Summer programs-worthwhile? Recommendations?

[transientChris]

I am thinking about what to have my jr. do this summer. Last summer she attended a local Fine Arts Academy that was about half good, half stupid. She was also on the dive team and went on a mission trip to Newark NJ. This year the mission trip is a 2 week to Costa Rica. But it is mid- late July and I am not sure that it wouldn't be better for her to go to a college summer program where she could get some college credit and have an experience living on a college campus. Two reasons for this is that although she has had numerous experiences in camps, retreats, mission trips, etc. being away from home, she is still very anxious about going to college. Having her start college from home is a non option since we are military and will not live in the same place for four years or maybe even two years or even more than a half year. The other big reason is to help her get into a good college.

Does anyone have experiences with programs? WHat are good choices? Do you think they helped your child get into a college? Any sites which discuss this? I would really welcome any help.

[OhElizabeth]

Since she's anxious about college, I would look into summer programs at the college she's considering. It will let her get to know the place, see if she likes it, get established in a church, get to know the community, etc. while the student body is smaller.

If she likes foreign languages, summer camps for those are fun.

[Sharon in MD]

I feel badly about not responding more quickly, but I now have a full time job and so I don't always have time to really reply as soon as I should.

I think there is very real value in participating in special college related summer activities and I do think that they can make a REAL difference in both the admissions process and in your child's sense or feel for what they may want to do or where they may want to go (or not go!).

I personally think that we have to be smart about the whole college applications package. You have to think about how to make your kid stand out above the pack. For example...my son is now a freshman at Drexel. It is a great school, but not top tier, and they had over 25,000 applications for a measly 2100 freshman spots. I think that you have to think proactively about this whole "game".

Although we are strong evangelicals, our ds never had the opportunity to go on one of our church's summer missions trips. They just happened to conflict with other camps and special "college camp" opportunities that we had signed up for before the trips were even announced.

NOW is the time to be looking for what she will do next summer and it IS very important to the college admissions people. This is the kind of thing that can difference your child from the rest of the pool. I would especially look for and concentrate on the programs at the schools you really think that she will want to attend. I would not send her to some great program at a school to which she has no intention of applying. Many of these programs are recruiting programs disguised as summer opportunities. They know who came and how they did and, in my opinion, it figures in the applications process.

Our son went to summer programs at the schools he really thought he might attend and it made a difference. People knew his name...oh yeah...you came to our day camp last year...It matters because it shows that you really are interested and checking them out, not just counting coup on how many schools you apply to.

In our particular case, and I know this varies wildly, when ds competed for and was selected to attend the Drexel Summer Engineering Mentorship program between his Jr and Sr. year, they actually had a dinner with the dean who told them, "if you want in, you're in because you participated in this program successfully" It was as close to a guaranteed admissions as you could get.

So, ridiculously long story made short....Yeah, I think summer programs came make a world of difference. By the way, I seriously think this helped him in the scholarship arena as well....across several schools. It is a beautiful thing to have schools court your kid. $$$ matter. But even more than that having your child come home from the experience and say...I want to go there so badly or, just as important...jeez that school stinks! is invaluable. Our son did have the the experience of saying I really don't want to go to one particular school...despite it's great rep. That is really important to know....


Hope this helps! stopping before I write and entire novel.