NIH versus VA Governor's School?

<p>Here's what's happening:</p>

<p>I have the opportunity to either intern at the National Institutes of Health this summer (for 11 weeks) or to attend the Virginia Residential Governor's School for Life Sciences and Medicine (4 weeks) which accepts 30 students each year. My NIH mentor would not let me be an intern at NIH if I choose to go to the Governor's School because it would interfere with his scheduling. </p>

<p>I would very much like to be able to do NIH because it would also give me time to work on a project for Siemens/Intel. On the other hand, if I choose Governor's School, I have the option of working with my previous mentor from last summer at GMU for the other 7 weeks. I would also like to take a college class or two at a local college, something which Governor's School would interfere with.</p>

<p>Which would you recommend in terms of the experience and also in terms of how the programs would look on a college application? Suggestions?</p>

<p>-_- I envy you. lawl. What grade are you in? I wanted to apply for va gov school this year but chickened out…Im doing a science internship at GMU, so I think that would help my app. But I definitely think you should go with NIH. It’s more prestigious. And you’ll get more attention from your mentor.</p>

<p>Cool. Are you doing it under the Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program? That’s what I did last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Probably the best experience I’ve had in a while, and I learned more there than I have from any one class I’ve ever taken. I’m a junior, and you?</p>

<p>Just to let you know, for those kids who were locked out of everything that they applied for, your post is a bit painful.</p>

<p>I would choose the NIH internship in a heartbeat.</p>

<p>yep i got into ASSIP. right now im a sophomore. but ill just spend my summer doing that and next year idk what gov school to do but i will try that as well…the mentor that choose me was some biochemistry guy so that should be fun(:</p>

<p>I am in the exact same situation right now, in regards to the summer of 2012.</p>

<p>@Dennis: What program did you end up attending? I was just curious what your decision was, and whether you had any advice regarding which program to choose.</p>

<p>Congrats with all of your accomplishments though, as it truly is very impressive.</p>

<p>Whoa, that’s really impressive! I emailed like 14 professors with personalized emails about their projects and papers and they all just emailed back saying that they were looking for undergrads. I guess my credentials weren’t good enough…can you put up your stats???</p>