<p>I'm a sophomore right now; Stanford is my dream school and I heard that one applicant has a better chance if he or she attends a summer program at the particular university they apply. Is this true? If so, are sophomores (who are going to be juniors) eligible to participate in these programs during the summer?</p>
<p>My prospective major will most likeley be computer science, as I have a big passion for that.</p>
<p>hey...yea sophomores are eligible to participate in em.</p>
<p>good luck :-)</p>
<p>Sophomores are eligible to participate. I did it last year (after junior year). However, attending the program (or any other program at a college) does not give you a leg up in their applicant pool for that school whatsoever. Getting good grades in the classes you take will help to show that you can do college level work, but Stanford admissions could really care less if you spent the summer on campus. </p>
<p>I'm not trying to burst your bubble or anything, I definitely had a blast while I was there and would definitely recommend the program. Just don't count on it as an admissions booster.</p>
<p>And so far I know of two people from my program that got admitted, and even more that got deferred/rejected. I never ended up applying (I'll be going to Oberlin next fall).</p>
<p>so im guessin those "national leadership conference"-type summer programs dont help admissions either? they are just money makers?</p>
<p>yes, one of the FAQs asks if you have a better chance if you go to a summer program and the answer is NO
showing you're committed at something helps, but simply attending does not give you any advantage at all...
because honestly... that would discriminate against those who can't afford to attend a summer program.</p>
<p>I know stanford also has SUMAC which is a summer math program and a Summer College program as well, but i dont know too much about it</p>
<p>Ok, take it from me. I am a current sophomore and I was at EPGY Session 1 for Creative Writing this past summer (the summer after my freshman year). The three weeks I spent there were honestly some of the best three weeks of my life. It's an amazing experience and as a whole, the program runs very smoothly, and you'll definitely make friends. I can say that the dorms you live in (if you live in the Cowell houses) are quite spacious. The laundry is free too, lol. The food's quite good, if you end up living in the Cowell houses and eat at Wilbur Dining Hall. You'll probably meet some great professors as well.</p>
<p>But like the others before me, don't necessarily expect it to be an application booster. I'd recommend it for the experience, although I suppose it does offer SOME value toward an application.</p>
<p>If your intended major is computer science, however, you might be inclined to look elsewhere. The computer science program at EPGY is actually quite weak if you've a knowledge of basic programming languages, which you probably do, if you plan to major in computer science.</p>
<p>ugh sorry to beat a dead issue more, but the people who run the summer programs are not affiliated with the college in anyway.</p>
<p>
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I suppose it does offer SOME value toward an application.
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</p>
<p>No, it does not. AT ALL. I have friends who have attended their dream college's summer programs paying thousands of dollars EVERY SUMMER, to find themselves rejected. I remember asking a Harvard representative about the effect their summer program has on admissions, and his reply was something around the neighborhood of:</p>
<p>"It's a popular mistake that it might help the student. It's not. I repeat for emphasis, its not. I believe that it's imporatant for students to visit the place they're choosing to reside in for the next four years, but that can easily be done by a simple college tour/visit."</p>
<p>Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (for low-income students): <a href="http://coe.stanford.edu/summer.html%5B/url%5D">http://coe.stanford.edu/summer.html</a></p>
<p>quest scholars if you are of low-income:
<a href="http://questscholars.stanford.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://questscholars.stanford.edu/</a></p>
<p>theres no admission boostin even for the competative summer programs (as in theres application,recommendation ect..)? or just the ones that everyone can enroll in.</p>
<p>think of it this way:</p>
<p>competitive summer programs are an achievement where you are judged in an applicant pool. thus it is a higher "boost" to your application than one where the only criterion is money</p>
<p>I only meant it in the sense as to show that you didn't waste your summer and that you were doing SOMETHING productive.</p>