do summer programs help at all with admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any can anyone share their experience with the Brown or Wake Forest summer programs? Or others?

I read (here? Facebook? It all blends together now) that kids in the Wake programs tend to be very young, like rising 9th-10th graders, so it's a real drag for older students.

That being said, *supposedly* Wake's summer program does confer some benefit in the admissions process.

As far as Brown: my kid applied as a rising 9th grader and again as a rising 10th grader and was accepted very quickly both years. They did not attend either summer -- IIRC the first summer ended up being all online, and the second they did something else instead. Anyway, my inference is it's not particularly competitive. I don't think it adds anything to one's application. (In this particular case, my child was only interested in one specific course, in their area of interest -- not because it was *Brown*.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, just shows that you have $$$

+1. DC did Yale Young Global Scholars. Waitlisted and legacy. Stats snd ecs well within range

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it helps show interest in the school.

But she’s applying ED so DI is already proven. I’d try to do something more creative next summer.

Maybe a little more demo would help given that every ED applicant is in that category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The general opinion among professionals is that they do not help, and can in fact harm if the program is pricey. They will tell you that pursuing a real passion or working a regular job is much more beneficial.

I realize this goes against instincts but that is what I have learned.

My personal and unsupported opinion is that they do not help influence admissions people at competitive colleges at all but they can help the aspirant decide if a campus is worth using an ED slot. However I do feel a regular job is both better and obviously has financial benefit rather than expense.

YMMV as always.

Get ya, but always come back to thinking about BFF's DS: top student at a top private with a top GPA and top test scores, including on subjects. And the DC worked two straight summers as a lifeguard at a pool in an underresourced neighborhood and had a school year EC with the same parks department. This was not an easy gig for sundry reasons. Rejected in ED. If a school doesn't take a kid who is willing to step out of their comfort zone for two straight summers as well as in school year, who do they want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friends kid did a UMD summer programmer after 8th grade. She got an A+ in a college level class. I think that says something about her ability. In general I do not think they help more than a job or another activity.

Actually, without knowing more, I think this reflects poorly on the curriculum versus reflecting positively on the student.

[Anonymous]

No, they do not help with admissions. Have experience with multiple children, who did not get into the school where they did the summer program.

My third DC did the summer program at Johns Hopkins -- they loved the school -- but was rejected in RD round. (Ended up at a higher-ranked college that in retrospect was a much better fit.)

[Anonymous]

These responses are funny, since I posted about the USNA in another thread, and posters said they definitely help with admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These responses are funny, since I posted about the USNA in another thread, and posters said they definitely help with admissions.

The service academy camps help with service academy admissions. Totally different from summer school camps at "regular" colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These responses are funny, since I posted about the USNA in another thread, and posters said they definitely help with admissions.

The service academy camps help with service academy admissions. Totally different from summer school camps at "regular" colleges.

Fair enough. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These responses are funny, since I posted about the USNA in another thread, and posters said they definitely help with admissions.

The service academy camps help with service academy admissions. Totally different from summer school camps at "regular" colleges.

Depends on the type of camp. Athletic camps don't help and are a waste of good money. Summer seminar programs for rising juniors are very helpful.

[Anonymous]

The only programs that I've heard help are those that have regular faculty teaching the summer program who also make admissions decisions. This means, essentially, that only programs in the arts that require a portfolio that require review by faculty, and not just admissions officers, would have some sort of influence on admissions. In the vast, vast majority of academic areas, faculty have no say in undergraduate admissions. I've been a professor (in the humanities) for 20 years, tenured, and I have never ben asked to review an undergraduate admissions application.

[Anonymous]

My teen is doing a few short programs and did one last year. I think I’ve looked at almost all the programs out there - this is what I look for -

- one of the really competitive and known programs which will help with admissions (the one at MIT, etc - most are STEM oriented), my kid wasn’t going to be getting into any of these so we moved to other categories

- reasonably priced - I like the programs that seem like they are about selling the school and program a little bit, so often not at the most prestigious schools. These tend to be smaller programs concentrated in one or a few subject areas, not a massive summer program. They cost in the 1000-1500/week range which seems reasonable. They seem like they are using the money to fund the program, not a massive profit center for the school.

- they are run by the school and have faculty who teach at the school and identify the faculty in the marketing materials

- are more like a full program, all day with evening activities related to the program, not just a random class or two during the day and living in the dorm

[Anonymous]

No. It’s a money grab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These responses are funny, since I posted about the USNA in another thread, and posters said they definitely help with admissions.

The service academy camps help with service academy admissions. Totally different from summer school camps at "regular" colleges.

Depends on the type of camp. Athletic camps don't help and are a waste of good money. Summer seminar programs for rising juniors are very helpful.

Athletic camps are something to do, though. Thr USNA swim camp takes much younger kids who might benefit from coaching outside their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, just shows that you have $$$

+1. DC did Yale Young Global Scholars. Waitlisted and legacy. Stats snd ecs well within range

We are considering this program (for the subject matter, not for a potential admissions bump). Do Yale professors teach any of the courses? If so, was your DC able to connect personally with any of those professors? I've seen elsewhere that sometimes professors in a program like this will write a recommendation. However, it seems to me that a 10-day long program wouldn't provide sufficient insight for a recommendation.