Summer Pre-College Programs - College Prep?

Parents Forum
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<p>We are looking into some summer camps and pre-college programs for our 10th grader to prepare him for College for 2011.</p>

<p>We are bewildered as he wants to go to Stanford or MIT, and he had a 191 PSAT earlier this year, with predictions that he could be as high as 2100-2200 next year for SAT.</p>

<p>He wants to go to something called ESPY, which is a month-long program at Stanford during the summer. One of his 11th grade friends was accepted, but may or may not actually go depending on finances. Applications are due in early April.</p>

<p>He is already accepted into a "free" program at University of Texas Dallas for June for advanced programming concepts at the recommendation of his computer programming teacher. The professor only accepts 30 students, and he was accepted.</p>

<p>We looked at another one at Southern Methodist University, but it appears to be focused on politics and media, with the opportunity one additional "college credit" course during the 1st summer session.</p>

<p>Are there any other "top tier" summer programs I need to know about, possibly at MIT or other potential colleges?</p>

<p>We don't want to get ripped off, but we are prepared to pay for some "summer pre-college" if it will help him in getting into a top college. </p>

<p>I had also considered getting him approved to just go ahead and take college courses during the summer, that way he would be accumulating college credits, but sometimes that backfires because the credits may not transfer.</p>

<p>Also, we live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, so anything that is local IS preferred.</p>

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<p>well, the first thing I would focus on is having him do some prep work or tutoring this summer [Ivy West is a great company- one on one tutors once a week] for the REAL PSAT in Oct- [ that’s the one that will count] and for the SAT. His current score isn’t near the cut for NMF status [ in Texas its 216] , nor does it translate into a 2300+ SAT score, which is what he will need to hit in order to be in the ballpark for S or MIT or any top school. see data below</p>

<p>From Stanford’s Common Data set:</p>

<p>Percent of first-time, first-year (freshman*) students with scores in each range:
700-800 SAT CR 62% SAT Math73.3% SAT Writing 69.2%</p>

<p>[Stanford</a> University: Common Data Set 2010-2011](<a href=“http://ucomm.stanford.edu/cds/2010.html#admission]Stanford”>http://ucomm.stanford.edu/cds/2010.html#admission)</p>

<p>I would advise he also go to the UT computer programming program that he has already been accepted at. If computer programming is a passion then that should be an additional focus of his summer activities. Expensive Summer programs held on college campuses that offer a lot of general courses and admit many students, such as EPGY, don’t count for very much at top tier colleges. Any Summer enrichment that he does anywhere can help his"chances" by showing a strong interest in advancing his education, not because it “looks good” on an application… This is what Stanford U says about EPGY summer classes-it was on a link in the EPGY FAQ’s:
"</p>

<p>"2. Would attending Stanford’s Summer Session before the senior year improve one’s chances for freshman admission?</p>

<p>Not in terms of signifying added interest in Stanford (see above). But what taking enrichment and advanced courses might do, wherever they are taken, is indicate to us your enthusiasm for a subject area, or your excitement about discovery. The fact that you are taking summer or enrichment programs is not in and of itself the value-add to your application; it is what you take from that experience, how you share that experience with us through your essays, and how that experience has enhanced your intellectual life that is of importance. "</p>

<p>Hwever, rigorous, competitive summer programs such as SSP at Caltech, or TASP or others [RSI I think is another one?] are much better indications of hi academic ability and do enhance an applicants chances- If a student can get into those programs then they are golden.</p>

<p>He can ALSO start “taking” some of the 2000 COLLEGE LEVEL courses available online for free at MIT. THAT could show a lot of initiative and academic passion. He should also be investigating doing math or computer competitions during the school year.</p>

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<p>The main thing to remember is the most selective colleges- HYPS, MIT, etc, don’t CARE about how much a student wants be be accepted [ hence the advise not to throw $$ at a college summer program [which are mostly viewed by colleges as an easy way to make money] in an attempt to increase ones “chances” there, they CARE about students who show lots of passion and commitment to learning as much as they can.</p>

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<p>I am also looking for pre-college programs, but not with a science focus. What summer programs are there for students who are strong in humanities like languages, history, psychology? Location not important, but USA is preferable.</p>

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<p>take a look at this forum:
[Summer</a> Programs - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/]Summer”>Summer Programs - College Confidential Forums)</p>

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<p>Thanks for the link! I had seen it once but couldn’t navigate back to find. Great info and a bit overwhelming. D is a freshman this year and it looks like she’ll be doing her own thing since I got such a late start on summer programs. I can always assign work, but there is so much less resistance when someone else assigns it…</p>

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<p>To the OP -
If you are looking at these summer programs as some kind of special entry boost to the elite engineering schools, you are not getting quite the right picture. While they are very worthwhile enrichment programs, it will only help if your child is enthusiastic enough to reap the rewards of the program. There is no substitute for this. Why does he prefer EPGY? There is also a top level math group called SUMAC at Stanford, as well as CTD at Northwestern, CTY at multiple locations, PROMYS in Boston, Mathcamp, etc.</p>

<p>I’m a big fan of these programs, and my kids went to them for the summers after sophomore and junior years. We started with programs close to home, in order to support the student, and to monitor his interest and coping skills. Things like daily homework have to be done without prodding. If I were you, I would take a long look at the local computer science program - the price and location are right, and it will likely give him an advantage for in-state admissions. </p>

<p>Having MIT on your radar is fine, but it is an incredibly competitive admission, especially for boys, even for those with national recognition and top scores. Admission rates are something like 7-8% for males, which means that it’s going to be more of a dream school than a reality for most.Finding a college that is a good fit is quite a long discovery process, and there’s no reason not to start looking in your own backyard.</p>