<p>Thanks for taking your time to read this! </p>
<p>I am currently a sophomore in high school and I am looking into programs and classes for the summer before my junior year. Currently I have an UW GPA of 3.8 and am in the most advanced classes my school offers (1 AP, 4 honors). My ultimate goal is to attend NYU and major in political science. </p>
<p>Would going to an expensive program at Northwestern University for 3 weeks or another comparable one be the most beneficial for me? Or should I take a class at my local community college? I am planning to get a job and volunteer a lot as well this summer. Is an animal shelter a good place or should I try to look for another opportunity?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>I never did a summer program like that, but the general rule is that the good ones are free. There’s plenty of programs that’ll take anybody who pays and adcoms know that. </p>
<p>It’s really not worth it to waste your summer doing something you don’t like for the sake of college admissions. So, keeping that in mind, which of the options that you listed do you most want to do? Would you like taking a class at a local CC? Do you like volunteering at the animal shelter? Would you like to have the extra money that comes from a job?</p>
<p>Expensive programs won’t help you much in college admissions, but you might benefit from the experience if it relates to your interests. </p>
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<p>Colleges value “passion” and focus (your ECs should sort of cohere rather than being all over the place), so you might benefit from finding something that relates more to political science or whatever your other primary interests are.
Of course, it’s fine to volunteer at the animal shelter if that’s what you want to do.</p>
<p>I would most be interested in doing some sort of volunteer work but I don’t really know what is out there and taking a course at a CC. I will have to talk to my counselor about that because I don’t know if I am eligible because I am only a sophomore :(</p>