Summer@Brown Pre-College Programs

<p>If I did a Summer@Brown Pre-College Programs do you think that will help my chances at all?</p>

<p>I took one, and I dunno... I mean, it does show interest (but do schools like Brown care?), and it'll make it much easier to write an effective "Why Brown?" essay... but besides that... ehh. </p>

<p>I recommend it, though; it's definitely worthwhile. I'm glad I did it because it was a really good experience and it made me fall in love with Brown, haha. (:</p>

<p>No, they often specifically state it doesn't. All it will really do is give you a better sense if you want to be here and maybe something to write in the "Why Brown?". But there are 0 tangible benefits other than having a good time and a good experience, you're not more likely to get in.</p>

<p>Ditto what modestmelody wrote. And it's probably more impressive to do something that doesn't cost your parents a lot of money.</p>

<p>Oh, sorry that I wanted to spend my summer doing something enriching and very relevant to my interests and that my parents were happy to support me in doing so.</p>

<p>Hope it won't be too detrimental to my applications.</p>

<p>i would definitely recommend going. i went in 2007 and had one of the best times of my life. even if going wont get you into brown, it cant hurt!</p>

<p>Although summer programs often stress that it will not help in admissions to that school, it can help. My son attended Harvard's SSP for two summers & made a lot of connections with professors willing to write recs for him.(Even though that is specifically discouraged.) Students from far away were permitted to interview with the Harvard admission office. Obviously a Harvard interview won't help you with a Brown application, but you may be able to make contacts, interview & determine whether or not the school is for you.
To the best of my knowledge, Brown, Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Cornell & Yale have high school summer programs. Does anyone know whether Princeton & Dartmouth also have summer programs open to high school students? Thanks.</p>

<p>For Dartmouth:
Dartmouth</a> - About Dartmouth - Summer at Dartmouth
Summer</a> Programs
Dartmouth</a> Forensic Union - Workshops
Dartmouth</a> Summer Camp Health Careers :: About Our Summer Camp</p>

<p>I don't think Princeton offers any Princeton-sponsored summer programs for high school students, but there are some programs that are held on its campus.</p>

<p>I did the program in 04 and had a blast, but there's no way it helps your chances. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE who can afford that program gets into it, so there's no way it can help your chances.</p>

<p>I don't know if I would do it now, when I did it there were no rules, it was really like being in college.</p>

<p>I did it last summer and had a lot of fun as well.</p>

<p>It may not improve your chances as a result of selectivity of the program goes, but you chose Brown over another program for a reason, right?
I would say it helps, I got my professors from my class to submit letters, so I think that will help as well.</p>

<p>I did it last summer, it was so much fun! love diman house.
Anyway, I think it depends on whether you did a pre-college programme or a full 7-week for-credit actual Brown course.... I did a 2-week pre-college one that was pass/fail and I can't imagine it will help much. It was taught by a grad student and impossible to fail, so long as you showed up to the classes and handed in your assignments. Doing something like that does show some intellectual curiousity, which colleges like. But it doesn't show you're capable of Brown work in the way a for-credit course would.
That said, I got a great recommendation from my teacher which I think will help.
I'd recommend doing it this summer, I had a great time. I feel I should warn you that goodlooking girls outnumber goodlooking guys by 10 to 1. Not exaggerating.</p>

<p>Did it in 08</p>

<p>Yeah okay, it does have tangible benefits for all saying it doesnt. While I agree it says that a summer program at University A does NOT help you get into University A, there is a huge loophole which admissions folk use. One thing it does is provide DOAs (deans of admission) with something constructive to look at over the summer rather than sleeping and partying. Secondly, if you took a 7 week credit program like i did, it provides them insight on how well you will do at brown and what you have to bring to the campus. Thirdly the classes you take there are considered AP lvl or above on the application and makes you stand out. And honestly, I only paid 1/10 of the entire fee for the seven week program (it was 8000$ or so, and I paid 800) and got 2 college credits in subjects I am interested in through the financial aid form, so I wasted very little money (in fact I saved money on food that I would normally consume over 7 weeks as well as board space). So honestly go for it, the experience is unlike any other and the people you meet are incredible. It truly will tell you if brown is right for you.</p>

<p>Doing any summer program at all is a help to your application, as others have said. That shows interest, initiative, etc. But, there is a real point to the above post that spoke about the need to not spend a lot of money to do it. I should think that it could really help more if you did some community service, internship, or job that was related to your interests. Schools are very wise to the fact that applicants pay X thousands of dollars to go to some seashore and "save the sea turtles." Then they say how eco-minded they are. It's far better to really do something worthwhile-- your definition of worthwhile, but try to think outside of spending money, if possible. Especially these days.</p>

<p>do you think it will be detrimental, like it would like you think that attending the program would help you get in to Brown? I included my evaluation (from the grad student/professor) in my application because I thought it might help.</p>

<p>I lived in diman house too, by the way.</p>

<p>I took two college level classes at Brown for the seven week pre-college program. While I do recommend the program for a variety of reasons, I'm not sure that it will be a gigantic help when applying to Brown and other elite schools. I think the most important thing to do, if you do decide to do the program, is REALLY make an effort to develop a relationship will your teachers. If the teacher sees that you're performing well in class, interested in the material and learning, and taking advantage of the college environment, he'll probably write you an impressive letter of recommendation for college apps. A Brown teacher's letter will really reinforce your capabilities and desires as a student. Whether it will make or break your application, I don't know. But like anything else you do, it really comes down to how much energy and investment you put into it. I must say though, that if the program were influential in your application, it'd be better to do a credit program, not a mini-course. There's definitely a BIG difference between the two.</p>

<p>I did a summer program at Brown, and it was one of the best summers of my life, and I think with the application process, it shows that you care about a certain school and have a drive to go there</p>

<p>I was in Harkness house by the way =)</p>

<p>What about the tuition/cost of Brown’s program? (Sorry, first post in a while it seems!) I’m thinking of applying as a freshmen in high school but every time it seems the tuition makes me scramble.</p>

<p>ahhh i did it this summer!
it was so so amazing
(sears house ftw) </p>

<p>my two week course was related to my intended major and my professor wrote a great rec for me so i sent it along with my ED application to penn… was that a bad idea?? anybody???</p>

<p>While I agree with most people, it actually CAN help. I got my professor to write me a recommendation, and in it she wrote things like “Michael would be an outstanding contribution to the Brown student body” and “any college would be lucky to have him.” I think that to an adcom, that looks pretty impressive coming from a Brown professor.</p>