What is the difference between a good and bad summer program?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
My son will be starting high school. Every college has summer programs for high school students.
What is considered a good summer program that colleges will see favorably vs something parents just pay for? I have one child interested in science/engineering/medicine and another interested in tech/business. |
Anonymous
|
There is no admissions advantage. There can be an acclimation advantage, if you think your child has a fighting chance of getting into that specific college and you're ready to pay thousands of dollars for it... Your child may also enjoy the courses. But please don't do those programs for a perceived admissions boost! |
Anonymous
No admissions boost whatsoever. Shows that a) student is interested in whatever subject and b) family has money. That's it. Most of the programs are renting space from the university they are housed at and are 100% unaffiliated with that university. |
Anonymous
I’m not sure that “most” rent space. Many do. Between them, my kids have gone to 4 different precollege programs and each one was sponsored by the particular college. One ended up attending the college where they had done the program (but would have gotten in anyway most likely). My rising senior is going to one at a school where she wants to ED. It gives her a feel for what it’s like, which will help ED feel less risky. |
Anonymous
|
1. Do not expect an admissions advantage. They are viewed as an extracurricular only on the college application and are no more valuable in their eyes than a summer job or volunteer experience.
2. The best ones are run by the college itself and offer actual transferrable course credit 3. Don’t fall for gimmicks like the overpriced summer camp known as Johns Hopkins CTY |
Anonymous
| If in VA I would start looking into the various Governor's School programs. Those are highly selective programs and may give a boost for in-state schools. Of course, them being highly selective means your child would already be a high achiever. Anything you get in the mail that costs money consider it someone trying to scam a senior citizen out of money, they are playing off of your emotions to make a buck. |
Anonymous
| Does taking summer courses in Harvard help getting into that school? Is there any advantage of taking the summer courses which offer course credit as well? |
Anonymous
|
If you look into these you’ll see some are run by corporations or are essentially huge franchised operations, and others are clearly an extension of the university.
We’re doing the later this summer. In the FAQs they say something like “admission and participation in the program doesn’t influence admissions, but it is a way to demonstrate interest and seriousness re:your chosen subject” or something. Seems about right. |
Anonymous
My DD attended two pre-college programs that were run by the university and staffed by the department. While there is no guarantee my DD will get into the college she wants, the programs put her in their sights in terms of how hard she works, listens, takes feedback, etc., as well as gives her an idea of what the college is like. It’s better than going into the application as a complete unknown. |
Anonymous
|
Hopkins just cancelled theirs, two days before it starts this weekend!! |
Anonymous
Interesting, why did they do that? |
Anonymous
Not sure, have to look it up, but parents are pissed! |
Anonymous
Read the camp forum. |
Anonymous
| +1. Some are really just disguised day camps. Wake Forest has a really terrible one. |
Anonymous
|
We do it if it interests my kid and is residential to help build independence. Admissions is not the goal
|