<p>I’m interested in whether you think there appeared to be any interest whatever at the admissions office in how you spent your summer vacations. Did you all save the rainforests or create successful start-up companies, or did you stay home and watch cartoons?</p>
<p>both? last summer for example i did "camp business" for two weeks (its a commerce bank and drexel U free program for the top 50 applicants from the tri-state area)....the rest of the summer, i partied and whatnot....also, i went on a few small vacations....so a good mix of work and play is a good formula for the summer in my opinion...</p>
<p>i went to nj's gov school of int'l studies.. went on vacation via fobby bus tour to europe.. bummed around the house and ate a disproportionate amount of special k red berries..</p>
<p>9th and 10th grade two weeks down the shore... the summer after 11 I went to a business camp (mainly cause it was free, and I can't afford like pay summer programs) I thinkt hat helped me cause I was elected CEO of my student company there, and I really didn't have leadership stuff before (the camp was a week). Other than that I really chill and play video games.</p>
<p>gov school for global entrepreneurship...</p>
<p>then wasted the rest of the summer :-)</p>
<p>Random math program and science program 8th and 9th grade summers</p>
<p>last summer i worked 168 hours a week for 60 days (counselor)
every year prior (for 7 years) I was a camper at the same overnight camp</p>
<p>bottom line mom: yes your kid needs to do something over the summer. anything productive that he enjoys and finds interesting.</p>
<p>masturbation</p>
<p>junior:
2/3 of summer: lots of hanging out, boarding, flings. Some community service. Near the beginning, forensics nationals. Lots of reading about Penn :P
1/3 of summer: intensive europe summer language course.
freshmen, soph:
2/3 of junior summer repeat.. minus the community service, nationals, and reading about penn :)</p>
<p>freshman: nothing
Soph: video games
junior year: video games</p>
<p>volunteering at hospital, and of course...
summer sessions at penn. it was quality. the first year i did it, i nearly got expelled from the program and was blacklisted from the quad after the 2nd week. ahh goodtimes</p>
<p>Can anyone provide more information about business camps? Which are worthwhile? How hard is to get in?</p>
<p>summer after 9th: teen tour on east coast and canada
after 10th:volunteered at hospital and worked in lab there, heavy community service
after 11th: program at cambridge u in england</p>
<p>dont obsess over doing those 5000 dollar programs that go to ecuador to build a hut--they are no longer a hook because so many kids do them and it does turn out to be privelaged kids who go on them, many of whom do it bc they think "its good for college". so do wht ur interested in, summer classes are always good along with community service tht interests u. a job is looked upon highly as well-responsibility, supporting urself, looking ahead, being a camp counselour is always good esp if uve gone there.</p>
<p>Chocolatechip, i might go to nicaragua to help build a school for underpriviledged kids, but its through a club in school that i am heavily involved with and hold a leadership posistion in. We raise money every year to send 2 kids from each school to go do it. Does this count as a program just for college, cuz im interested in doing it.</p>
<p>dredhead -- my kid is,thankfully, already into college. But I will admit to having been surprised that one of the essays on the app was "How did you spend your last two summers?" Thought it might be interesting to see whether there was any kind of pattern to how that time was spent by those admitted ED to some of the top schools.</p>
<p>My summer was spent at Wharton- LBW and I loved it. However, I got a large amount aid for the program which costs 5,000 dollars. I don't know if it is worth it for that price. Also the program is somewhat competitive without the best results. I know only 7 kids from LBW including myself who are going to Penn ED</p>
<p>i spent 2 summers at yale taking classes. 6 hours of class a day, followed by 3 hours of debate every night. and a 12 page term paper at the end of the month. pretty intense. last summer i spent rowing and working. i dont suggest sitting around and watching cartoons all summer. go take some classes or get a job or do a sport. its fun.</p>
<p>volunteering for my county's community grantmaking foundation and other historic agencies it supports. i'm heavily involved with the youth council, and i want to go into business/public policy. also worked part-time for a medical company, attended FBLA national conferences, hung out with my friends, vacationed, and trained for soccer. just do something productive that can help shape who you are to become.</p>
<p>I sat around and played video games during my first two H.S. summers, and then I went to the Carnegie Mellon Precollege program (6 weeks) for Junior year. For this summer, I plan on going on 100 hour binges of World of Warcraft.</p>