<p>I am new on this forum and was wondering if anyone has any input on the Harvard summer school program for undergrads. I am a Canadian university student and was looking forward to taking a few classes there in the summer. I would like to be able to "screen" the school as a potential graduate spot and experience the learning environment. However, the cost is quite pricey (~5-7k for 2 courses).</p>
<p>My questions are:
a) Would taking a few courses at Harvard over the summer in your undergrad influence your chances as a potential graduate school applicant in any way?
b) If anyone has any experience, are the summer courses a true representation of the actual year-long courses? Would you recommend it?
c) Anyone know of any Ivy-bound summer programs for undergrads other than the traditional summer school? Thanks a lot for your input.</p>
<p>a) No, summer session attendance won’t assist you in grad school admissions. You’re better off doing something work-related in your field and saving up the money for grad school. To spend that kind of money just to tool around Cambridge over the summer would be an utter waste.</p>
<p>a) Yes and No. Not officially, but if you work super hard to distinguish yourself, it is possible to get a recommendation from the professor or TA (who sometimes is also on the faculty)
Can I just say, it is not an utter waste… you make contacts with people from all around the world… local Bostonians, Israelis, Japanese, UK, Taiwanese, Peruvians… and, of course, other grad students in your field, too.
The courses are challenging, and it is intense. You can spend up to 10 hours studying a day. Some people live in the library.
Note: There is financial aid.
b)I would really recommend it. They are like the year long courses- usually a prof on the faculty there will teach the class, and the syllabi are the same. You get access to the same libraries, etc. It’s just more crammed and intense. E.g., in the course I took we were doing the equivalent of two weeks’ worth in each day for seven weeks. It is very rewarding, though.
c) There are no ‘ivy-bound’ but if you are interested in other schools, there are summer programs I believe at Brown, Yale, Princeton (I think), Cornell, Penn, etc.</p>