Hello! This is my first time asking a question in CC, and its because I have a tough decision to make. I somehow got an acceptance from SSP for the Genomics program, and I was pretty excited until I realized that every other summer plan I’d laid out would be wrecked if I did decide to go to SSP. Here are my options:
Option 1: Go to SSP (if I can figure out how to pay the fee lol)
Option 2: Stay home for a competitive paid summer research internship in immunotherapy (which I’m super interested in) at the local children’s hospital (ranked one of the best Nationwide, with the opportunity to participate in another immunotherapy research internship at the biggest research university in the state, which I’d continue during the school year. I’m also planning on taking a phlebotomy class at the local community college, which will place me in a real clinic for 40 successful patient draws. I’d also be able to shadow several doctors at these institutions and maybe volunteer at another free local clinic in the evenings. And I’d also be able to learn to drive lol (I need my license ASAP).
I forgot to mention, I’d like to do pre-med and major in Biomedical Sciences. I’m also interested in BSMD or accelerated programs at universities like Case Western, OU HCOM, SLU, and CUNY (also like Brown PLME but that’s a pipe dream with my extracurriculars)
I’d like to hear what other people think, and weigh out the pros and cons of these summer plans. How beneficial is SSP really? I just really want to get a good scholarship or BSMD program for undergrad.
Do option 2. It’s real work and paid. That will be more impactful than what sounds like a pay to play program. I found SSP online. Sounds like a pay to play and expensive program….even if it isn’t. Save your money.
Getting a good scholarship will largely depend on great grades and an aggressive courseload, good standardized test scores, LOR and essays.
If you plan to apply to BS/MD programs, you need to plan to shadow, do patient facing work of some kind and volunteer with underprivileged groups. But do keep in mind that BS/MD acceptances are more competitive than elite school acceptances…regardless of what you do this summer.
That you need to rustle up the money for SSP…tells me you should do other option.
In other words, the program fee is scaled to what each family can afford. No one pays more than the program fee of $8,800 (2024), our cost per participant to operate the program.
Just a note that SSP is NOT a pay-to-play; it’s an extremely competitive-admission authentic research experience and co-sponsored by MIT. Don’t let the price-tag fool you. They meet-need.
Option 2 sounds like the winner to me. No reason to even think about about about paying for a summer program when you have such a great internship opportunity.
Congrats on the wonderful options.