lol It’s what you say when you want to compare what’s better. And he’s right. Boys State actually does help. It’s different, though, when it comes to straight academic summer programs. If you’re studying English, it doesn’t matter if you do it at TASP or at Cornell summer session. Even though one’s way harder to get into, they both have equal value when it’s time to apply to college.
Students who attend prestigious summer programs probably don’t experience higher admission rates to top colleges simply because they went to them. They experience higher admission rates because they are the types of students who care enough education so that they participate in these things and are thus probably attractive students in all other respects.
If you are not already an amazing applicant, going to a summer program will not help in any way. It isn’t selective… all you have to do is pay and you can go. It doesn’t demonstrate anything except your interest in a school, which everyone knows isn’t a very big factor in admission to top colleges.
TASP, I think, doesn’t apply here, since it is actually a selective program, so to be given the opportunity to attend TASP means you’re doing something right academically.
I don’t think anyone here understood my point. Kryptonsa almost did.
Yes, students who attend prestigious summer programs don’t really experience higher admission rates to top colleges simply because they went to them.
TASP does apply here, actually. It’s a selective program, so if you get into TASP it means that you’re already doing something right academically. So if you go there, you won’t get into any better colleges than if you don’t.
Correlation does not imply causation.
PurpoisePal, it’s nice to see that somebody knows basic statistics. Basically, the point is that to get into TASP or something of the sort means you are already le creme de la creme, or whatever the idiom is. Your resume already shines with heavenly light. You are, generally, academically more than doing something right: you are doing something amazing.
So, let’s express this more logically:
You got into TASP => you are amazing
You got into amazing colleges => you are amazing
That doesn’t indicate any relationship, other than that students who got into TASP are more likely to get into amazing colleges, because the student had to be amazing just to get into TASP.
Although it is true that acceptance into TASP indicates intellectual mastery to one degree or another, I would have to assert that TASP often looks for different aspects of a candidate when compared to colleges as a whole. One example is that TASP focuses almost exclusively on the essays, while colleges take into factor test scores (which TASP does not require) , ecs, and transcripts. So yes TASP is self selective, which means it is bound to have amazing alumni, but keep in mind that not all TASP alumni are accepted into competitive colleges. Also, I think it is a general characteristic of this board to place too much emphasis on summer programs. When it comes down to it, they are all just six week classes with a bunch of other high school juniors, whether it be in math/science research, or in humanities.
so would it be a good idea to apply to a program like TASP, and to assume if your are admitted that you can look at selective colleges as an actual possibility during the college admissions process?
^^ In short, no. Why have TASP judge you on college admissions? Leave that to colleges.
Did anyone mention essay contests, competitions in extracurricular activities, etc? They’re not “recognizable programs” but show a great deal more excellence in specific areas.
What about Academics Decathalon (ACDEC)? I believe that winning state awards should be at least a 5 on the list. And certainly winning a Gold Medal in a team at the National competition should be around a 6-7.
And what about Boys State? I’d say participation should be a 1 since it is a bit selective. And if you get a chance to go to Boys Nation would be a prestige of about a 4.
What do all these abbreviations mean?!?!
And where would winning a State award for FBLA, or winning a regional computer technology competition fall on this list?
USABO is up there, but where would USABO semi-finalist rank?
10 - D1 athlete, IMO/IPHO/ICHO/IBO gold medals, Intel (top 10), Siemens National Winner/National Finalists, ISEF top 3 Grand Prize
9 - ISEF(1st places), Siemens Westinghouse (finalists), MOP, Intel Finalist, Presidential Scholar, Davidson Fellow
8 - TASP/RSI, USPhO/USChO/USABO/USAMO/USACO national finalist, Siemens Semi-finalists/ISEF(2-4 places), Intel semifinalist, Scholastic Writing and Art
7 - Perfect SAT scores, USPhO/USChO/USABO/USAMO/USACO semifinalist
6 - Selective summer programs or competitions, such as SSP, Clark Summer Program
5 - National Latin Convention 1st Places Academic Contests, All-Eastern/all-regional music, National Merit Finalist, National AP Scholar AFTER Junior Year
4- Perfect Score (Multiple Years) on National Latin Exam, or other languages, AP Scholar, some state awards (all-state music, etc), Science Olympiad state medals (depending on what state you’re from)
3 - All-County music, winning at local/regional science fairs
2 - Bank of America Awards, most local awards/trophies (art, music, community - although they will say something about your character), Essay Contests
1 - National Honor Society, Beta Club, School Departmental Awards, School Honor Roll
0 - Who’s Who, National Honor Roll
I think we need to clarify the difference between the two levels in the USABO, etc. I figure since there are roughly 500 national semifinalists (in the USABO, at least), that’s about on par with the number of perfect SAT scores out there. I can see it being a 6, though. 6.5? Can we add numbers?
Except that HYPS and other upper tier colleges don’t care about SAT scores as much as they would about any of the Olympiads. I went to the Yale admissions meeting on campus and they ranked the things they look for in an application:
- Transcript
- Essays
- Recommendations
- Test scores
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Also, ducktape, you need to add in Eagle Scout, as well as running your own business. Running a successful business as a high schooler should be at least a 7, if not an 8 or 9.
Why don’t you add them in?
Running your own business isn’t exactly an award…but it’s certainly prestigious…
Predator, for the things they look for at Yale, what would extracurriculars be under?
Hold on, I wrote it down. Let me get my list.
Extracurriculars is tied with recommendations.
10 - D1 athlete, IMO/IPHO/ICHO/IBO gold medals, Intel (top 10), Siemens National Winner/National Finalists, ISEF top 3 Grand Prize
9 - ISEF(1st places), Siemens Westinghouse (finalists), MOP, Intel Finalist, Presidential Scholar, Davidson Fellow
8 - TASP/RSI, USPhO/USChO/USABO/USAMO/USACO national finalist, Siemens Semi-finalists/ISEF(2-4 places), Intel semifinalist, Scholastic Writing and Art, Running your own <em>successful</em> business
7 - Perfect SAT scores, USPhO/USChO/USABO/USAMO/USACO semifinalist, Eagle Scout
6 - Selective summer programs or competitions, such as SSP, Clark Summer Program
5 - National Latin Convention 1st Places Academic Contests, All-Eastern/all-regional music, National Merit Finalist, National AP Scholar AFTER Junior Year
4- Perfect Score (Multiple Years) on National Latin Exam, or other languages, AP Scholar, some state awards (all-state music, etc), Science Olympiad state medals (depending on what state you’re from)
3 - All-County music, winning at local/regional science fairs
2 - Bank of America Awards, most local awards/trophies (art, music, community - although they will say something about your character), Essay Contests
1 - National Honor Society, Beta Club, School Departmental Awards, School Honor Roll
0 - Who’s Who, National Honor Roll
Now that I think of it, why are perfect SAT scores here? They’re a completely different part of your application. If we account for perfect scores, then we should assign ranges for the rest, so I propose we take “perfect SAT scores” completely off. Any opinions?