Summer at Stanford University: High School and College Summer Programs

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
21

<p>about EPGY:</p>

<p>I went to quantum mechanics as a rising junior, last year. It is a little closer to high school than college, with the curfew, lights out, and compulsory activities. But then, you do have complete freedom on campus from noon to 10, so it isn't reallly all that bad. And for the permission--you can put down anything, from Candy Mountain, to Isengard. They really don't care.</p>

<p>i taught myself ap phys c, but physics isn't really all that important. it's calc you want to worry about, since you need it for the first two weeks. knowing a little bit of multivar won't hurt, either. last year, there was one guy who didn't know much calc, and he had a little trouble with the problem sets to start out with. </p>

<p>most of the people are rising seniors (b/c of the unofficial calc requirement). it's an incredibly fun, fast-paced course, and the course material is more introductory undergrad than anything.</p>

<p>i'll be quiet now.</p>

22

<p>Thanks for the answer - S2 will be a rising senior and will have had 2 years of physics, 1 year of calc so I am guessing that academically he'll be fine. Just want him to have a good social experience too. Do you live and eat and hang out with only kids in your class?</p>

23

<p>sorry for hijacking the thread.</p>

<p>curiousgeorge58:
definitely not!
quantum mechanics is a <em>little</em> bit more picky-choosy than the other courses, so it's a small group (maybe 30?), and we ended up living with the geometries (yeah, it's plural) people too. other courses do have their own separate dorm, however.</p>

<p>there's a common dining hall, dances, field trips (for lack of a better word), and compulsory activities. so no, you don't only hang out with kids from your class. however, that makes the social experience a little more high-schooly than college-y.</p>

24

<p>this is an answer to an olddd question:</p>

<p>the dorms really depend on which ones you stay in. the fraternities stink!!!!
the food is amazing!!!</p>

<p>hope it helps :-D</p>

25

<p>Most of you seem to reason against going to the summer college, but I'm considering it. I can't seem to find a better alternative because I'll be able to finish both linear algebra and multivar differential calc and get college credit. I hope that with these credits I can continue math at a local university next school year.
Does the summer college seem like a bad choice for me? Is there a better summer program for this?</p>

26

<p>I'm at the program right now! Summer 2008. It's so worth the money. vanessama - You were stupid to decline.</p>

<p>Dorm life is great. Curfew is at 12. It's very open about girls and guys mixing. In fact, they even encourage gender mixing with parties and dating games. The rules are very loose here. You are pretty much treated like a regular student. There are very few limitations. Just yesterday I went to San Fran with another girl by ourselves. </p>

<p>The others kids here are awesome. Everyone is normal. Sure, we might be smarter than the average student, but no one makes it seem that way. No showing off, arrogance, or any of that kind of stuff. It's basically an even mix of a normal high school. We have potential valedictorians, I'm sure, but we also have fairly average kids. I think I'm pretty average compared to these kids, but no one makes you feel bad about your SAT or AP scores. </p>

<p>The activites are great as well. We go see movies, theme parks, museums, broadway shows in San Fran, companies in Silicon Valley. There are tons of clubs too. Investing, knitting, sports, writing, dancing, engineering. Anything you can think of. </p>

<p>Classes are with real Stanford teachers and students. I have a graduate teaching my Journalism class and a professor teaching my physics class. Though my journalism teacher is only a graduate, she's getting her PhD. She's written books on the subject and taught at Stanford and Berkeley, so she's very well informed. My physics teacher is amazing. He's so nice. He's very willing to help high school students.</p>

<p>If I were you, I would come to Stanford instead of C&S work. This program will help get you into any school you want if you play your cards right. Make some connections. My professor is already willing to support me when I apply to college next year by writing a recommendation. He wants me to keep him updated when I start applying. </p>

<p>Those who think that your time is better spent on applications. Well, you'll have plenty of time to do that here too. I have classes about 4 hours a day, four days a week. All the other free time... only a little is actually spent on homework. The rest, I can do whatever. Also, there are tons of people here willing to help you on the application process. You can actually make an appointment with an admissions officer and talk with him/her about your application and such.</p>

<p>EPGY people: Our program kicks your program's butt. High school summer program is the best program at Stanford. </p>

<p>Overall, Stanford's summer program is great. If you are given the chance, come. It's the most amazing experience you'll ever have. I've made great friends, learned so much, and matured as well. And the 10 grand? This program is priceless. That 10 grand can't even compare to all the stuff I've experienced so far and I'm not even half way done yet.</p>

27

<p>I'm at the EPGY international program in Beijing. It's a three-week-long program and you can get 1 credit. Classes here are pretty good and some certain courses are very competitive and challenging. Our teachers of creative writing and international relation are from Stanford; teacher of economic is a Rhodes Scholar from Oxford.</p>

28

<p>Is Stanford's summer program open for rising juniors?</p>

29

<p>Here's a somewhat unrelated question --</p>

<p>is Stanford's SNFI still running for the summer of 2009?</p>

30

<p>i went this past summer, and i have to say it was the best experience of my life thus far.
8 weeks goes by so fast when you're up at stanford studying with the best professors (who are all awesome and approachable) and yes they are all stanford professors and not TAs, unless you decide to take a class like cognitive psych in which case the class is so big that several TAs teach under a supervising professor. I took media entertainment which was taught by an incredible international professor who has had connections with stanford for years, and my american history thru film class was taught by a regular professor and it was great. I also took intermediate golf- taught by a stanford PE coach.
it does not really compare at all to EPGY because it's so different. at summer college, all the time that you're not studying or in class is your own, and we frequently went to SF and into Palo Alto for dinner and shopping. I recommend the program to anyone who is contemplating, and i should mention that the kids that come are from all over the world, so it was a very culturally enriching experience. If i could, i would definitely go again this summer :)</p>

31

<p>Yes it is. Are you going?</p>

32

<p>I'm going to apply. Generally speaking, how selective do you guys reckon it is?</p>

33

<p>Secret Asian Man, r u really asian? which country?
I would say EPGY is not accepting everyone but of course is not extremely selective.</p>

34

<p>For those who have gone, which courses would you recommed?</p>

35

<p>I am of Asian descent but born and live in the US. I’ve decided not to apply- too expensive.</p>

36

<p>Hello, I’ve just gotten accepted to EPGY for Economics.</p>

<p>I’ve looked all around for reviews but haven’t found many…</p>

<p>ANYONE have any ideas/rumors/experiences of EPGY?</p>

<p>I have a week left to decidie whether or not to pay the 4,400 dollars for it…</p>

<p>Thank you so much!!!</p>

37

<p>Applied, got in, worried that it might be a money trap. Anyone been? I need to take courses this summer, the alternative is community college.</p>

38

<p>More school in summer is not your only option. Consider a job or volunteer work to make you more well rounded. </p>

<p>Per Columbia University admission director, all top college run summer programs for high school students becuase they are cash cows - in this competitive climate parent will pay nearly anything for a summer course at a name college.</p>

<p>However, college admissions folks are less interested in the summer course that you took in isolation, as apposed to the course that you took while taking 5 other courses, ECs and sports. A name summer course will not automatically give you a leg up on admissions to a name school.</p>

<p>Because these school need to protect their names and preserve the cash cow, the program will be excellent, but not taught by the same professors that teach college students. If you do attend these excellent course, college admit mileage can be gained by describing in an essay what you got out of the course. The name alone will not do much.</p>

39

<p>To respond to toadstool, Stanford Summer College involves taking real Stanford undergrad courses. You’ll be in the same classes with undergrads who are around for the summer, and taught by the same professors. This is not the case for EPGY, which hires its own instructors.</p>

40

<p>I was going to apply, but it’s not worth shelling out 10k for. But they do offer good financial aid though.</p>