Good academic summer programs / camps for middle and HS at colleges

[Anonymous]

One rule to keep in mind -- If it costs money, then it will do nothing to enhance elite college admissions. Some free programs are almost "golden tickets" to get into the elite colleges while others are "only" big boosts and great experiences. Paid summer programs are just a notch below mission/charity trips to beach locales signalling "my parents have money and I need to polish my college app." In most instances Governor's Schools and Boys and Girls State are better than paid programs because they don't carry the over privileged connotations.

Many of the funded programs are for STEM: Research Sciences Institute and MITES @ MIT, CMU's Summer Academy for Math and Science, NIH's Summer Internship in Biomedical Sciences, Clark Scholars @ TexasTech, Stanford Medical Youth Science Program and Stanford Institute of Medicine Research Program. The closest there is in humanities is the Telluride Association's programs for sophomores (TASS) and juniors (TASP). For future journalists there is the Princeton Summer Journalism Program, Cronkite Institute's program at ASU and the Asian-American Journalist Association's JCamp.

[Anonymous]

Bucknell has a one week engineering camp for middle and high school students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One rule to keep in mind -- If it costs money, then it will do nothing to enhance elite college admissions. Some free programs are almost "golden tickets" to get into the elite colleges while others are "only" big boosts and great experiences. Paid summer programs are just a notch below mission/charity trips to beach locales signalling "my parents have money and I need to polish my college app." In most instances Governor's Schools and Boys and Girls State are better than paid programs because they don't carry the over privileged connotations.

Many of the funded programs are for STEM: Research Sciences Institute and MITES @ MIT, CMU's Summer Academy for Math and Science, NIH's Summer Internship in Biomedical Sciences, Clark Scholars @ TexasTech, Stanford Medical Youth Science Program and Stanford Institute of Medicine Research Program. The closest there is in humanities is the Telluride Association's programs for sophomores (TASS) and juniors (TASP). For future journalists there is the Princeton Summer Journalism Program, Cronkite Institute's program at ASU and the Asian-American Journalist Association's JCamp.

True, I've seen this point made before (College Confidential). My beef with that is that there are what, maybe 1,000 such slots in total? Some of which are only available to URM, or are in subjects of no interest to a kid. Hundreds of thousands of high school students, and we focus on so relatively few spots. The argument about the likes of TASS, MITES, etc. is that colleges will value those as signals that they are "safe" to admit the kid (aka golden ticket).

How about doing a camp to demonstrate interest? So that there is a consistent story to a kid's application? Or to learn more about a subject? Camps would be good application material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One rule to keep in mind -- If it costs money, then it will do nothing to enhance elite college admissions. Some free programs are almost "golden tickets" to get into the elite colleges while others are "only" big boosts and great experiences. Paid summer programs are just a notch below mission/charity trips to beach locales signalling "my parents have money and I need to polish my college app." In most instances Governor's Schools and Boys and Girls State are better than paid programs because they don't carry the over privileged connotations.

Many of the funded programs are for STEM: Research Sciences Institute and MITES @ MIT, CMU's Summer Academy for Math and Science, NIH's Summer Internship in Biomedical Sciences, Clark Scholars @ TexasTech, Stanford Medical Youth Science Program and Stanford Institute of Medicine Research Program. The closest there is in humanities is the Telluride Association's programs for sophomores (TASS) and juniors (TASP). For future journalists there is the Princeton Summer Journalism Program, Cronkite Institute's program at ASU and the Asian-American Journalist Association's JCamp.

True, I've seen this point made before (College Confidential). My beef with that is that there are what, maybe 1,000 such slots in total? Some of which are only available to URM, or are in subjects of no interest to a kid. Hundreds of thousands of high school students, and we focus on so relatively few spots. The argument about the likes of TASS, MITES, etc. is that colleges will value those as signals that they are "safe" to admit the kid (aka golden ticket).

How about doing a camp to demonstrate interest? So that there is a consistent story to a kid's application? Or to learn more about a subject? Camps would be good application material.

This. If your kid wants to do it and you can afford it, why not? I was happy to send my kid to a summer program to help him explore something he was interested in. I have no illusions that it will be any boost to his college applications, except to the degree it helps him express why he wants to major in a subject.

[Anonymous]

Brown runs an astonishing array of very challenging, in depth academic summer courses, for 9th grade and above. There is a fairly thorough application process before admission and at the same time, the cost is astronomical.

[Anonymous]

I don't see these programs as a means to enhance the college application. It is rather sad to me that so many parents on this forum seem to orchestrate their children's entire adolescence around this goal.

I sent my child to an expensive, special interest camp (with some academic emphasis) as a way to make sure her interest in a certain field was informed, before we let her tween musings (of a desirable career) dictate what kind of college to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see these programs as a means to enhance the college application. It is rather sad to me that so many parents on this forum seem to orchestrate their children's entire adolescence around this goal.

I sent my child to an expensive, special interest camp (with some academic emphasis) as a way to make sure her interest in a certain field was informed, before we let her tween musings (of a desirable career) dictate what kind of college to attend.

Amen

[Anonymous]

I did MIT MITES as a teen and I absolutely loved it! It was the first time in my life I was surrounded by really nerdy brown people. I felt so prepared for senior year AP courses and the college admissions process.

[Anonymous]

My daughter did the 2 week summer program at Syracuse because she was interested in sports management/data analytics. She loved the dorm, campus and class experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia offers a variety of summer programs at public universities, called "Summer Residential Governor’s Schools," that are much more affordable than private college programs.
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/summer_residential/index.shtml

Im NOT OP...thanks for posting!

Just so everyone knows, other than the language academies, these programs are for students identified as gifted and are very competitive to get into.