<p>I'm looking for some prestigious science based summer programs (that still have open admission), that look good on college applications to top tech schools. I've looked through the forums and most that are already listed are closed for good or have a passed application deadline. </p>
<p>“that look good”</p>
<p>well there’s your problem - let me share my story…</p>
<p>Last year, I applied to many summer programs - RSI, Clark, TASP, SSP, HSHSP, HSSRP, to name a few. I thought getting into USAMO/USABO semis helped - guess not, since I was eventually rejected from everything I applied to. So my backup plan was to volunteer at this one place (won’t identify, for identity reasons), which I really didn’t want to do, since it was probably a lot more boring than those summer programs. However, it was a “different” experience - I got to interact with people I’d never normally interact with. Long story short, at the end of the summer the volunteer thing (imo) proved a lot more valuable experience than I would have gotten at any of those programs (except maybe RSI), and it is what I wrote my Common App essay on (modified for an MIT supplement). Many will write their essay on love of math, music etc. and that’s fine - but I think this essay stood me out from the rest of the STEM crowd. Well, I guess MIT liked that.</p>
<p>And by the way, all the prestigious science ones are closed. If you’re mathematically inclined at all, I’d try PROMYS if I were you - I went to that the year before and had an awesome time.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for the unique perspective. I would have never guessed that a volunteer gig would be a strong MIT deciding factor. What type of volunteer job was it? Was it science related at all? As for the math camp, I’m way better at science than math (except when it comes to physics based math). I’m basically a bit above Asian in everything up to algebra II, so I am a math scrub. I enjoy it, but lots of people on here are WAY better than I’ll ever be at pure math. I’m hoping my recognized photography and love of tinkering/hacking will be my hooks for getting in. None of these high level summer programs look like they will work out. I am also looking for some good science fairs and competitions, do you know of any?</p>
<p>Not going to describe to maintain anonymity :3 but I can assure you it has nothing to do with science at all (actually it was humanities-and-services-based).</p>
<p>If you don’t get into any science programs, go take some wonderful pictures and create an album, a story out of your pictures, that describes who you are. And if you do, bring your camera and do the same thing anyway.</p>
<p>Science fairs/competitions - you can always try the USA(BO, PhO, MO, etc.), as well as trying your luck at ISEF/STS/Google/etc. I did a few of those, actually.</p>
<p>and what do you mean, “a bit above Asian”</p>
<p>I mean that I’m above average in math (95 pre ap precal), but nothing way above the curriculum. I’m just not amazing at it. Do you think my photography would really make a difference for acceptance to mit?</p>
<p>@nambugoldstone No, it is not the photography that makes the difference. The point @IIlIll is trying to deliver is, it is your story, your passion that will help you frame a solid essay, interview, etc., which will subsequently help you get into MIT. I know one kid, Siemens Finalist, Intel Semi-Finalist, solid grades, ISWEEP, etc. (essentially many, many research competitions), but he was waitlisted by MIT, why? </p>
<p>Because, his essays/recs/interview didn’t stand out enough. To sum it all up (you are going to hear this a lot), but everyone has equal or better stats than you, what makes you different is your passion, and you have to choose to express it in the right form. </p>
<p>I knew one girl who got into RSI, and was a Siemens semi-finalist, JSHS winner, etc. but she was deferred by Harvard because she wasn’t able to express her passion well enough.</p>
<p>tl;dr You need to find something that expresses you, not something that “looks good”. Something only looks good if you are able to explain why you love it, how it improved you as a person, etc.</p>
<p>@antismathmatter Your answer actually eased my mind a lot. I have a lot of passion for science, and drive for exploration. I really do love it, and it consumes a lot of my thoughts and time. I only really do things I enjoy, and science happens to be the main thing that I love. I am certainly no where near being smart enough to win ISEF or anything, but I love science anyways. The only reason I do research is because I’m interested. The only reason I want to go to MIT or CalTech is because I feel that it is where I will fit best, and those places have the best options for me to learn and grow. So I think I understand your point, after a certain point, awards don’t really matter, it’s your drive. Is that what the admissions officers for these schools are looking for? If so then I really don’t have much to worry about.</p>
<p>@nambugoldstone thats exactly it! It’s important for people to find this out on their own, and I’m glad you came to this realization too!</p>
<p>Haha, I think reading these forums had me paranoid, because that was what I was originally thinking until I read them. So, do you think with just my current grades/stats, and actual willingness to learn for learnings sake that I will have a decent chance of getting in? The best I’ve done is run an advanced science camp for middle schoolers on my own for heck of it. I doubt I can accumulate any major awards, but I can show interest.</p>
<p>@nambugoldstone
To answer your question, SPARC is a good summer program. So is NCSL PAN and SAMS CMU. I don’t think their deadlines have passed.</p>
<p>@IIlIll
Nice username.</p>
<p>Could you imagine why you were rejected from all of these summer programs? Right now I’m worried because I’m a lot like you-- I’m applying to 3-5 similar programs.</p>
<p>Also, do you think MIT likes applicants whose interests are balanced in science and the humanities? All this time, I’ve been pursuing a science research program (I say it’s because I love research but I don’t even know-- might be just for colleges). I truly do love creative writing, however (I have a some awards from this, I want it to be a hook). Would it be wise for me to pursue creative writing programs for this summer instead of science?</p>
<p>+1 on what IIIIII posted above. What I find most frustrating about so many kids (and their parents) on these forums is the focus on what “looks good”…like there’s some magic formula for getting into one of the uber-selective colleges.</p>
<p>@Holocaust my recs were pretty bad I believe, I did them last-minute, and all in all I didn’t take them very seriously. Don’t do that lol</p>
<p>@IIlIll So, if you weren’t able to do any sort of prestigious summer program, were you able to do some sort of other science related EC? </p>
<p>nope 10char</p>
<p>Cal Tech’s website specifically lists summer programs their admitted students have participated in – that’s a good starting point.</p>