<p>If anyone attended Carleton's summer writing program I would love to hear feedback of what you thought of the program, other participants and your overall enjoyment of the experience.</p>
<p>Niece, D, and S of friend all attended. Loved it. Gave sense of what college level work at top LAC is all about. All made life long friends.</p>
<p>My D applied to the program, but she has not received a response from Carleton.</p>
<p>Thanks Mom90,</p>
<p>My son decided to apply.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Carleton (loves it) and attended the summer writing program (which he also loved). He continues to keep in contact with the friends he made and came back a mature young man.</p>
<p>My friend got an acceptance letter today to the SWP.</p>
<p>I’ve heard nothing but great things about SWP from the people I knew who attended. (Admittedly, all but one of the SWPers I’ve known ended up at Carleton and probably wouldn’t have gone if SWP had been awful for them, so there’s certainly some bias there.)</p>
<p>Nice to hear. Certainly, on the surface of things, the program can be a win-win. It allows a junior to get a better sense of LAC life and Carleton while allowing Carleton a much better look at a potential prospect than they will ever get from an application. </p>
<p>That said, I would be hard pressed to think of a more valuable skill for an incoming college freshman to have than to be an effective writer. If that helps my son toward that objective, it will be worth it.</p>
<p>I’m thinking about attending the program this summer. I want to major in English, but I’m not sure where I want to go to college yet. I consider myself a strong writer and reader. Would this program be beneficial for me? I am more interested in creative writing, but I would like practice writing college-level essays. For those who have attended the camp, is it still fun for the writers who are more interested in writing fiction?</p>
<p>Hey there aqtbenz,
I am the daughter of mediaman, and he asked me to respond to your post. I attended SWP (which everyone pronounces swip, in case you were wondering) this past summer and I absolutely loved it. If you are a strong writer and reader, then this program will be a good fit for you; however, this is not a program that focuses on creative writing. We did creative writing about once a week, but it was done for fun and did not contribute to our writers portfolio. I’m not sure how to answer your question about “still having fun if you are more interested in fiction”, so I will just give you a quick run-down of the program. Everyday you will attend three classes: one group discussion, one small group discussion, and one writer’s workshop. Over your three weeks there, you will write three essays that deal with the topics that are discussed in class like Justice, Ethics and Morality, etc. I’m not saying that this program would be awful for a creative writer, but it is not designed for creative writing. This program is designed to help students improve their writing, and develop skills for effectively writing college essays. Aside from the homework, class work, and paper writing there are also other things to do at SWP. There are always activities planned, and free time for you to enjoy. I loved my experience and I would most definately go back and do it all over again if I could. I made friends from all over that I still keep in touch with, and I gained valuable writing skills that have made my AP English class so much easier this year. I hope that answered your question :)</p>
<p>Thank you so much! Your response means a lot to me. I plan on taking AP English next year as well, so it’s nice to hear it helps with that. When I said I’m more of a creative writer, I should have mentioned I don’t mind writing papers either. Writing in general is a passion of mine 
I think I’m going to apply. It sounds like a great experience and a great chance for me to improve as a writer. It’s a win-win, right?</p>
<p>Another quick question if you don’t mind–I read in the pamphlet you read some literature during the camp. What are some of the pieces you read, and are they what you base your papers off of? (sorry, that’s more like two questions)</p>
<p>Thanks again! Your post kind of sealed the deal for me. :)</p>
<p>Here is the link to the official program description-<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/SAP/writing/details/”>http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/SAP/writing/details/</a>
The literature that we read (speeches, poems, essays, and excerpts from larger works of non fiction) is what our papers are based off of. We read everything from Plato, Marx, Machiavelli, and such to King, Wollstonecraft, and Woolf. Also, don’t worry about the difficulty of writing these papers. Yes, I was challenged, and yes, at times I wanted to scream just a little bit, but the professors are great and so helpful and only want you to succeed. I highly highly highly recommend this program!!!<br>
I’m so glad that I could help, and I hope that this answered your one/almost two questions.</p>
<p>My daughter got into SWP & she’s so pumped! We knew nothing of this program until a mailer came in one day earlier this year…the Director of this Program has been a gem–friendly/can-do attitude.<br>
Looking forward to D testing her wings from our little nest here in WA State. Am esp pleased w/D being introduced to substantial range of Western tradition–Plato, Marx, Baldwin, et al–during the tail end of her high school yrs. If she were to call Carleton home during the undegraduate years–we’d be beeming w/pride. Proud Daddy. :))<br>
(BTW–Kenyon College has a summer writing program that focuses on creative writing.)
This is our oldest child, & we’re learning as we go w/the application process for these more selective schools (in addition, have a middle school son & elementary age daughter).<br>
We’ve visited local schools as schedules permit during D’s junior year (& attended info sessions by the HYP’s as they come to Seattle)–so far, her Mom’s alma mater (Jesuit School), local state universities & some LACs in nearby Portland (Lewis & Clark/Reed). Like many of kids in CC–D is involved in ECs–sports (soccer & track), volunteering (school’s honor society/church youth group). She’s currently waiting on results from try-outs for next Fall’s musical & running for Class VP. She continues to hold a 4.0. Tough to squeeze more into her busy schedule… Has taken string of AP Tests this spring, the SAT this coming weekend, followed by ACT (2nd time) during the following. Subject SATs to wait til next fall…<br>
Of all the schools visited TO DATE, were most taken w/Reed–particularly their emphasis on classics & production of future Ph.D candidates. The low(er) graduation/matriculation rates–compared to peers–give concern, though. What’s that about?</p>
<p>PGonzalez, congrats to your daughter! My son attended the SWP last summer and absolutely loved it. He’s enrolling as a freshman at Carleton in the fall, and his experience at the SWP was the deciding factor in choosing Carleton over several other great schools. From what I could tell, the kids at SWP worked extremely hard yet had lots of fun. The program seemed to emphasize re-writing and re-thinking, which is great as far as I’m concerned. Your daughter will also get a lot of individualized written feedback about her work. In my son’s case, I was amazed how well the professor and writing assistants had gotten to know my son - both his strengths and his weaknesses - in the course of three short weeks. Most importantly, son also loved his fellow SWP’ers - the program attracts a talented and colorful group of kids, by his account.</p>
<p>Son also visited Reed but decided not to apply, which surprised me a little but now I see that Carleton is a much better fit for him. I could only speculate as to why Reed’s retention and graduation rates are so much lower than peer LACs, but it is a fact. Being from the PNW, I’d guess your D also has looked at Whitman - my son applied there and really liked it, but in the end preferred Carleton. </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions about the SWP.</p>
<p>Uh oh, Reed is my number one choice right now, but I’m doing the SWP this summer. Am I going to be enchanted away from my current love? Haha</p>
<p>^^ Could happen! …what will be, will be. :)</p>
<p>I guess it means something if it happens, right? xD
Oh well, I’ll be applying to both anyway!</p>
<p>Sunmachine, thanks for the feedback! (was surprised I’d get some/this is a pretty friendly little community). I hope she falls in love with the place and they feel the same way about her. It will give her a great bedrock from which to move on to graduate/professional schools. From what I’ve read, the kids work their tails of there (as they do @ Reed, Swarthmore, etc.)–but balance it with with fun/looks like some of the best years of a young person’s life could be spent in Northfield.</p>
<p>Someone here put a excellent post about the quality of education received from a small LAC like Carleton, Pomona, Amherst, etc. ~ as compared to some schools with “bigger” names (and their sizable graduate student populations). If D wants to attend graduate/professional school @ a U of Chicago, Berkeley, Harvard after undergrad–fantastic! She seems to be enamored with that school in Chicago & Brown, though…in the end, it is their decision.</p>
<p>Francaisalamatt–my D will still be applying to Reed also. She did a overnight there last fall. We spoke with their Admission’s Dept today to confirm that they’re hosting a “Fall Visit Day” on Sept 26-27th. Suggest calling them to reserve a spot for that event. :)</p>
<p>The more I look into these schools, the more I realize how much great college education is to be had in this country. I spent a weekend sucking all the info out of Green’s “The Hidden Ivies” & another “Fiske Guide to Colleges” (praised by another poster here on CC). You could pick from a number of these schools – and be assured of a excellent undergraduate education. From Davidson to Grinnell to Bowdoin, to Reed, etc., it’s like what flavor of ice cream cone does a young person want to choose from…? lol</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback! Appreciate the information you gave me about Carleton’s SWP–attention to your son’s writing, etc. I have been trying to peruade my daughter to at least explore Whitman, but there’s something about Walla Walla that seems to turn her off. I’m hoping we can squeeze a visit there in the fall… :)</p>
<p>Last msg was meant for Sunmachine specifically. Still getting the hang of this thing…</p>