Needing Parental Advice: ECs and Summer Programs

Parent Cafe
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<p>I am seeking advice from parents and admissions officers on what they think are the most appealing ECs and summer programs for someone who is focused on political science (particularly IR), languages (I'm taking Spanish, French, and adding Chinese next year), and the social sciences and history.</p>

<p>Right now I am looking at Student Conservation Association, which is a completely free (besides airfare), one-month community service program at national parks across the country.</p>

<p>Student</a> Conservation Association - High School Programs</p>

<p>I am also considering MMLA, which is a new program run by Middlebury College and Monterey Institute of International Studies. By attending this program, I could skip one year in French and be in AP French Language for my sophomore year.</p>

<p>Middlebury</a> Monterey Language Academy</p>

<p>Another alternative is to try to get a job (although it is hard for 15 year olds, especially in my state), and my dad lives in Canada where most places only higher if you are 16+. I could get a job for the time I have off from one of the other programs, or the entire summer if I don't go anywhere. </p>

<p>In addition, there is a program by JSA which offers a trip to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. The cost is over $2,000, but financial aid is available. I'm not sure how much is offered, but I will apply anyway.</p>

<p>I'd also like to know what you think are good ECs to do during the school year. The school clubs that I am doing now only meet once per week during lunch, and none do anything significant. I'm going to start piano and tennis lessons and audition for a youth ensemble at the University of Michigan in September.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot, and I really appreciate it since I don't have parents who are in the position to help me with this kind of thing.</p>

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<p>What do you like to do?</p>

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<p>The short answer is: The most appealing EC or summer program is the one that most appeals to YOU. As long as finances permit, choose the activities that you enjoy the most. You have several excellent ideas. Summer does not have to be chock-full of resume-building pursuits.</p>

<p>In general, college admissions offices prefer students who are deeply involved in a few activities over students who dabble in multiple activities.</p>

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<p>I’d love to do any of these programs. I will apply to all three and see where I get in.</p>

<p>I like to learn languages and politics, so I’d feel that JSA and MMLA would be perfect. SCA would be great for me as well, but in different ways than JSA and MMLA. SCA would obviously better for learning more about myself and appreciation of what I have, and JSA and MMLA are good for me academically.</p>

<p>If I stayed home during the summer I would feel so unproductive I wouldn’t know what to do. I usually come home for the last two weeks to hang out with friends and get ready for school.</p>

<p>MMLA and JSA are not financially possible without financial aid. My parents are already paying for my private school.</p>

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<p>All of your summer options sound interesting.
For the fall, remember that there are many great opportunities in an election year for meaningful involvement in a political campaign. You are not limited to the clubs on your campus. Pick a candidate or issue that you care about and volunteer…it’s free, interesting and you will learn a lot.</p>

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<p>I personally find summer language school both fun and rewarding, especially if you can continue studying the language right after, which it sounds like you’ll be able to do.</p>

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<p>Well, the convention only happens once every four years, so you may want to consider putting that at the top of the list. And, regardless of your political persuasion, it will be an event of historical significance when either the first woman or first African American gets the nomination. I agree with the above poster who suggests doing what you like best.</p>

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<p>In this political year, in addition to the suggestions that I’ve PMed, you, the standout ECs for someone interested in politics would be volunteering for a political campaign – any one, not just a presidential campaign. Yes, that would stand out more than going to any summer program. Anything that you put together for yourself is impressive because it’s far easier to apply for a summer program where your time is structured, than it is to seek out, create and follow through with opportunities – including local ones – that you make yourself. </p>

<p>If you’re creative, a hard worker, and get along with people well, you could do that 40 hours or more a week. I see that the Obama site even is organizing an Obama fellows program for students and recent graduates. [Barack</a> Obama | Change We Can Believe In | Home](<a href=“http://www.barackobama.com/index.php]Barack”>http://www.barackobama.com/index.php)</p>

<p>If you are an Obama supporter, there are volunteer things you can be doing now from your own home. That’s probably true for other candidates. </p>

<p>ECs are not about impressing adcoms, but following your own passions. The skills and self knowledge that you learn from pursuing ECs now will pay off for a lifetime in terms of careers (including having learned through ECs what careers you do not want to pursue), contacts, and hobbies.</p>

<p>Frankly, if you do follow your bliss via ECs, you’ll also impress adcoms, but that’s icing on the cake.</p>

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<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>It’s funny that you mention volunteering with the Obama campaign. Last night I went to their website and filled out the volunteer form and noticed there’s a section for making calls to support Obama. I’ve already set up my account and will start calling once I get back to the US.</p>

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<p>Jonathan – you have gotten some excellent recommendations. Keep in mind that even if you don’t get to go to a summer program this year, you have several other summers to attend/</p>

<p>I would also suggest that you look into applying to CTD [Summer</a> Program, Center for Talent Development, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/summer/]Summer”>Summer Programs | Northwestern Center for Talent Development) simply because they are still offering FA (MMLA is almost to a waitlist for FA, and it is late to apply to SCA. JSA also has limited funds at this point). They have excellent classes.</p>

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<p>Consider [Boys</a> State](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_State]Boys”>Boys State and Girls State - Wikipedia).</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot for your recommendations. Unfortunately, I am too young for Boys State but will definitely consider it in two years.</p>

<p>I’ll apply to SCA, MMLA, CTD, and JSA and see what happens.</p>

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<p>I just found another program that offers the equivalent of one year in Chinese and Arabic. I would most likely take Chinese so I could advance to Chinese II in the fall, so I would be taking Chinese II, Spanish II or III, and French III or AP French Language. It’s relatively cheap ($888 for 3 1/2 weeks) + $400 airfare. </p>

<p>Like I said before, I’ll apply to all these ( 4 or 5 ) programs and see where I get in!</p>

<p>[BYU</a> Conferences and Workshops - StarTalk 2008 - Start Talking](<a href=“http://ce.byu.edu/cw/startalk/]BYU”>http://ce.byu.edu/cw/startalk/)</p>