<p>Okay, I have two choices to think about for this summer. They are: Harvard Summer School or research (my first year) on nanobiology with a professor who went to Princeton, Harvard and M.I.T. If I go to Harvard Summer School, it will give me as well as colleges some insight on how I do in colleges. It will give me a college credit, and it will help me gain my admission in college of my choice. But, the bad new is it takes EIGHT weeks! So, I cannot do anything else; I am supposed to go to fly to California with my family, but they are willing to send me to this summer school. Research-it will show my strong interest in math and science, and the professor may be the right person to recommend me for my application. Bad new-if I start researching this summer, it will not show any of my committment. I did not research AT ALL last year or two years ago. If I do it, will colleges think it is weird that I start researching and that I might be "desperate" ?</p>
<p>No, I don't think they'll think you're weird. In my opinion, you should just do what you want. After all, it is summer and you do seem to love the idea of going to Harvard Summer School!! So why not? if you can afford it then go!</p>
<p>Most people who do research in the summer after their junior year do not have any previous experience (the exception being people who are admitted to RSI, most of whom have done research). If you are truly interested in math/science, I think few things can show this interest better than research experience. You will have to spend a considerable amount of time working in the lab over the summer, but your research paper will be an asset in your admissions files (and it could also be entered in Siemens and Intel STS competitions).</p>
<p>I would like to go to Harvard's Summer School... everyone I've talked to that's gone has loved it.</p>
<p>I'm waiting to apply though because I'm thinking about applying for Neuchatel Junior College, which is a high school program in Switzerland. If I decide to do that and would be accepted, I probably wouldn't do a 8 week summer program before I left for a year in Switzerland.</p>
<p>My summer plans are as follows:
Graduate in June
Work as many hours as possible in July
Leave work in August, pack up, take one last look around and go to college.</p>
<p>"it will help me gain my admission in college of my choice"</p>
<p>... Really, I don't think going to the SSP at Harvard will matter much in the long run. Both of my brothers went to the SSP, and they knew students who went there who got rejected to the college - of course the year-round is much, much more selective - but I really don't think that it will have a <em>huge</em> effect. Perhaps it might matter if it is you against someone with the SAME test scores, SAME ECs, etc - but I really think it will be one of the last factors.</p>