<p>I did JSA Yale as a rising sophomore, and even though it is no longer available at that university, all of the programs are generally the same. I loved the program so much that, after it ended, I started a JSA chapter at my school, ran for various positions throughout the state, and currently serve in one of the two highest positions in the organization hierarchy.</p>
<p>To CCers and people that are used to academic rigor, JSA isn’t all that prestigious or challenging. The hours can be tough though, and no matter what, you’ll walk away from the program with new skills, new friends, and new knowledge. For the AP Government class I took, I was also able to get an extra class credit at my school that bumped me up to first in class rank. It can be a great advantage to take an easy AP class like Government early so that you have extra space in your schedule later on for harder APs. </p>
<p>The program also has two great facets - Congressional Workshop and a Speakers Program. Congressional Workshop is very similar to Student Congress in NFL Speech & Debate, and it basically hones your speech and argumentation skills. When I had the one day Speakers Program in New York, I heard from Katie Couric, Brian Williams, Geraldine Ferraro, and various leaders in the UN. The JSA Speakers Program Director always does a great job, especially with the Georgetown program.</p>
<p>When it came to the actual academics, I think I got lucky with my professors, though. Not everyone did. My AP Government teacher was an actual professor at Harvard who, at the end of the course, wrote me a letter of recommendation that he’s going to send out when I apply next year. My Speech & Communication professor was a top notch speech coach at Purdue. Most professors, however, don’t have such well-qualified backgrounds and usually teach at universities less prestigious than a school like Harvard (think professors from Oberlin, Smith, etc.). Just because you go to JSA Princeton doesn’t mean you’ll be taught by Princeton professors.</p>
<p>Overall, for a rising sophomore interested in the field, looking for a program that will enrich your summer while not providing too much rigor (you’ll have 2 more opportunities throughout the next couple of years to challenge yourself at summer programs!), JSA is a great opportunity, and in the end, it’s all what you make of it. I came back invigorated, enriched, and ready for the college experience.</p>