<p>cosar,
That's hilarious, are you sure it's Harvard Lampoon and not real?</p>
<p>Those pricey programs may give students interesting experiences, but they do not help students get into top colleges. The top colleges know very well that those programs are open to students who are lucky enough to have parents with fat wallets.</p>
<p>The top colleges are likely to be more impressed by students who do things like find a job -- even a humble job -- at home, and who learn as a result about themselves, the world or future careers. </p>
<p>The top colleges also are likely to be impressed by students who over the summer do some kind of intellectual project on their own which could range from reading good literature of a certain genre to doing creative writing to starting a musical group.</p>
<p>Similarly, the top colleges are likely to be impressed by students who take on some kind of cause over the summer and create a volunteer project or simply do some volunteer work for an organization with issues that are close to the student's heart.</p>
<p>When it comes to those expensive summer programs, my thoughts are that a fool and his money are soon parted....</p>
<p>The problem is that one simply doesn't know if the programs are valuable or not. If one doesn't do it, and doesn't get admitted, was it because these "EC's" were omitted? Parents and students are faced with a dilemma; that is, until College Admit officers come out and say these programs are of no consequence, many will conclude that they are.</p>
<p>I doubt most kids do these programs. If you see one that is just perfect for your kid and you can afford, by all means do it. If polo is your kid's sport, so be it. You want to show what you are and if something fits, there is no sense being ashamed that it cost money. But I wouldn't make it the main entree of my ECs . Truly, I see no problem with spending some time in Mexico making pottery, and learning Spanish, even if it a program that you have to pay to get the arrangements set for you. If you have the money, fine. But a "bought" program like that should not be the centerpiece of your kid's EC, just a supplement. </p>
<p>I know two kids who bought into a "Tour de France" bike trip where you basically follow that route. Very expensive. For one it was just something that caught her eye cuz she needed to find something to do this summer and the family had the money to pay for it. The other is a cyclist who was a cancer survivor, and this was something meaningful to her, and her parents were able to pay for this. The fit of that activity transcended the fact that it was bought, at least in my opinion. The other kid had several "bought" activities. Whole different situation.</p>
<p>The programs can be valuable in that they can give the student information about themselves, the rest of the world, a career, etc. Where they aren't valuable is getting a student into an elite college.</p>
<p>Elite adcoms are simply not impressed by programs that students participated in because their parents could afford the programs.</p>
<p>Elite adcoms are impressed by things like very select, free programs like RSI (though even with that, students aren't guaranteed admissions to top colleges). </p>
<p>As mentioned before, however, elite colleges are particularly impressed by students who show the passion, creativeness and assetiveness to create opportunities for themselves.</p>
<p>A student who raised money (This doesn't mean asked rich grandparents!) to go on a mission trip abroad or who worked their tail off to get sponsored by a professional group to a seminar related to that profession --could impress adcoms. What would be particularly impressive, though, would be the hard work that the student put into getting an opportunity that they clearly wanted. That's different than having parents write a check.</p>
<p>One of the most outstanding examples of assertiveness that I have seen as an Ivy interviewer was a student from a low income, first generation college background who applied for a job at a grocery store in her inner city neighborhood. After she was turned down, she learned where the owner lived and took city buses 15 miles to go in person to his house to successfully beg him for a job. </p>
<p>While she didn't get into an Ivy (very low board scores due to being in a horrendous public school), she did end up going to grad school at a top 25 college where I hear she's a star.</p>
<p>I think the whole "summer application-building experience" is among the most ridiculous aspects of the college admission process. I know tons of kids who could care less about the environment, other cultures, and new experiences, but go to Mexico to ppick grapefruit and build houses so they can write a solid 200 words about how it "transformed" them in some profound way. I've been going to the same overnight camp for 8 years now, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. My best friends are there, I have the time of my life, and that is where I can ESCAPE all of this madness. I wish summers could be more like they were in To Kill a Mockingbird (without the segregation, of course), where kids could just run around and spy on their neighbors. Maybe some kids have fun on these programs, I'm not sure. But if someone wants to go just to boost their application, that should be discouraged. I hope you parents are with me, but I'm not too optimistic</p>
<p>I do think colleges see right through the "packaged" candidates and that, therefore, many of them are in for a big, expensive, disappointment. </p>
<p>Kids should do something over the summer, for lots of reasons. But the ones with real interests want to pursue them without prodding. And, pursuing them could be getting a job that's related to it (working in a music store or a computer store or tutoring, for example), doing volunteer work, taking classes, or even (heaven forbid) reading books about it that you don't get time to read during the year. You can write a pretty fine essay about a book that you've discovered on your own.</p>
<p>I too think most of these programs are way over the top and very unlikely to "help" in the admissions process. </p>
<p>The college counselors at my kids' private school are quite clear about this - in most cases the best thing you can do over the summer is a job - a real job. Flipping burgers is great. Be a camp counselor and learn to deal with cranky six year olds. </p>
<p>I saw one of the "college" camps in action last summer. The afternoon my son visited Williams, a college camp also arrived for the info session. The info session started off with the admissions person asking each kid to say where they were from, one "myth" they had heard about Williams and one question they had about Williams. As it turns out, to a one these kids knew nothing about Williams - one asked about the business major, another wanted to know about the communications program. Huh?</p>
<p>I think those bought and paid for summer experiences are actually more likely to hurt an applicant's chances, especially if the student tries to puff them up.</p>
<p>I am so glad my son is over this.....and I don't think Swarthmore picked him because of what he did during summer. But I could be wrong. Anyway, he did not do anything spectacular over any summer.</p>
<p>Lol, Xiggi! Your idea may have some merit!</p>
<p>Our S may have distinguished himself, unintentionally, by not jumping on such a band wagon but spending his summer as a dishwasher. Taught him responsibiity, humilty and a grasp for simple hard work which was a nice balance to his overly driven academic pursuits.</p>
<p>NOTICE: I have an excellent summer opportunity for someone's college-bound child. </p>
<p>For $23,000 I would be able place your child in a uniquely intense child development lab-- 8 weeks of fascinating hands-on learning for the budding psychologist or teacher!-- working in close proximity with an engaging (though borderline psychotic) seven year old child. </p>
<p>To intensify the experience, the student would be allowed to stay with the seven year old virtually twenty four hours a day, 6 days a week, and observe him in various environments: running through parking lots, disappearing into crowds of beach goers, diving under tables in restaurants, and making frequent visits to revolting public restrooms. </p>
<p>Simple experiments will be conducted to attempt to answer some of the field's most troubling perennial questions, like "What part of 'no' don't you understand?"</p>
<p>Bonus: This exciting experience may result in a profound grasp of the importance of careful family planning. </p>
<p>This experience may also result in weight loss.</p>
<p>SBmom, tempting as that seems -No. LOL. But I have found a cheaper alternative for $6995. </p>
<p>"Cedar eradication work in soon to be beautiful area. A vicious predator tree threatens wildflowers and native prairie grasses. Poor ranch area needs student volunteers to restore the once great grasslands that sustained life here for eons. Hear the buffalo? They are closer than you think. Search for indian artifacts in your spare time in your own private archaelogical dig! Primitive campsites provided and all authentic self-help meals included on your own multicultural grill. (A rod and reel, a slingshot, and an hibachi. We strongly suggest bringing some citrus or citrus products.) Liability waiver required. Weight loss virtually a guarantee."</p>
<p>No rattler featured in the logo?</p>
<p>SBmom, SSSSSHHHH! We'll let that be a surprise. As for a motto I'm thinking either "Everything on this place will stick you, sting you, bite you or bruise you." or "Come with an open mind and we'll guarantee that you'll leave with an empty wallet."</p>
<p>Hey, I know for a fact that my Ds summer programs helped to get her into her #1, an elite LAC. The difference is, she's been doing the same program since age 12 - playing softball. She loves it and is totally dedicated, practicing year round while still maintaining excellent grades in a very challenging academic program. </p>
<p>It doesn't matter if its sports, music, community service, or whatever, I believe that you need to show true dedication to your ECs to impress the Adcoms. That probably means that your EC list will not be that long because dedication takes a lot of time. If you wait until the summer before Junior or Senior years to try and pad the list - well, good luck to you.</p>
<p>I have to go with the dissenting opinion here. Although Im not in favor of prepackaged application padding or resume builders, the one area that I think parents should invest in is foreign travel. I dont mean the grandtour type 10 cities in 8 days European trip, but a meaningful exposure to the rest of the world, a firsthand, up close and personal interaction with people of different cultures, religions, economic status. </p>
<p>The world, as Thomas Friedman so eloquently writes, is getting flatter and our kids need to experience that flattening by getting out of their American suburbs and into the other side Africa, Asia, South America, India. Travel with a focus on education --language, arts, culture, service, exploration, adventure or whatever is of interest -- will help kids get into college, do better once theyre there, and succeed in the real world afterwards. Above all it will make them more conscientious world citizens, more insightful students, more sensitive human beings. </p>
<p>Its important that our kids learn how the other 90% of the world thinks, what their aspirations are, what they love and what they hate about us. Most of us see junior year abroad is a broadening experience. With the speed of globalization, why wait?</p>
<p>I agree that foreign travel is a wonderful experience, and have done a lot with both of my kids, even when they literally were infants. This includes extended stays abroad where we lived like the locals.</p>
<p>While I think that such travel is very beneficial in terms of how much young (and old) people learn, and I also agree that foreign travel is virtually essential for college students, I don't think it's essential for all families to invest in before their kids go to college.</p>
<p>Why? A major concern that I have is that most young people don't know very much about their own communities and their own countries. Most tend to live in a neighborhood with people who are very similar to themselves racially and in terms of economics and interests. In school, most students also hang out with other young people who are very similar to themselves.</p>
<p>Even if a school is very diverse, many students hang out in cliques in which their friends are of their race, share similar political views and socioeconomic values. Many students who are fortunate enough to travel in our country travel only to see relatives or stay in resorts and do things like go shopping, which doesn't expose them to anything different than they are exposed to at home.</p>
<p>So, my thoughts are that when it comes to travel and learning about the rest of the world, it would be good if teens started in their home areas. They could get involved in citywide youth programs, and start programs that cause young people of diverse backgrounds to work together on some kind of project for the common good.</p>
<p>Such collaborative projects are a better way of getting to know the rest of the world than doing charity work for the less fortunate, which puts the volunteer on a higher rung than the recipients. It also falsely gives the impression that people who are disadvantaged have nothing to offer society except giving other people the good feeling of being able to volunteer to help them.</p>
<p>Clayleas..I was going to write the ssme thing. My D has been playing travel softball since the age of 13. Practicing year round and spending summer weekends at tournaments. We have traveled to many out of the way places we would not have been to if it weren't for softball and she has learned a lot from her experiences both on and off the field. Everyone needs to remember, not all life lessons are learned in the classroom.</p>