Quick Summer Program Question..

<p>Quick question: Does attending Vandy's high school program as a rising 11th grader help with getting into Vanderbilt? How could it affect admissions? Just for reference their summer program is for those who have scored above a certain pre-determined mark on a PSAT, SAT, or ACT exam. All courses are taught by Vanderbilt teachers. Thanks!</p>

<p>Also, how would a summer program at another college, like Columbia look? Thanks again!</p>

<p>I did a program at Brown University (Summer@Brown) last summer before beginning my senior year. They told me that participating in a summer program at all will help me get into schools, but by doing it at Brown wouldn’t necessarily help me get into Brown. Basically, it doesn’t matter where you do the summer program, it looks the same no matter where it was.
Just a little anecdote: Summer@Brown was hands down the BEST experience of my life. I absolutely loved every minute of it and I really wish I had thought to do it in previous years as well. I strongly recommend doing a summer program like this at whichever is your first choice school! It truly is a great experience, and even if you don’t get into school there, at least you got to experience what it is like to go there. Good luck!!</p>

<p>Would you be able to post/PM me more details? Thank you!</p>

<p>What would you like to know? :)</p>

<p>What was the program at Brown like? What did u need to get in? (Grades, PSAT scores, etc.)</p>

<p>You honestly didn’t need that great of grades or anything to go. Pretty much, if you’re willing to pay, they’ll let you in. But having said that, almost everyone there was VERY smart. I never met anyone who slacked off or didn’t care about school. It was a good change of pace for me, since so many people at my high school really couldn’t care less about their grades or about school.
The program was AMAZING. We got to live in the dorms, which are MUCH nicer than any I’ve seen at other schools. Some of them are older, but they are still very roomy. I was in Littlefield Hall, which was perfect. There were only about 15 other girls on the floor, and we all got along so well! We would go into Providence on the weekends and all see a movie together… It was really wonderfull.
The classes were also really great. I took a literature class while I was there, and I learned SO much. Even though it was only two weeks, I took away a lot from that class. My friend took a class that had to do with Science and Medicine, and I know she enjoyed it, despite it being a lot of work.
They plan a lot of fun activities to do, as well. On one weekend, there was a day trip to Boston that was really fun. I had never been there, so it was a great experience! They let you do whatever you want while you’re there, so we wandered around the city, checked out Cambridge, and hung out around Harvard for a while. It was great! They also do beach trips and other things like that which are supposed to be very fun, but I didn’t go on those.
Every Friday night (it may be Saturdays…Don’t remember) they have something called Water Fire in downtown Providence. It’s this big thing that the whole city comes out for, and everyone gathers around the river that flows through the city and watches as boats float down, lighting floating fire pits… It was really cool to watch that. It was definitely something I had never seen before.
I really can’t speak highly enough for this program. It was SO much fun and I met some amazing people. I still talk to my next-door neighbor from Littlefield at least once a week. I even visited her in Seattle!
Also, I live in California, so it was really scaring being across the country by myself, but it really helped me learn how ready I am to be on my own and that I CAN make it on my own that far away from my family.
If you want to know anything else, let me know! I’d be happy to answer any questions! :)</p>

<p>Thank you!!!</p>

<p>crazy do you mind saying how old you are, or rather, if you think a rising soph would feel young there?</p>

<p>I know Vanderbilt offers a couple summer programs, so I’m not sure which one you’re thinking of doing, but I did the PAVE program last summer. I applied RD so still not sure how it’s going to play out for me, but they did say that the program has a higher acceptance rate into Vandy than the general applicant. That being said, that might just be because the program has stronger applicants in the first, I don’t know, but it doesn’t guarantee you in. I had a lot of friends from my program get in ED, I also had quite a few get denied. Either way, like one of the other posters said, it will look good on an application to any school.</p>

<p>Hope this helps!</p>