I was just wondering if there are actually any college summer programs out there that are actually worthwhile and that colleges will actually give a hoot about. Or are they all just over-priced summer camps? It doesn’t even have to be affiliated with a college. I just don’t want college adcoms to think me stupid for spending so much money on such a worthless program but rather diligent for studying something that interests me outside of school. I have heard about Research Science Institute and NASA Sharp, but I believe that app deadlines have passed for those. (and yes, I would be studying something I have a genuine interest in, not just doing it to augment my college application). Any input you have would be appreciated. Thank you!
<p>A lot of programs have deadlines that have already passed. Do you live near a university?</p>
<p>harvard's got a great one. i just applied like a week ago. try that one their deadline hasn't passed.</p>
<p>yeah, harvard's ssp was a great experience and i think you can apply up until june.</p>
<p>Crayon: I live in southern california, so I'm close to UCLA, USC, UCI...</p>
<p>Ya, I just checked out Harvard's. They recommend you apply early, but they continue accepting apps until May I think. Nevertheless, I wish I would have gotten on this earlier because, as you mentioned, many of the deadlines have already passed.</p>
<p>i'm awaiting harvard's decision letter... they would have received the letter last friday. today's wednesday. when do you think i'll get a decision smileforum?</p>
<p>i would just apply to harvard's now before it's too late. they have great programs and they're very well-known and i hear they've got the best summer program you can get. that's my advice. maybe i'll see ya there.</p>
<p>the ssp is all about money, you pay you go, they just try to make it look "prestigious"
it's nothing more than a college credit. I went there and kind of enjoyed it, but it was too expensive, i didn't think it was worth 10k, you know.
and einsteingermany, your stats will get you in for sure!
and ssp has no deadline.
but the later you apply, the worst room you'll get, a friend of mine applied in may, and got Adams house, i applied in march and lived in the Yard
way too many tourists (annoying!!)
keep in mind, SSP has no air conditioning for the dorms, don't rent the tv, because they don't have cable, and the fans they rent out is not the best :S
i brought my own :)</p>
<p>thanks! great advice! how long did you wait until you got a letter of acceptance? after you applied i mean.</p>
<p>OCChopeful--you might consider the UC COSMOS program--deadline is Mar. 15. You would need to scramble to get the application in on time, but it seems like a very worthwhile program. And cost is reasonable.</p>
<p>any program that'll give you college credit is worthwhile. i'm not saying it'll get you in an ivy school but it'll help (more from the knowledge they give you etc). as well as the atmosphere</p>
<p>the acceptance has probably already stamped the day they see your GPA is 3.0+, you require no fin. aid, and your SAT I is above 800 (yes, i knew someone with 900 one summer)
they just want to make you wait lol
mua ha ha ha ha (how evil they are)</p>
<p>i haven't taken the SAT yet though</p>
<p>meh, either way, i didn't submit my scores either, i said i didn't know what SAT was because i was international, but i was still accepted
so, as you can see, they don't really care what you are made of, they care what you have to offer them ($)</p>
<p>how long was it until you got your letter?</p>
<p>i think.. i waited 2 weeks at most. they're really good about getting the letters back. don't worry, i'm sure you made it in.</p>
<p>Sorry, this may be a bit off the main topic, but I'm also trying to think of some summer programs/camps to go to at the moment. My family definitely can't afford those thousands+ programs, and the creative writing class at the nearby fine arts school deadline passed a month ago when I didn't realize that they even had a summer program.</p>
<p>I live in Louisiana, so I don't really have great resources around me. My parents want me to do labwork or volunteer at a hospital but that's definitely NOT what I'm interested in (although I suppose I'd do well... whatever). They think it'll make my application look better. I realize that I can do this and not make it look like a simple fluff because I also do a lot of math/science activities, but I really, really, really don't want to work in a lab with a bunch of other Asians whom I have nothing in common with, although I'm supposed to (-__-). My other choice was some kind of speech/debate camp, but those are expensive, and my parents said that they aren't going to pay for something that isn't going to advance me in school/math/science, unless I can find a better English program. Any suggestions for ANYTHING else? :(</p>
<p>there's an absolutely amazing program called the summer science program, also SSP. it's been around longer than harvard's, though ;) check it out: <a href="http://www.summerscience.org%5B/url%5D">http://www.summerscience.org</a>. those six weeks were, quite literally, the best of my life. AND i got a great finaid package (almost the entire tuition, and plane fare from hawaii, was covered). i believe their deadline has passed, but there's always next year!</p>
<p>Junior Statesman Summer School - the summer program to top ALL summer programs. It focuses on law, debate, economics, politics, stuff like that. And for those of you cringing your nose, dont get me wrong I'm by no means particularly politically-oriented or very knowledgable for that matter (I just take an interest in the human condition and like to refine/form opinions on things) and i absolutely stink at public speaking/debate . nevertheless I attended the program at Yale (also at Gtown, Princeton, Stanford, and a few others I'm forgetting) last summer taking Honors Constitional Law and Honors Public Speaking and the Law ( They also offer a crapload of other classses like ap econ, foreign policy, different levels of debate/speech courses, the presidency, etc etc ). First of all, the classes were INCREDIBLE. And even then the people experience completely blew everything else out of the water. What they do is they form groups of about 30 (guys and gals) based on the classes they signed up for. So you have 30 kids sharing the same two classes that are 3 hours long each everyday (to do a semester in one month). So you're together for 6 hours a day together and then there's Congressional Workshop each evening, which is incredible onto itself. So all in all about 7 hours minimum with the same 30 kids Monday through Saturday. The bonding is outstanding and completely on fast forward as a result. It's a very very close knit thing. Pretty soon everyone eats all their meals with their classmates and spends every other second of the day together of their own will. <em>getting nostalgic</em> . And did I mention the people are incredible? Everyone is in the top of their class, brilliant in some way, and all around personable. I definitely definitely encourage anyone in high school to check it out. Heck i'd go again if I wasnt graduating. Oh and a word on money. I have no money. wer'e dirt poor, like no computer poor. and I was able to go by a hefty scholarship through the program and then individual fund raising. Check it out. <a href="http://www.jsa.org%5B/url%5D">www.jsa.org</a></p>
<p>-- I'm new at this thing so please forgive my inordinately long posts as I try to get used to being concise</p>
<p>oh one more thing. about deadlines - the sooner the better but admissions is unofficially rolling , they dont like students to know but they take applications practically up to the start of the program (though you may not get your first choice of location if you apply after mid-april)</p>