Truth or myth: Does Summer@Brown actually help you?

<p>I’m most likely going to be doing the 7-week credit program. I know many say that it doesn’t heighten your chances of being accepted, but how could it not at all? Students doing a 7-week program at a school that they are going to be applying ED to clearly have interest in the school, which should stand out to someone reading the students application. I’ve also heard a rumor that around 25% of students who did the summer program and applied ED were accepted, although I don’t completely believe it. Thoughts? </p>

<p>Sure it helps you – relative to doing nothing over that same time. But does it help you over the guy who works at his parents grocery store over the summer? Nope.</p>

<p>Anything meaningful is helpful. Summer @ Brown is meaningful but not more so than other ventures – especially for Brown. </p>

<p>T26E4 is correct. There is absolutely no benefit to doing Summer@Brown over another summer activity - colleges just want to see that you did something with your time. In terms of Brown admissions, Summer@Brown is nothing like going to Brown for college, except that it’s on the same campus. That 25% is definitely not accurate, sorry.</p>

<p>Another issue with Summer@Brown and reason that Brown doesn’t favor those students to admit: it costs a lot of money to attend. Summer@Brown has very few scholarships, so the vast majority of students who attend are paying full price, and can afford to do so - it’s not representative of the population of Brown students, many of whom are on financial aid and could not have afforded to do a program like that in high school.</p>

<p>As someone who did both programs (Summer@Brown in 04 and then was Brown class of 09) I can unequivocally say that the standards for admission were worlds apart. In addition to the money thing, the summer program is simply not anywhere near as selective as going to Brown. Maybe someone in the know can correct me if I’m wrong, but I highly doubt they have made Summer@Brown more selective while Brown has certainly become more selective.</p>

<p>As has been said on other threads on this forum, Brown does not define interest in the number of visits or other often monetarily dependent, but ultimately trivial things. Interest means a demonstration of an understanding of the fundamental aspects of Brown beyond it being in the ivy league or being in the top 20 on USNWR and an understanding of who you are and why you would fit well at Brown and be an asset to Brown/the student body in some way. Doing Summer@Brown does not demonstrate that since Summer@Brown is not Brown (especially these days. When I did it in 04 we had essentially no rules so at least you got to experience a lifestyle that’s closer to college student than high schooler).</p>

<p>You know, maybe we alums should support the idea that Summer@Brown helps your chances. Brown makes a lot of money on this program (I assume), and anything that raises money for Brown is a good thing. </p>

<p>So yeah, izzy – Summer@Brown is a good thing for future applicants to do. Have fun! </p>

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<p>Many, many summer college programs have few or no scholarships but Brown is not one of them in my experience. My D has twice received a full (well…95%) scholarship to <a href=“mailto:Summer@Brown”>Summer@Brown</a>. I have no idea how many kids get one but it is entirely need based (for non-credit, merit comes into play somewhat for the for-credit 7 week program). </p>

<p>PS: @I<em>wanna</em>be_Brown - D went two summers ago and it was still very much like that. You must check in with your RA at 11/12PM and otherwise you are on your own. If you don’t go to class I assume that will be noticed, and if you get caught drinking/drugs/whatever they say you’ll be sent home. But otherwise? Run around Providence, hang on Thayer, visit other dorms…no one is telling you what to do.</p>

<p>No, I mean we didn’t even have that - no checking in, no curfew, no rules about opposite sex in the dorms. Sure, there was a no drinking/drugs rule but how were they gonna enforce it when we could go wherever we wanted whenever we wanted? My RA even told us we could only get in trouble if they found the stuff on us. If I was in a small class it might be noticed I wasn’t there. The class I was in though, no way anyone would notice.</p>

<p>My friends worked as RAs in the summers when I was a student and there was a curfew, and the RAs had to patrol the campus to check for kids out and about. Definitely a different experience unless you’re saying that after the check in you can go wherever you want now (which definitely wasn’t the case in 07 or 08)</p>

<p>Bruno was not implying that there is no one on scholarship, but the number of scholarships is no where near to the amount that Brown gives out to freshman and thus S@B is skewed much wealthier than the actual student body.</p>

<p>No, once they check in, they’re in for the night. Or are supposed to be. Still much looser than other programs she has done.</p>

<p>I don’t know how many summer kids get a Dean’s scholarship so can’t compare to college students on FA. But it seems clear that if you have the basic stats and the need, and apply early enough, you’ll get a basically full ride to <a href=“mailto:Summer@Brown”>Summer@Brown</a>. </p>

<p>I am currently a Summer@Brown RA and a junior at Brown University as well. There is a strict 11 PM curfew that does not allow the students to leave the floors at all once they have checked in. We do rounds at night depending on which two RAs are on duty. Other than that, yes, they are free to roam around the city of Providence. However, if they are caught drinking, using other illegal substances, or breaking Summer@Brown protocol - even off-campus - they are still dismissed from the program if an RA casually sees them doing it in the city. </p>

<p>In response to how it helps you get into Brown, as previously stated, not more than any other summer activity a student decides to pick up. I have heard numbers flying around from administrators of the Program that also work at the University during the school year and it was reported that roughly 5-10% of students that attended the Summer@Brown program were actually admitted to the University later on. Essentially, it’s just as hard to get in when you don’t attend the Program. </p>

<p>In terms of financial aid, I think that the case above was just one of the instances where financial need was met… and that is not most of the time (for example, my best friend received a full-ride to attend NYU, but most students do not receive much money at all). I myself applied to a Summer@Brown program in 2008 and 2009, but was given very little aid to attend, so I was not able to go even though I turned in all of my financial paperwork on time. However, my aid at Brown University as an undergraduate is a lot better and doable for someone of my financial background. And I know a ton of students that were in the same boat as I was, so the Summer@Brown population is not at all representative of the real Brown population. I think Summer@Brown markets need-based aid as a service - and I’m sure it’s proportional to family income or whatever merit scholarship it offers if any - but I think the allotted amount money available to use on Summer@Brown is not big enough to actually give all 3000 students that attend the summer program (actual number) aid that matches their financial background well enough for them to actually afford to attend. </p>

<p>@popcharlie93: If 5-10% of Summer@Brown students are admitted to Brown, then it might actually provide a small boost. I’m sure there are plenty of Summer@Brown alumni who do not apply to Brown, so the acceptance rate for Summer@Brown alumni who do apply to Brown is likely higher than 5-10%.</p>