So now that you have decided to dive into the summer program pool how do you decide which program is right for you? Read on for some of the items that you should consider as you start your search.
Length
How long is the summer program? One of the first things that you should consider when looking for summer programs is how much time you have available in between other commitments you might have.
- Do you have sports commitments?
- Are you still studying for the SAT/ACT?
- Will you be taking a summer school class?
- Will you be taking a community college course?
- Are you going on a family vacation?
- Do you have other responsibilities that will take up a large portion of your summer?
Depending on your other commitments you will need to limit your summer program to that time frame. The summer after 11th grade is the best time for a long term summer program. By then you will have hopefully knocked off some of your responsibilities that you can spend the majority of your summer in a competitive research based summer program/internship.
Major
As mentioned in my previous post [link] there are many types of summer programs and the one you choose should be dependent on your goals and your potential major. As a student interested in STEM you might be very interested in the clusters available to you through the COSMOS [link] program. If you are interested in political science, community organization or social leadership then you might want to check out The Brown Leadership Institute[link]. It is important that you find something that actually matches your future goal if you are hoping that this program will serve as evidence for your major interest and are also hoping that it will help your application process. The NSLC Forensic Science: CSI[link] summer program might seem super interesting but if you are planning to apply as a business major or an art major then you can find better matched programs. Of course if you’re interested and you go in for the fun of it, not to help with your applications, then go for it!
Requirements
It’s safe to say that the most competitive of programs have more requirements than pay and go programs. You might come across a fantastic summer program that perfectly matches what you are interested but for one reason or another you don’t meet one of the requirements. Many programs that involve laboratory work have a minimum 16 age requirement. Others require you to be a rising senior. Others might ask that you have taken physics. Some require you to be a US Citizen. This is on top of requirements like test scores, letters of recommendation and essays. As you check out different summer programs make sure to thoroughly review those requirements. And if you don’t meet all the requirements for a specific program this time around, bookmark it and keep it mind for next summer.
Price
How much are you willing to pay? $2000? $5000? $15000? Before you start searching for summer programs make sure you sit down with your parents, or parents with student, and discuss the maximum price level for summer programs. Remember that the price given to you by the summer program does not included added expenses like plane tickets. Also this maximum price could be dependent on the summer program. You might be willing to pay more for a top summer program but no so much for your backup summer program. Whatever your price range you need to set it in stone. There’s nothing worse then getting into a program you are super excited about and then not go because you didn’t consider the costs.
Also if cost is an issue check to see if the program offers financial aid/scholarships based on need or merit. In addition, there are a few, very competitive, summer programs that are completely free, with some even offering stipends to students participating.
Strength
The other thing you should consider is the strength of the program in relation to your resume. What do I mean by this? I mean that each summer you should be advancing forward. If you are a junior who has done a research internship the previous summer then you should be looking for something of the same caliber this upcoming summer. It helps in no way for you to downgrade to a less competitive summer program just to do one. Some summer programs are more appropriate for freshman or sophomore than juniors.
However, this is all dependent on your resume. If you haven’t had any research experience or done a summer program before then a medium level summer program might be right up your alley. Or your time might be better spent strengthening your GPA with a community college course or getting work experience with a part time job. Just make sure that whatever you do matches the caliber of your resume. Always try for something harder, not easier.
Other Options
Speaking of community college course or part-time jobs, summer programs are not your only option. If you want to apply as a business major and your parents or a relative own their own business then your time might be better spent interning over the summer and getting that hands-on experience. If you have a low GPA then chances are you won’t be accepted into very competitive programs anyways. Your time would be better spent boosting your GPA with a community college course or taking AP courses related to your major online. Maybe your time would be better spent getting a part-time job or spending that summer signing up for a test prep class and pushing for that higher SAT/ACT score and developing an independent project. Make sure to look at your entire resume and where your largest gaps are. Sometimes a summer program isn’t the best way to fill those gaps.