Looking for some guidance for advice to a student who has asked my advice. He has arranged (pending grant approval) an opportunity for private research with a professor at an LAC this summer, but now is also attracted to apply to the NJ Governor’s School for Sciences program. While odds are slim that any student is selected, if he is, he would not be able to do both, and must commit to the Gov program at the time of application.
I know it is a great program, prestigious and an honor to be selected – but which would be more impactful in admissions: NJGS or private research and (presumably) a recommendation from a tenured professor?
Student is male, top 1% at top suburban school, 35 ACT. Interested in a top LAC more than an Ivy/Big Uni (although maybe Dartmouth). Dream is to be a college professor. GC says he has good chance to be nominated.
My gut tells me this student would enjoy the smaller, pure research experience in a single discipline more, but I do not want to recommend that if there is a big positive college app effect from the NJ program without discussing it with him. I know the highly knowledgeable community here will have good, strong opinions to help.
You are correct that the chance of him getting into NJGS is very slim because it is very competitive. It would carry a lot of weight on his application. I know there are applicants who list it on their application if they just made it to the runner up. Back in the days when my kids applied, each high school in NJ was only allowed to nominate 1-2 students, and only a handful were invited for interviews.
D1 went to NJGS years ago. She said it was the best summer program even though it was the hottest summer and they stayed in a dorm without air conditioning. D2 went to NJ Scholars Program because NJGS didn’t offer the program she was interested in due to the budget cut. NJ Scholars Program was privately run, but was also free and very competitive.
When it comes to summer programs, free and competitive are more impressive than paid programs. Doing research with a tenured professor is interesting, but unless the professor is well known or works at Dartmouth, his recommendation would be one person’s opinion, and who knows, maybe the professor is his uncle or family friend. Whereas being selected by a highly selective, well known program is a lot of validation of the applicant’s capability.
My son went to NJGS in 2014, and he is at a very top college now. I am not sure how much NJGS helped in his case. I agree with @oldfort, individual research with a professor is hard to evaluate, even with a professor from Dartmouth, unless the research will be published in a respectable journal with the student’s name on it.
@oldfort and @hzhao2004 , thanks for the feedback. Student has decided he is too excited about the research opportunity, and may want to apply to the school it is at, and will not apply to NJGS at all. I don’t think I agree but I think he is making the decision based on legitimate reasons. Of course he has a few weeks to change his mind!
The research position can definitely be more interesting if the work he will be doing is meaningful and if there is a possibility of publication. Also, if he is able to do some original research that he can entered into Siemens or Regeneron STS that would be a bonus.
If he’s interested in attending the college he’ll be working at having a professor at the school who’s worked alongside him can move the needle. I personally would choose research over a program. Before applying to colleges he can reach out to professors in his field when he visits the colleges and see if they will meet with him to discuss research opportunities at their school. Most will if he’s done close research with someone before. This can really help him decide where he wants to go to school and also shape his Why essays?
Why not apply to the program to see if he gets in before making a decision?
The program is only for 4 weeks, there would be time to do something else over the summer. D1 went to the program then went away to another summer program later.
I forgot to mention, the best thing about the program according D1 was to be around some of the most talented people in her course of interest for a month. She was humbled by all of those talents and was impressed by their passions. Aside from going to classes and be taught by well known teachers, she learned a lot from other students. I don’t think this is something one could get from doing research with a professor.
Because you have to commit to go on the application. Before I saw the app I told him “apply and if you decide not to go you can still say you were chosen.” That is not allowed, and I think with good reason. Slots should go to those who want them most.
I don’t doubt that this would happen for this student also, but honestly other than the admissions benefit I think he will enjoy the research more. It’s confined to his particular area of interest and the professor appears to be quite special.
Also, he is a “bird in the hand” kind of kid, and he got this research spot on his own and he wants to see it though. And of course he hasn’t been accepted or even nominated to the program so the decision isn’t even really there yet!
The advice here is all good, on both sides, which indicates to me either choice will be great for him.
He does plan to talk to his GC about it after the holiday, but I think his mind is made up. I’ll keep the thread posted.