Is Chicago summer worth the money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD did the 1week program last summer. She had already toured Chicago and loved it. Wanted to see how she felt about safety.
Importantly, we also had run NPC and determined we’d get the necessary FA so that she could apply ED0 if she wanted.

She went - loved the program, said it was the first time where everyone is passionate about their interests. She came home fairly certain she’d apply ED0. I ran the NPC in August just to make sure again that we could afford it. Well, the calculus somehow changed and we would now be full pay (this was when Chicago was announcing its huge debt - so FA became much less generous). I called FA office explained we’d never have left DC do program under this new NPC scenario. Crickets.
So she’s going elsewhere.
Of her good friends there - 1 didn’t get in, and 2 others didn’t apply bc too $$$.

Also know kid who did full summer program who applied ED0 and did not get in. (Grades were fine but not too 20, SAT 1530)

My DC still talks wistfully about U Chicago. She’s going to a similar, much smaller school with an aid package that means we’re paying about 60% of what we’d be paying U Chicago.

If your kid would get in anyway (look at SCOIR) then ED0 allows kid to get in earlier. If kid wouldn’t get in or is borderline, do not count on the $$$ summer program to push kid over the finish line. Treat ED0 simply as an opportunity to know much sooner - not really an advantage.

So many issues with this post. So you used the money that could have been saved for college for a $ summer program with hopes that you would get financial aid?

The weeklong enrichment programs are $2500. And they are free if income is below 125k.

I am the PP - we paid nothing close to $2500 for the weeklong program. And yes, we are getting good FA at WASP.

[Anonymous]

My son did the 1 week program for rural students last year and really enjoyed it. A great experience, and he'd certainly be comfortable going to U Chicago now.

Whether he will apply ED0 we're not sure, for idiosyncratic reasons (Chicago great for econ, but not strong in his secondary arts area). But ED0 does give you two bites at the apple, as well as getting the process over quickly.

[Anonymous]

Also, for the 3 week programs, you do get actual college credit (3 credits) since they have a quarter system and your taking classes with actual students, it's a real (very fast paced) class! I think if you manage to get an A, at that speed, at that caliber class, and have the scores/grades to back it up, they "trust" you'll do well in their fast paced quarter system. A test drive, so to speak. Your kid better be prepared to work that hard and get an A at the end of the 3 weeks!