Hi,
I am in dilemma in choosing between a summer program and couple other options. I am interested in pursuing my passion in Math over summer - have the following options and wanted to make sure that my choice would help me further my interest and also help in admissions in 2 years. BTW I am currently a sophomore. Please, advice and/or share your thoughts on my options below (i.e what you would do and why).
Option#1: Attend a summer program. Haven’t yet got admission but based on my participation last year, confident of getting into one of PROMYS/Awesome-Math/USA-Canada Mathcamp (last year applied and admitted to 2 of them and attended one and loved it). This will enable me to pursue doing math research and hopefully will give me an idea to pursue during my junior/senior years - this is long range wishful thinking but immediately attending the camp can give me an added boost to math solving skills which can at least help in math competitions that I plan to participate next year. Attending this program costs money and parents are ok to pay.
Option#2: Take an online course which can strengthen my high school course plan. Currently (without taking any online courses) am on way to complete toughest math courses offered at school by end of senior year - these are Calculus BC and stats AP. If I take one online course (in an elective course to make room for an additional math class in my senior schedule) - I could potentially take a DE math course in the senior year. The online course is not too intensive and I could volunteer rest of the time - btw my volunteer hours are very low as of now. Have a volunteering position lined up to help tutor math and other misc volunteering. This option does not cost any money (the online course is free).
Option#3: Internship - am still in the process and don’t have one in hand yet - but received a favourable reply from a local professor for an unpaid internship with his group over summer (consider 75% confirmed - I just need to make the final push to formally get confirmation). This is kind of open-ended as of now - but if it works out I may be able to gain research experience. Does not cost money but needs a tough commute 3 times a week.
all the above options are for six weeks, leaving me 2-3 weeks for just relaxing/vacationing.
(am conflicted because option#1 and 3 could give me some research exp; but option#2 could boost my gpa and show a stronger curriculum than is possible now and it can also improve my volunteering which is non-existent as of now; want to attend a good/top college in math/stem areas and think this summer is my last chance to standout; because next summer I will be busy with SAT and other last-minute required things). thanks and sorry for the long post.