<p>Hold on… people are quick to put these down, but take a chance to hear it from someone you actually went to one. Here’s my $.02:</p>
<p>I went to NSLC Policy and Politics as well as Lead America’s PYLC at the Inauguration.</p>
<p>-Price, no way hiding this one. However, put into perspective what you get for 10 or so days. They pay for all necessities plus the experience. I’ve found most other programs are not much cheaper when you break down price per day. Still a good idea to research other related programs to find a better price.</p>
<p>-Great chance to explore your interests before college. They have a variety of opportunities including college style lectures, simulations, many notable guest speakers, and other leadership activities. Believe or not, I actually continue to use what I learned and the Politics program sparked my interests to pursue it later.</p>
<p>-These programs have a perfect balance of educational and social activities.</p>
<p>-Choose a program thats held at a college your interested in attending. Although not run by the university, you still get to experience living there and studying there.</p>
<p>-Meet new people and practice social skills. I think that a lot of people take for granted that when they go off to college, they will instantly be comfortable meeting new people. Sure some teens can do this with no problem, but I’ve found that by going away each summer and meeting new people, I’ve become more confident and easy going in a new environment.</p>
<p>This all I thought about now. I’ll post again if I think of anything. Post any questions too. Overall, I think it was well worth going. It’s a good idea to look for cheaper programs as well, but keep in mind these are definitely not scams.</p>