Any thoughts on the program? Please be very thorough.
My son did this 3 summers ago as a rising senior and really enjoyed it. Let me know what questions you have and I’ll see if I can get answers from him
I participated in this program just this past summer so the memories are still pretty fresh- will try to be as detailed as possible. Long post ahead!
Counselors - all super friendly students with varying interests (English, pre-med, modern dance, to name a few). Really helpful if you want to get some inside perspective on the university and very encouraging in general. Pretty lenient on supervision though. Yes, there is a curfew. Going out of campus wasn’t strictly monitored though- all you had to do was sign out/sign in and travel in groups of 2 or more.
Social - the biggest difference between HSSP and the summer institute is that at the scholars program, everyone is enrolled in different classes. The people you see the most will be those you’re rooming with, or sharing classes with. My session got very cliquey very fast. The international students usually stick together as well. You don’t really get much of a “big group” experience, given that the program accommodates around 60 students with very different interests and classes.
Rooming, dining, etc. - AMAZING. Our session stayed in Umrath House, which is one of the newest dorms in the residential circle. Rooms are suite-style with a shared bathroom between two rooms. Tempurpedic mattresses - need I say more?! Each student gets a giant desk, drawers, and closet. Housekeeping two times a week is a huge plus. Each floor has a common area (lots of comfy sofas!), kitchen/refrigerator/microwave, etc., and study room. There’s also laundry and vending on the bottom floor. The residential area is really lovely- the dorms are centered around a soccer/mud field and volleyball sand pit. Lots of sitting areas everywhere, flower gardens, etc. You pay for a meal card and there are a variety of options in the main dining hall. All the staff are SUPER friendly 
There’s also a Subway on campus and lots of nearby restaurants (many of which deliver).
Academics - the classes were the most valuable part of this program imo because you really get to experience a college course (even if condensed into a summer semester). The class size depends on what courses you choose (~20 in my econ class, ~10 in my music class) and you can either get a grad student (econ) or a professor (music). The econ class especially was a great learning experience for me - no busy work, just four labs, midterm, and final. I highly recommend taking advantage of your professors’ office hours and just staying in contact with them through email and whatnot. Ultimately, your classroom experience is what you make of it.
Other activities - this program is great at offering a bunch of activities. First, you’re given a free metro pass, which proved to be absolutely essential for things like grocery and shopping trips (you can’t really go to any shops on foot). Forest Park is right in front of campus though, and it includes some free museums, zoo, the MUNY, etc. The program always includes a trip to the MUNY theater (we saw the Seussical), the arch, Six Flags + Hurricane Harbor (though you don’t get much time there because long lines - we only got to ~4 rides), and the City Museum (most quirky playground you’ll ever visit). There are great events on campus too- the summer orchestra plays every week, live jazz in the commons, etc.
All in all, this was a great experience for me and I’d definitely recommend it for getting a feel of college courses, building a few very close friendships (it is a 5 week program after all), and exploring St. Louis. It does NOT guarantee acceptance to WUSTL though! (I was waitlisted, though most of my peers who applied did- of course, other factors will play in as well).
I’d be happy to answer any other questions you have!
Hello! I know I’m not the OP but I’m attending this program this summer and I’m wondering what you would advise to pack/bring to the dorm (in general & maybe some things you forgot that you wish you hadn’t). Also was the clique thing a huge problem? and how much money would you say one should bring? thanks!
oh and another question (sorry about how many I have): what would you say was your daily routine w/ class and free time and whatnot?