<p>I recently recieved letters from Summer Programs at Stanford and Brown. I was wondering if I should clear my scheduel this summer which is very busy to try and participate in one of these. How much will they help with college admissions</p>
<p>They do two things:</p>
<p>1) They allow you to see a school you might want to attend.</p>
<p>2) They show an added interest in academics</p>
<p>I went to the Brown program last summer and I really enjoyed it. I ended up applying ED to another ivy, but my professor said he would write recs for kids in my class who wanted/needed. So, if you do well, it can give you a step up.</p>
<p>I also attended the Brown summer program and it was one of the best experiences of my life. However, I've heard that attending a summer program does not often give you a leg up in the admissions process</p>
<p>They won't help at all for admission.</p>