fbpx

日本av片

When Harvard isn鈥檛 Harvard: What are Associated Summer Programs?

Paul Revere Mall and Old North Church - Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Table of Contents

Share This Post

Colleges play host to a lot of summer programs for high school students. Search the name of any university, along with 鈥淗igh school summer program鈥 and you鈥檙e likely to get dozens of different hits. This is true for your local state school and for the most famous Ivy League universities. They all know that high school students are eager for any way to spend their summer increasing their chances of college enrollment, and are happy to provide opportunities.

Not all of these opportunities are created equal however, and indeed not all of them are even offered by the universities whose names adorn them. In this article, we鈥檙e going to be covering associated summer programs; what they are, how they work, and whether or not they鈥檙e worth your money. Let鈥檚 get started!

The Two Kinds of High School Programs at Colleges

This is oversimplifying slightly, but in general, there are two kinds of summer programs for high school students which operate on college campuses:

  1. Programs organized within the college itself, staffing members of the college community, and directly administered by the college.
  2. Programs run by an outside organization which rents space on a college campus, and which may employ some people from the campus community.

Both of these programs are advertised using the brand of the college in question, though the actual involvement of that college can vary by a lot. This is not to say that all associated summer programs are bad; many are of quite high quality. But they are sometimes advertised or portrayed in a misleading way, trading on the name recognition of the college playing host to them. 

A Note on Summer Programs and College Admissions 

Attending a college program at a specific university generally does not give you any benefit when it comes to applying to that university. There are a very limited number of exceptions, but on the whole, attending a summer program does not give your application to a school any extra weight. 

These summer programs can advantage your application in other ways however. Writing about your experience on campus in an essay about why you want to attend a particular college is a great addition. Many top summer programs also add something substantial to your resume; skills and experiences which are not easily replicated elsewhere. This is not true of all programs, but some will add to your application regardless of which college you apply to (though they still won鈥檛 give you a specific boost when applying to that college).

Case Studies

This has all been fairly general so far, so we鈥檙e going to look at some actual examples of summer programs, both associated and not, to get a sense of how you can truly evaluate your options, and decide if a particular program is a good fit for your needs. 

We will cover programs that are associated and not, and that will greatly help your candidacy, or only provide a minor boost. We will cover one program from each intersection.

MathILy is a summer program for students who love math, and who aren鈥檛 shy about wanting to explore that love in more depth. The program is hosted at Bryn Mawr, and has been since its inception. Students live in dorms at Bryn Mawr, eat in its dining halls, and take advanced math classes in its classrooms. 

That said, the at MathILy are not associated with Bryn Mawr. They are all mathematicians and professors in their own right, but with numerous other colleges. Admissions to the program are also handled internally; Bryn Mawr has no say in and no knowledge of the students who apply, or their strengths or interests. 

MathILy is an example of a non-associated program done well. While they do not hide their attachment to Bryn Mawr, neither do they capitalize on it overmuch. In addition, the program is very strong on its own, and by its own merits is impressive to admissions officers, especially for students interested in majoring in math. 

(HSHSP)

This is a seven week summer program run by Michigan State University, hosted on its campus, and led by its faculty and graduate students. Students stay in Michigan State dorms, and make use of the school鈥檚 extensive scientific laboratories and expertise. The application is not reviewed by Michigan State鈥檚 admissions department, but by staff of the program. These are still Michigan State employees however. 

This is an example of a program which is strongly associated with a university, and which looks quite good on a resume. Michigan State directly oversees this program, and its faculty are integral to the experience of students in it. Attending this program will not directly increase your chances of attending Michigan State, but will give you a boost on your college application generally, as hands-on research experience is something worth bragging about. 

This is a number of different programs offered under a single umbrella; there are multiple different topics and lengths of programs, from one to three weeks in length. These are offered in partnership with several colleges in the Boston area, and make use of their campuses and facilities. These cover a range of academic subjects in the STEM fields. 

This is not a terrible program, or an absolute waste of your money, but neither is it the best way for students to spend a summer. Shorter programs like this give students a good taste of a subject, but don鈥檛 allow them to explore it in any great depth. While the program does not capitalize on the name of the associated schools as much as some others, it still trades on the college connection. The service it offers is good, but make sure you know what exactly you are paying for. 

Northeastern offers high school students the chance to take classes on its campus during the summer, taught by Northeastern faculty, to gain a taste of higher level subjects and the college experience. These classes are two weeks long, and focus on any number of academic topics, many of which are not commonly available for high school students to explore otherwise. 

Many colleges offer programs of this type, where students get to stay on campus, take college level courses from faculty, and get a taste of the college experience. Some of these programs even give a chance for students to earn college credit, though this is only sometimes accepted by other colleges. 

These programs generally are a great way to experience what life at college is like, but are not nearly as impressive as many parents and students are led to believe. This isn’t to say that they鈥檙e bad; a chance to explore these high level topics is often valuable. They don鈥檛, however, give as large a boost to your academic profile as many other options you have for summer programs. They aren鈥檛 worthless, but they aren鈥檛 top tier either. 

How do you Evaluate a Summer Program?

This is an important question, and one without an easy answer. At 日本av片, we have researched and evaluated thousands of summer programs to find ones which best serve our students’ needs and interests. We have built up a database of these, but also learned some tricks when evaluating the quality of a program.

Note that when we talk about a program鈥檚 quality, we are speaking about how valuable it is for college admissions. There are many strong programs which teach useful skills that are not as valuable for college admissions. This doesn鈥檛 make them bad programs, but means they are often ill suited for what our students want. 

These are the questions we ask when evaluating how useful a summer program will be for our students, and the information we try to gain by doing so:

  • What does it cost, and what are you paying for? Free programs are not necessarily better than paid ones, but it鈥檚 good to know what exactly your money is getting you.
  • Who runs the program, and who teaches the students? What credentials do they have, and how skilled are they at instructing?
  • What will students actually be doing? Active involvement in research or creation of a thing is more valuable than classroom instruction, so summer research internships are almost always of more value than summer coursework.听
  • How selective is the program? Acceptance rate alone isn鈥檛 a sign of quality, just popularity, but a highly selective program looking for academically talented and motivated students is more likely to produce good returns for those students.听
  • How long is the program? A longer program isn鈥檛 automatically better, but more time to explore lets students dive deeper into the material they are presented with, and gives them more opportunities to gain mastery of the material.听

Of course, each program is unique, with its own quirks and opportunities for students. These questions don鈥檛 apply to every program, but they are good to ask when evaluating what value a specific summer program has for students. 

Case Studies

Of course, theory is all well and good, but what does this look like in practice? To determine that, we鈥檙e going to look at a suite of summer programs offered by three colleges: Harvard, Yale, and UPenn, and examine how useful each of them would be for you. Note that this isn鈥檛 a definitive ranking of potential summer programs, just a comparison of what programs offer, and at what price point.

Harvard

ProgramNotes
Taking college coursework for credit is nice, but not necessarily worth the $10k+ price tag
Two-week not for credit classes are a very expensive taste of college living
A one month intensive course, free, for students; both useful and good for candidacy
A fully digital entrepreneurship program; a good introduction to the field, maybe worth the price

Yale

ProgramNotes
Taking courses for credit is nice; so is the taste of college. The price is very steep however
A prestigious and notable summer program, with a very competitive admissions process
An in-person lab placement internship where students have the chance to conduct and publish original research. Entirely impressive
Only open to students from New Haven, but a six week research internship working with an undergraduate student. Well worth your time

UPenn

ProgramNotes
Taking courses on Penn鈥檚 campus, some for credit, others not, frequently pricey
A two week introduction to entrepreneurship, possibly impressive, but a steep price tag
An associated program, with some useful hands-on experiences, but a very high price tag
Seven week specialized research internships working directly with faculty and staff; very impressive, and helpful for students interested in STEM

Of course, no single summer program will guarantee a student admission to a top college. But they can form part of a larger pattern, evidence that a student is dedicated to a particular topic, and willing to explore it academically on their own time, outside of the confines of school. This level of commitment and interest is what colleges want to see in students, and what sets them apart from their peers.

Final Thoughts

There are many many summer programs out there, with varying goals and offerings, all seeking to provide something to high school students. Not all of these are created equal however, and some misrepresent what they offer, and the level of benefit you can get from participating in their program.

We hope this article has shown you some of the nuances present in summer programs, and what separates the great ones from those which are just okay. You do not need to spend your summer in one of these programs, but you should pursue your interest in some way, and show colleges how you explore your passions. If you want help finding the right summer program for you, or evaluating your options, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience helping students explore their passions, and are always happy to help students with their educational journey.

Need help with college admissions?

Download our "Guide to Everything," a 90-page PDF that covers everything you need to know about the college admission process.

More To Explore

College admissions office sign on campus with green bushes in the background
College Applications

When are Early Decision Results Released?

You sent out your ED applications a month (or more) ago, and have been waiting patiently (or perhaps not so patiently) ever since for the

5/5
Wendy Y.
Parent
Below is my son's review. He was accepted to his dream Ivy League school!

From an admitted student's perspective, I am incredibly grateful to have met Sasha - he has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational dreams (Ivy League), all while being an absolute joy (he's a walking encyclopedia, only funnier!) to work with.

Many people are dissuaded from seeking a college counselor because they think they can get into their desired college(s) either way. Honestly, going that route is a bit short-sighted and can jeopardize your odds of acceptances after years of hard work. The sad truth is, the American education system (even if you attend a fancy private school and ESPECIALLY if you go to a public school) doesn't really tell students how to write a compelling and authentic application. Going into the admissions process alone, without speaking with an advisor, is like going to court without a lawyer - you put yourself at a significant disadvantage because you don't have all the facts in front of you, or the help you need to negotiate the system.

That said, you need a good lawyer just like you need a good college counselor. And that's where Sasha distinguishes himself from the crowd of people claiming they'll get you into Harvard. I came to Sasha worried about and frankly dumbfounded by the college admissions process. I was unsure what to write about and how to go about drafting the essay that perfectly captured my passion, interests, and self. And I was highly skeptical that anyone could really help me. But, damn, did Sasha prove me wrong. From the beginning, Sasha amazed me with his understanding of the process, and ability to lend clarity and direction to me when I desperate needed it. After interviewing me about my background, experiences, activities, outlook, and vision, he helped me see qualities about myself I had not previously considered 'unique' or 'stand-out.' This process of understanding myself was so incredibly important in laying the groundwork for the essays I eventually wrote, and I'm certain I would've drafted boring, inauthentic essays without it.

Looking back, Sasha's talent is that he can see where your strengths lie, even when you don't see them. The truth is, although we don't always realize it, everyone has a unique story to tell. Sasha helped me see mine, and with his big-picture insight I was able to write the application that truly encapsulated my life and vision. He inspired me to dig deeper and write better, challenging me to revise and revise until my essays were the most passionate and authentic work I had ever written. As clich茅d as that sounds, that's really what universities are looking for. In retrospect, it makes sense - in the real world passionate (not simply intelligent) individuals are the ones who make a difference in the world, and those are the individuals colleges would like to have associated with their brand.

In the end, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, a feat I could not have achieved without the direction Sasha lent to me. Essays (and the personal narrative you develop through your application) matter so much, and can literally make or break your application. I have seen so many of my 'qualified' friends receive rejections because they wrote contrived essays that didn't truly represent who they were; conversely, I have also seen so many friends with shorter resumes accepted because they were able to articulate their story in a genuinely passionate and authentic way - I fall into the latter category.

As a former admissions officer at Johns Hopkins, Sasha knows what types of essays jibe well with universities, an invaluable asset to have in the admissions process. He is responsive, flexible, creative, positive, and witty. For anyone who is serious about going into the college admissions process informed and prepared, I highly recommend Sasha.
5/5
Arda E.
Student
I used 日本av片 to mainly help me with college applications. Within weeks of using this service, Sasha was able to simplify the already complex process. When it came to writing the Common App essay, Sasha didn鈥檛 just help with grammar and syntax, he brought my essays to life. Sasha also worked tirelessly to help solidify my extracurricular activities, including research and internship opportunities. Without his help, I would have never had an impressive resume.

Sasha is not only an extremely knowledgeable tutor, but also a genuine brother figure. His guidance, throughout my last two years of high school, was everything I needed to get me an acceptance letter from my dream schools (UC Berkeley, Tufts, Emory).

When it came to testing, 日本av片 worked like a charm. Sasha offered a very comprehensive plan when it came to completely acing my standardized tests. Without his test taking strategies I would have never gotten straight 5s on my AP tests and a 35 on the ACT.

Working with Sasha, I didn鈥檛 just become a good student, I became a genuine scholar.
5/5
Samson S.
Parent
We worked with 日本av片 during my son's senior year. I was concerned that we may be too late to take advantage of college advising but the 日本av片 team quickly and confidently directed us through the steps to ensure no deadlines were missed. Sasha's knowledge about schools, what they looked for in candidates, and how to maneuver the application process was invaluable. Mateo and Ryan worked with my son to help him create an essay that would get noticed and I am so appreciative he had their guidance.

Prior to securing 日本av片, we tried using a less-expensive online service which was a terrible experience. As a parent, 日本av片 brought peace of mind to an area that was frankly overwhelming. This service was invaluable in the knowledge that we gained throughout the process. He has also met with my freshman daughter to provide guidance for her high school courses, career paths, extracurricular activities, and more.

Prior to signing with 日本av片, I tried a less expensive online service and was very disappointed.

As a result of our work with 日本av片, I am pleased to say that my son will be attending Stern Business School at New York University this fall! I highly recommend 日本av片. Highly recommend!