pre-college summer programs: are they worth it?
I’m responding here to a recent piece in the Washington Post by Valerie Strauss/R. Ravaglia, in which an associate dean of pre-collegiate summer programs opines on the impact and effectiveness of pre-college summer programs. The upshot: it’s all about what you think a summer program can and cannot do.
But in my experience, intention is everything.
It all depends upon which program we’re talking about, and what the student is studying – will those summer studies advance their competence in a subject they love? There are also some summer programs that are more challenging and difficult to be admitted to, which will enhance the overall dossier of the student...this piece seems to assume all summer programs are created equal, and that’s just not the case.
True, many of the professors teaching during the summer programs are not the same as during the regular school year (ie tenured professors and such). This is not necessarily a harbinger of low-quality. Also, that doesn’t mean that the student isn’t learning something new, or getting top-quality education during the course. Additionally, there are the benefits of the experience of living away from their parents, setting a schedule, managing on their own (sometimes even managing a budget), and building new friendships outside of their regular network. This, in fact, helps ready them for the world away from parents.
To the writer's own point, the summer programs are not "the college" - he was not actually the undergraduate Dean of Admissions at Stanford, but rather an associate dean at the pre-collegiate summer program. Which to my mind, makes him less qualified to predict what makes a great Stanford admit, since he was only working at the summer program, not regular undergrad Stanford admissions…I'm sure many people think going to the summer program means they'll get into Stanford. But Stanford's acceptance rate is famously low (like 3% or thereabouts), so that's just magical thinking, unfortunately.
Particularly love this quote:
"Furthermore, if a high school student can think of nothing better to do in the summer than continue to be a traditional student in a classroom for another two months, isn’t that more likely to suggest a lack of imagination than intellectual vitality?"
Hmmm...
In my experience, summer study is a "yes, and...". When appropriate, the student can and should be doing a summer course in an area that reflects their intellectual interests...and using their imagination to build upon that and do so much more with what they learn: like a job, an internship, or independent work. I have had many students do summer study in concert with other projects that build upon what they’re learning in high school, plus the summer course. It really impresses AdCom when a student cares enough about a subject or a discipline to go the extra mile, and keep going, without a set roadmap...that, from what I've seen, is the kind of personal growth that gets the "yes" in admissions. A student can explore creative instincts & critical thinking and also go to a summer program...they're not mutually exclusive. I think it's more the impetus behind the choice, rather than the choice itself.
What Mr. Ravaglia writes is almost like saying, “if a person can think of nothing better than going to college instead of graduating high school and just looking for a job, doesn’t that suggest a lack of imagination…?”
I mean, maybe? But…probably not. Haha, anyway, not trying to convince you to have John do the summer program, I'm sure you're 100% right. Just questioning this writer’s perspective. Many students do summer study, plus summer internship, and find it all extremely rewarding for a host of reasons. And if used properly, it does indeed improve their profile for admissions. Not a magic bullet for sure, though, I agree- far from it!