Anonymous
05/08/2026 23:04
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
It is home to the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, so there's that
Anonymous
05/08/2026 22:54
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
My DD attended Interlochen for 5 summers. She is now a sophomore at a WASP SLAC. She sought an internship at a law firm and the lawyer noticed she was a musician and asked her if she ever went to music camp and had she ever heard of Interlochen. They had a great conversation and he offered her the internship on the spot. I drive her up to Manhattan in a few weeks. Interlochen demands a certain kind of commitment and I think that connection can help. No guarantees, but it definitely got my DD this opportunity.
Anonymous
05/07/2026 15:27
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this program considered a plus for college admissions? It is competitive entry, but still requires payment.
It's really hard to say because the kids who go to Interlochen already seem to be the kinds of kids who end up at competitive colleges. Even knowing about Interlochen suggests that you are already in a well-educated and cultured environment, and the ability to pay for Interlochen suggests that the family has means. Of course, Interlochen does award scholarships, but most kids there do not receive substantial aid.
Exactly this. We were not in a position to afford it (but wouldn't get aid) so didn't pursue and focused on other local opportunities (eg Levine Honors, KC Millennium Stage performance). Kid did an arts supplement, now at a WASP. Music director contacted them when they arrived to campus, so apparently did mean something more than nothing. Had the stats regardless.
My impression is that (reasonably) high-level playing can help with competitive college admissions, but much more so if it is an uncommon instrument. Still, my violinist did okay.
Anonymous
05/07/2026 15:10
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is this program considered a plus for college admissions? It is competitive entry, but still requires payment.
It's really hard to say because the kids who go to Interlochen already seem to be the kinds of kids who end up at competitive colleges. Even knowing about Interlochen suggests that you are already in a well-educated and cultured environment, and the ability to pay for Interlochen suggests that the family has means. Of course, Interlochen does award scholarships, but most kids there do not receive substantial aid.
85% of the students receive financial aid, as reported on the camp's own website. I never applied for it, but was offered a merit scholarship when I was a child. My parents turned down the scholarship, telling the admissions office to give the money to someone else, since they viewed paying full tuition to be a (non-tax-preferred) donation toward the camp's mission. I now pay my own kids' camp tuition there, with very much the same intention.
Anonymous
05/06/2026 21:14
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:Is this program considered a plus for college admissions? It is competitive entry, but still requires payment.
It's really hard to say because the kids who go to Interlochen already seem to be the kinds of kids who end up at competitive colleges. Even knowing about Interlochen suggests that you are already in a well-educated and cultured environment, and the ability to pay for Interlochen suggests that the family has means. Of course, Interlochen does award scholarships, but most kids there do not receive substantial aid.
Anonymous
05/06/2026 11:28
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My kid did the creative writing summer before 11th. Helped her writing, def made her teachers think of her as someone who loved writing, helped her realize that she wanted to go to a school where there were lots of different things (eg performances) going on that she could just go to whenever she wanted.
It doesn’t have to have an obvious college admissions benefit to be worthwhile.
Am curious where she ended up?
Swarthmore (vs Williams/Bowdoin) bc likes idea of being close to Philly.
Anonymous
05/06/2026 10:35
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
I went for many summers as a child, and later attended any Ivy college. I knew about half the kids in college orchestra from my summers at Interlochen. Unless things have changed, it helps! (And that seems like the least important reason to go!!)
Anonymous
05/02/2026 16:38
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:My kid who goes to Interlochen plans to apply to programs that require and audition. She makes more progress over the 6 weeks she is at Interlochen, then over a semester at home, even though she attends a selective program here and practices a ton.
I don't know that having Interlochen written on the application will help, but I don't think it will hurt, and I think that since Interlochen is making her a better musician, her audition will be much better.
Also, it's her happy place, and she has a lot of friends there. For a kid who can be anxious and struggle socially, those things are priceless. If it makes her more confident and social, I think that will help her application too.
It won't help as much as actually attending Interlochen, but it will help some.
Anonymous
05/02/2026 14:19
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:My kid did the creative writing summer before 11th. Helped her writing, def made her teachers think of her as someone who loved writing, helped her realize that she wanted to go to a school where there were lots of different things (eg performances) going on that she could just go to whenever she wanted.
It doesn’t have to have an obvious college admissions benefit to be worthwhile.
Am curious where she ended up?
Anonymous
05/02/2026 14:19
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My kid who goes to Interlochen plans to apply to programs that require and audition. She makes more progress over the 6 weeks she is at Interlochen, then over a semester at home, even though she attends a selective program here and practices a ton.
I don't know that having Interlochen written on the application will help, but I don't think it will hurt, and I think that since Interlochen is making her a better musician, her audition will be much better.
Also, it's her happy place, and she has a lot of friends there. For a kid who can be anxious and struggle socially, those things are priceless. If it makes her more confident and social, I think that will help her application too.
Thank you, I also feel like this will be a good social fit for my child. How old is yours? Mine is on the waitlist for one of the 3-week HS programs.
Mine is rising 9th, but her first year in the HS programming.
What's your kid's instrument or artform?
Classical voice.
Anonymous
05/02/2026 14:17
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My kid who goes to Interlochen plans to apply to programs that require and audition. She makes more progress over the 6 weeks she is at Interlochen, then over a semester at home, even though she attends a selective program here and practices a ton.
I don't know that having Interlochen written on the application will help, but I don't think it will hurt, and I think that since Interlochen is making her a better musician, her audition will be much better.
Also, it's her happy place, and she has a lot of friends there. For a kid who can be anxious and struggle socially, those things are priceless. If it makes her more confident and social, I think that will help her application too.
Thank you, I also feel like this will be a good social fit for my child. How old is yours? Mine is on the waitlist for one of the 3-week HS programs.
Mine is rising 9th, but her first year in the HS programming.
What's your kid's instrument or artform?
Anonymous
05/02/2026 14:12
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
My kid did the creative writing summer before 11th. Helped her writing, def made her teachers think of her as someone who loved writing, helped her realize that she wanted to go to a school where there were lots of different things (eg performances) going on that she could just go to whenever she wanted.
It doesn’t have to have an obvious college admissions benefit to be worthwhile.
It doesn’t have to have an obvious college admissions benefit to be worthwhile.
Anonymous
05/02/2026 14:09
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Anonymous wrote:My kid who goes to Interlochen plans to apply to programs that require and audition. She makes more progress over the 6 weeks she is at Interlochen, then over a semester at home, even though she attends a selective program here and practices a ton.
I don't know that having Interlochen written on the application will help, but I don't think it will hurt, and I think that since Interlochen is making her a better musician, her audition will be much better.
Also, it's her happy place, and she has a lot of friends there. For a kid who can be anxious and struggle socially, those things are priceless. If it makes her more confident and social, I think that will help her application too.
Thank you, I also feel like this will be a good social fit for my child. How old is yours? Mine is on the waitlist for one of the 3-week HS programs.
Anonymous
05/02/2026 14:02
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
My kid who goes to Interlochen plans to apply to programs that require and audition. She makes more progress over the 6 weeks she is at Interlochen, then over a semester at home, even though she attends a selective program here and practices a ton.
I don't know that having Interlochen written on the application will help, but I don't think it will hurt, and I think that since Interlochen is making her a better musician, her audition will be much better.
Also, it's her happy place, and she has a lot of friends there. For a kid who can be anxious and struggle socially, those things are priceless. If it makes her more confident and social, I think that will help her application too.
I don't know that having Interlochen written on the application will help, but I don't think it will hurt, and I think that since Interlochen is making her a better musician, her audition will be much better.
Also, it's her happy place, and she has a lot of friends there. For a kid who can be anxious and struggle socially, those things are priceless. If it makes her more confident and social, I think that will help her application too.
Anonymous
05/02/2026 13:58
Subject: Interlochen Summer camp
Is this program considered a plus for college admissions? It is competitive entry, but still requires payment.