What are some good summer programs? (URGENT!)

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>I have my mind set on Columbia University. Believe it or not, I have yet to be in any leadership position in any extraciricular clubs. This is why I thought maybe attendance at an exceptional summer program might look somewhat impressive on my transcript. Do you know which summer programs would look nice on my resume and which would raise my chances for being accepted into Columbia university?</p>

<p>I plan to become the president of a peer counselling committee at my high school in my senior year. In addition, I plan to join the tennis team and try to become the champion! Furthermore, I plan on doing some volunteer work like shadowing doctors and to assist a rural clinic.</p>

<p>Here are my academic stats so far:
SAT I: 1430 Math:700, Verbal: 730 (I plan to take the new SAT in March and shoot for at least a 750 in math, verbal, and writing)</p>

<p>GPA:About 5.0 (top 5% i think)</p>

<p>AP Credits: Biology-4, Calculus AB-3, Chemistry-3, European History-4
This year I will take Calculus BC, AP US history, and English Literature and Composition.</p>

<p>SAT II (Not so good)- I took the Chem, Bio, and Math IIC twice, once in 9th and once in 10th. All the scores were around 600, give or take 20 or 30 points below and above. I plan to take these tests again and shoot for at least a 750 in all of them. In addition, I plan to possibly take another SAT II such as history or english literature. </p>

<p>Anyways, I attend Coral Gables Sr. High School in Miami and am part of the IB program. This summer I plan to attend a summer program with research opportunities. I have heard from an SSTP (Student Science and Training Program at University of Florida) and from TASP (Telluride Association Summer Program). However, these programs are at least 6 weeks long. Over the summer, I need time to study for SAT II tests as well as brush up on my Spanish skills.</p>

<p>I was very interested to see this website(<a href="http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/linkA.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/linkA.htm&lt;/a&gt;), and saw a link for a summer program at Columbia University! I thought that this summer program would be the best to attend since it is at the college (Columbia) that I plan to apply for in my senior year. I would love to hear some advice. I really would like to increase my chances for being accepted into Columbia. Here is the website for the summer program at Columbia (please evaluate it and tell me if it is worth it, or if i should instead go to SSTP or TASP). <a href="http://www.ce.columbia.edu/hs/juniorSenior.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ce.columbia.edu/hs/juniorSenior.cfm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I really appreciate it! Thanks! PLease respond soon because if I choose to attend the program at TASP, the application can be postmarked no later than JANUARY 24, 2005.</p>

2

<p>you don't have to have leasership roles in order to get in to a school. I had none and I got into Columbia. Last Summer, I studied Spanish in Spain, maybe you could try that?</p>

3

<p>Columbia has a solid summer program but I don't know how much it actually helps with admissions. Obviously, the big academic summer program is RSI.</p>

4

<p>"Do you know which summer programs would look nice on my resume and which would raise my chances for being accepted into Columbia university?"</p>

<p>I can understand where you are coming from, but I think summer programs help you a lot more in reshaping you as a whole person. Either way, if you are looking for enrichment programs, Columbia's own summer program is a great option, and to refute birdofpreey425's comment, the program helps in showing Columbia that you have pure interest.</p>

<p>Another suggestion is Florida's Governor's Schools. All 8? schools are quite selective and in the end everything was free, including the experience you get :) .
(google it, Florida is one of those lucky states that has governor's schools)</p>

<p>And of course, there's RSI. lol. no argument there. good luck!</p>

5

<p>Mount Holyoke has a well known summer math program for women</p>

6

<p>You make a common mistake, thinking colleges want to see a list of various clubs with you as president. Start with what your true interests are. I can't tell from what you've listed so far. Find one real interest and pursue it this summer and next year in any way you can. For example, if the peer counseling really is important to you, do some volunteer work this summer at a free clinic, youth center, church group. Perhaps this would also help you improve your Spanish, if there are Spanish speakers in the area. If your passion really is tennis, how about teaching it to kids or working at a summer camp as a tennis counselor? If your real interest is science, then by all means find a research program if you can and if you can afford it, but you could also take a community college class while volunteering at an environmental organization, for example, or even teach yourself something on your own.</p>

<p>The point is, don't do a lot of different things to add to your resume. Do one or two things that really mean something to you, and find different ways to explore or pursue them through classes, or clubs, or jobs, or volunteer work, or even by (!) reading books on your own. Colleges want to know who you are, not how many lines you can fill in on your resume. Honest.</p>

7

<p>Duke TIP is godly</p>

8

<p>I did the National Student Leadership Conference, and I highly recommend ( <a href="http://www.nslcleaders.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.nslcleaders.org&lt;/a&gt;) If you have any questions, e-mail me at <a href="mailto:netshark2005@hotmail.com">netshark2005@hotmail.com</a></p>

9

<p>I did the National Youth Leadership Conference... NYLC... also highly recommended</p>

10

<p>check out your state's Girls State program through the american legion auxillary....I was doing a journalism program so i couldnt go, but those who went VERY highly recommend it....also governors' schools...lots of interesting ones and a month long</p>

11

<p>Do you know any that offer scholarships or are free? I'm trying to save for after HS.</p>