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[quote=Anonymous]My kids each did a short summer program the summer before junior year. I had no expectations of it being a boost in college admissions. The point, for us, was to give them exposure to a field they were considering as a major and a bit of exposure to life on a college campus. Neither of them applied/plan to apply to the colleges where they did the programs.

DC attended a program run by the college's extension office and staffed by teachers who weren't part of the college faculty. DD attended a program run by the academic department of the college and staffed by the faculty and current students. Both had a great experience and it confirmed their interest in the fields.

It only came into college applications for DS in that he referred to it in a supplemental essay that asked about his interest in his major and he listed it as an activity. The campus exposure also seemed to reduce the stress level about going to college. Since, DS had already experienced living with a random roommate in a dorm he seemed pretty chill about going into that as a freshman (he just finished freshman year)

DD is a rising senior and the program will probably be referenced in her app in the same way. She also learned some research techniques in the program that she then used in a school science project. She's applying mainly to LACs and will have interviews so I'm sure it will come up there.  Now that she has a pretty firm list, I'd have liked her to do a summer program this year at one of those schools, not as an application boost but as a way to get to know the school better. However, she didn't have time because she wanted to spend the summer working at sleepaway camp so she's doing that. From an application boost, that's much more meaningful IMO as the camp is related to her major interest and also shows leadership. Her draft common app essay is also about an experience at that camp (she's attended since she was 9).

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