<p>Is taking a summerschool program at an ivy league school or any university a positive experience? And is the tuition worth the information the courses offer, and is it useful for first year of university?</p>
<p>I went to a precollege program at St. Andrews University in Scotland last summer and it was well worth the tuition. It was a month long and included lectures 5-6 days a week from university professors and small group tutorials taught by graduate students. Summer programs are a really good experience because spending time at a college gives you a good idea of what college life is like and provides info on whether or not that college is right for you.</p>
<p>Is attending summerschool at your 1st choice school necessary? Does it increase your chances during admission? I don't have the luxury to go, both timewise and financially...</p>
<p>I think some competitive programs like the Junior Statesman one offered at Georgetown, Northwestern and some other top colleges that is specifically oriented to Politics or a certain field can help your admission into Politics Schools such as Georgetown, GW, American, and Johns Hopkins. I think the main point of summer programs is to show colleges that you took the initiative to go beyond the normal course of study.</p>
<p>For many schools, the summer school programs do not increase your chances for admission. There are a few exceptions to this though.</p>
<p>Well, taking a summer school program at one of those schools and doing well in your course will increase your chances for ANY college. It'll be seen as a well spent summer in which you lived in a new environment and heightened your intellect.</p>
<p>JSA isn't competitive to get into. It's a good experience, though.</p>