<p>I was wondering if I should apply for TASP and spend the majority of my summer at a college. My questions is if TASP significantly helps one in admissions. And, if I wasn't to go to TASP, I would be doing other things (science research, teaching, etc) that would help my application.</p>
<p>Yes, yes, yes!!! TASP is truly an amazing thing. I underestimated its importance and only sent off my app on the last day; luckily, I got in (luckily because it has an acceptance rate lower than Harvard's). The summer was fun, and what you may not know is that about 50% of TASPers (as they're called) went to Harvard in the last year they've reported (2003). If that doesn't tell you anything, let's just say that it's about the best thing you can have for an extracurricular on a college app. It definately helped get me into Princeton.</p>
<p>RSI, too! :-P</p>
<p>Argh that makes it so much of a harder decision for me between my French trip and applying for TASP. My trip and TASP overlap, and I know I would love TASP if I were to get in. However, I have been working since August 20 hours a week to finance my French trip and I have always wanted to go to France. Part of me wants to just go for TASP, because I know I will love it and I know it will help me with college applications (as a bonus, not a primary objective), but I don't want to blow off my friends and some of my hard-earned money.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any advice? I want to go talk to my GC but I'm afraid she will be swamped with the seniors' applications.</p>
<p>sorry for this dumb question, but what do TASP and RSI stand for?</p>
<p>TASP:</a> Telluride Association Summer Program (?)
RSI:</a> Research Science Institute</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>I completely understand where you're coming from. I actually went to France the spring break before the summer of TASP, and I loved it. Is there any way you can plan on going to France, but then opt out if you make it to TASP? TASP is really, really worth it. If you think about it, from a college's perspective, 553,091 kids are gonna be writing about how the Eiffel Tower changed their lives. Less than 80 a year go to TASP. But I agree that that's not the most important consideration, so I'll just tell you about my experience. I flew out to Washington University in St. Louis feeling a little apprehensive about the thing - I mean, it is 6 weeks long (but COMPLETELY free, I spent maybe 20 bucks of my own money the whole time) and I had no idea who these 17 other kids were gonna be. The first week or so was kinda boring, everyone was getting to know each other, the reading assigned was intense, and yeah. The second, the third, and the fourth were each better than the last; these kids aren't snotty or pseudointellectual, they're seriously the smartest individuals you'll probably ever meet. We had a ton of fun and that includes having genuine fights over politics and things that just don't generally happen in your everyday high school life. I really think TASP is a great thing personally, and not just for your resume. I'm still in touch with most of my TASPers; they're wonderful people and we've decided to visit each other at college (Meaning at Yale, Georgetown, Harvard, and Princeton, because not to pressure or anything, but after TASP, it's almost unusual NOT to go to one of these).</p>