Summer Programs - do they matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, unless it's the program at Chicago that sets kids up to apply ED0.

This. The rest are pay to play and add little or nothing to an application unless there is a serious research component (which there rarely is).

[Anonymous]

Having a meaningful summer experience where kid can explore an interest in depth is helpful for apps, to show curiosity, and is helpful if kid can reflect upon the experience and connect it to what to do in college when writing essays. But it does not have to be a college program and nor does it have to be expensive. Some schools do track demonstrated interest, and for those specific schools, college programs could be helpful. Really depends on the school and what your summer objective is...

[Anonymous]

agree with previous poster. The non-pay-to-play top 10 that matter have their own "institutional priorities" and super selective. If you can get in, go for it as it makes a huge difference.
BUT the best way to "matter" is to have your kid do something they really want to do and then expand on it, make a difference, become an expert influencer of sorts and get others to join.

[Anonymous]

Most are seen as pay to play. It was still helpful for my kid who did a summer program at her top choice SLAC. It cemented the school
As her #1, got her familiar with the college and dorm environment. The professor from the program wrote her a LOR. She listed the program and used the LOR for that school only in her application which was ED. She was accepted.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to dissent. In the era where US News rankings stats matter, I guarantee you thar schools are looking at stuff like - did they take a campus tour? Did they come to summer program, etc. That isn't going to make the students bad stats better, but it will cement to that university that there is a likelihood of good yield and that matters to them.

[Anonymous]

Nah. Just let him do what he wants during the summers, unless he's just sitting around in his room playing video games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most are seen as pay to play. It was still helpful for my kid who did a summer program at her top choice SLAC. It cemented the school
As her #1, got her familiar with the college and dorm environment. The professor from the program wrote her a LOR. She listed the program and used the LOR for that school only in her application which was ED. She was accepted.

Sounds like it was a good investment. I haven't seen a lot of SLACs offering summer programs - do you mind sharing the name of the college?

[Anonymous]

Don't do it if you don't want to. My DS did two impressive summer programs at T 20 schools - got into one of those colleges, rejected outright from the other (even though he met professors, did all the things).

He also turned down an "invitation only" program at a third T 25 and didn't attend the summer thing, still was admitted to that school. '

I think its more important to be authentic and do what is better for your kid then bend over backwards because you have no idea what will help or not.

[Anonymous]

I wish commenters would limit their comments to their actual known experiences. Some summer programs may be pay to play. Lots of others are not. In fact, there are a lot of programs that are quite competitive to get into and that offer financial aid or even free tuition to those accepted.

Whether attending one of the latter matters ultimately depends on the kid, their interests and their experience. My current freshman attended a competitive arts program at a top school after several summers pursuing the same field in a non-university setting. It mattered a great deal, but in the sense that it gave them a taste of what college in general and college studying that field specifically would have been like. They ultimately decided not to apply that school, although with the sense that having gotten to know the instructors/professors would have helped had they been interested (but no sense of guarantee).

I suspect that the serious commitment to their field reflected in their decision to spend a summer engaged in serious study also helped my DC when they applied elsewhere and ended up with multiple T25 acceptances. Of course it's impossible to ever know why anyone gets in or doesn't to particular schools, there is no chance that anyone viewed their decision to spend a summer at a university program as a waste of time or a negative.

With all that said, I agree with prior posters that OP's kid shouldn't do it just to boost their admissions chances (which might or might not happen), especially if there are other things they want to spend their time doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:agree with previous poster. The non-pay-to-play top 10 that matter have their own "institutional priorities" and super selective. If you can get in, go for it as it makes a huge difference.
BUT the best way to "matter" is to have your kid do something they really want to do and then expand on it, make a difference, become an expert influencer of sorts and get others to join.

Can you name these "non-pay-to-play top 10" programs?

[Anonymous]

In this financial environment, showing you have the money for expensive summer programs is probably a plus.

[Anonymous]

OP, I will let you know in December!

[Anonymous]

My son is interested in doing MIT Primes. It is a free program. Any idea if it helps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is interested in doing MIT Primes. It is a free program. Any idea if it helps?

Very prestigious program. Very competitive and hard to get in. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

It depends. I know that some Cambridge (UK) self-run programs do influence the intake because in at least one instance (my family member) worked with a tutor over the summer in the subject they then applied for in the Fall. And when they were interviewed - it was the same tutor they'd worked with over the summer, who liked them, liked their work, thought they were intellectually curious. This is one data point, obviously.