<p>Has anyone's high school student attended the University of Chicago's Insight Program? The summer classes look interesting and challenging, but I don't know anyone who's done it.</p>
<p>bump bump bump</p>
<p>Hi there,</p>
<p>I did the Insight program last year. It was fantastic! The students that I lived with were some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. While at times I felt like there was too many numbers being thrown around (i.e.: “Guys, I think my SAT score is low: I got a 2200.”), I found that I would spend long hours talking about life. As a native to the city I enjoyed taking people around and exposing them to things they may not have seen before. For example, one of my friends was from Southeastern Europe and he had never seen a hot dog before! </p>
<p>In terms of the classes, yeah they are somewhat challenging (I did Contagion) but I didn’t think it was too bad. I was assigned a lot of readings and we did like three labs at a time but compared to what my other peers were doing it wasn’t so bad. (Although, the final project I probably should have segmented.) Sometimes I felt like my peers were too uptight about the grade they were earning in the class, but I’m pretty sure we all ended up with As in the end. However, I think I learned more about myself then what was taught in class.</p>
<p>Do NOT be turned off by the surrounding area. The people at UChicago know that this is a concern among parents and therefore do their absolute best in ensuring that the students will be safe. However, if you fear that your child lacks common sense, well, then I would be somewhat worried. A little common sense goes a long way.</p>
<p>EDIT: I also wanted to add that I met the most brilliant people while at the University. It seems like the smartest kids are attracted to this intellectual hub. In that way, I felt kind of out of place–I am no brainiac. One of the kids I sat across from for lunch was homeless his entire life and now goes to Stanford on a full ride scholarship. Yes, I was stunned. It’s also interesting to see where all these kids are ending up in terms of college–I’ll just say that I was not surprised at all.</p>
<p>I’m thinking of applying to UChicago’s summer program too! Do you think it’s worth it? I’m sending out a lot of applications for summer programs, and I don’t know if this one would be my first choice. Since it’s so much work, I don’t know if I want to do the application if it wouldn’t be my first choice. </p>
<p>Also, how hard would you say it is to get in?? Thanks in advance :)</p>
<p>First of all–good luck with your applications! In my opinion, it’s not WORTH the hefty price tag; however, there were some things I took away from the summer program that I know have no price. I do warn you: if it’s not your first choice or at least high up the ladder in terms of what you would like to do with your summer then I would think carefully. With that said, it doesn’t hurt to apply as it’s not terribly hard to get in and it would be a wonderful option. </p>
<p>In terms of the amount of work: I’m not sure what you mean by this. The application itself did not seem like a lot of work to me; my teachers actually praised the ease of the online recommendation.</p>