
1

<p>Well, my summer thus far has been absolutely horrible in terms of activities...I found about a great volunteer opportunity after the deadline had passed and I was rejected for a college course that I had a SCHOLARSHIP for because my parents planned a trip to Europe that would make me miss one week of a 6-week course. I feel like when push comes to shove on applying to college, this summer is going to seem like a waste. The only thing I plan on doing is tutoring at this Youth Center near where I live, which I will enjoy, but I want to do something more (i.e. program/volunteer work) that will look good. I'll also probably be taking courses online at Open Yale, but that's not even for credit or even a no-credit official course...it's just taking a course by myself that doesn't count. Any ideas on something more I can do?</p>

2

<p>Bumpppppp!</p>

3

<p>Colleges do not care about any of the programs that you do that you pay for (or even have a scholarship for). At all. The only possible exception may be CTY. Tutoring at a youth center sounds like a great worthwhile endeavor. Perhaps translate it into year-round tutoring at the center and youve got yourself a nice niche as an EC. That would actually look good. All the precollege programs may be fun, educational, instructional, but they will not make an iota of a difference to a college admission team.</p>

4

<p>Nowadays, even CTY is not an exception anymore. If you just get above average SAT scores and have the money, you’re in. Same with all talent search programs. </p>

<p>There are a few summer programs still accepting based on rolling admissions. But those aren’t prestigious. Standford’s EPGY is still accepting for session two…</p>

5

<p>mhmm: Great post. What’s an EC???</p>

<p>Why is CTY the exception?</p>

6

<p>EC = extracurricular </p>

<p>CTY is not an exception. None of the talent search programs really are. If you pay money, you’re usually in.</p>

7

<p>Isn’t that the truth. </p>

<p>I still get scared because my friend, who has gone to multiple elite college summer programs, keeps hearing the same thing- “It’s so important to take summer college courses/programs- it really shows that you’re interested and thinking about your future.”</p>

<p>I’m going to be a senior. I haven’t been to one. Should there be anything I should be doing instead to make up for not having gone to a single one?</p>

8

<p>I’ll just post what I wrote for another person a while ago

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<p>Do you have any clubs you are dedicated to? Any community service projects? Research projects? Internships?</p>

<p>Colleges just want to see that you took initiative and made good use of your summer :]</p>

9

<p>I’ve got to disagree about CTY. I believe while it doesn’t look even close to as good as TASS, TASP, RSI, it looks a lot better than precollege programs at places like Brown, etc. In order to be eligible to even apply for CTY (not CAA) your SAT scores in 7th grade have to be above the average of a college bound senior. So, theoretically, all CTYers are 5 years ahead. Though it may not be a big factor in college admissions, I think it shows admissions officers in a quantifiable manner that there is a good deal of innate intelligence there.</p>