Based on kids I know who have done these, it’s a mixed bag in terms of its helpfulness in college admissions.
BUT… these programs can be extremely helpful in terms of helping kids discern what they might want to study and even where. I know one kid who figured out from an engineering summer program (Olin) that he didn’t want to be an engineer. Another (Cornell) decided he liked the material but didn’t feel like the other kids were really his peeps so he decided to focus his college search on smaller schools with engineering programs (Lehigh, Lafayette, etc) where he felt he wouldn’t be "stuck " in the engineering school. And another (VT) just loved everything about it. For the 2 of those 3 who chose to apply to their summer program schools, one got in and one did not. All went into their subsequent high school year with much more clarity about their future plans.
There’s definitely value in having clarity. Some students never sit down and determine what they actually want. Many actually get a degree that doesn’t suit them. While these programs are expensive, it could save money for the kid who would otherwise spend an extra year in college.
Agree, I think taking summer college classes or programs is important for learning a new discipline and “test driving” the school. For example, D20 did a three-week media/marketing class and stayed in the dorms at UCSD. She loved the class and location but realized she wouldn’t want to go to college there for 4 years (e.g. too STEM-focused). But the class exposed her to new ideas not offered at her high school and she learned a lot of new concepts which now has piqued an interest in studying Marketing and/Media & Entertainment as a minor and possible major. IMO, high school is not just doing what gets you into college but also about being educated and learning new areas, becoming well-rounded, and a critical thinker whether or not some adcom will give you “credit” for such endeavors.
I wish it were so easy for us! Older kid (18) is still considering several totally different career paths. Her school makes it pretty easy to double major but she still needs to narrow it down. Alas so many possibilities…The summer programs and jobs have so far just opened more paths, need to start eliminating some.
IMO, it’s perfectly normal and common for 18 years to be undecided. Many colleges accept and acknowledge this by not requiring students to declare a major until the end of their sophomore year.
I’m a broken record on the service academy forums with my response to kids and parents who think attending the summer programs at USM/NA help with appointments. Because they are pay-to-play and there are not enough spaces for every applicant, they cannot be considered part of the admissions rubric at any academy as the appointment process is Federally mandated to be equally open to all applicants.
Also, none of the summer programs reflect the life of an actual cadet or midshipmen in the least. They are marketing outreach tools targeted to strong candidates who may not consider an academy or are on the fence about them, and they are also used to increase the pool of candidates for selection from under-represented groups.
The benefit of them, though, is that applying is one way to open a candidate profile, and they enable a candidate to take a Candidate Fitness Assessment (optional) and talk to current officers, cadets/mids, and admissions. They can be very helpful in getting questions answered firsthand, but attendance is not part of the appointment rubric for the reasons I stated above. Yet people continue to argue this one ad nauseam.
I think summer programs are fine if they are of genuine interest to the student but getting a job or just vegging out are fine, too. These are the last carefree summers kids may have for a very long time.
In reading these posts over the past few days, I was reminded of our experience as high school students decades ago - from a middle-class America viewpoint (not international as much). Most of us in that era went to school and worked jobs in the summer - either as camp counselors, lifeguards, babysitters, store/shop clerks, locker room attendants, drive-thru staff, mowing lawns, caddying, etc…college prep stuff and summer college courses were in addition to my summer job. The work we did during the summer helped to shape us. Making $$ during the summer was part of the plan to prepare for college - but also back then tuition was $ 7000 per year - less in state.
I wonder if the poster above has any actual experience with the week long summer sessions at the service academies as our experience & the experience of several others whom we know was much different than described above.
Our experience is with the summer leadership programs at the USMA at West Point, the USNA at Annapolis, The USAFA at Colorado Springs &, to a lesser extent, at the USCGA.
The fee was small (about $300 to $350 for the 6 day programs), admission competitive & the rewards overwhelming.
To suggest that they are “a marketing ploy” or that they are “pay to play” is ridiculous.
Thanks@Publisher - hoping to get my kiddo to apply to one of those summer leadership programs you mentioned. BTW, some of the service academies also have summer sports camps that are excellent.
Thanks @gardenstategal for sharing the post & your experience!
I had been wondering if any kids just got good, old-fashioned, menial jobs any more (like I had). It didn’t work for DS last summer for a variety of reasons, but that is the plan for this coming summer.
I am hoping for a regular summer job for my younger one. I’m not sure how they will feel about several weeks off due to sports but we are hoping to get lucky.
To be honest I want my kids to learn the value of working at something that’s not fun or rewarding or going to help them get into college. That kind of boring grind is important.
Hopefully the extended summer of BS helps us with this. Last year he got barely two months.
@CTMom21, mine did. Every year starting after freshman year.
FWIW, I felt like summer reading/work for the upcoming year was more than enough academics for the summer. I realize that is not a shared sentiment, and had my kid been pushing for an academic experience, I probably would have supported that decision, but the impetus wasn’t going to come from me.
BTW, he really enjoyed real “work”. To the point that he has had a job on campus most semesters.
Agree - we found a paying part time job during the holiday winter break to make $$ for presents & travel. I am praying that somewhere there is an AO who will value real work - tough work-manual labor-REAL jobs that kids have over the summer. Kiddo wants to work as a camp counselor for decent $$$ for part of the summer up in Canada - anyone else on here have a kid working as a camp counselor too?
My 17yo (at the time) did last summer, before heading off to college. Made enough fun money to last the year and then some. IME most places want you to be at least 16 (too many limitations before then) and more importantly want full availability for the summer. Hard for kids playing sports, wanting to take family vacations etc. But will try sooner with the younger kid.
FWIW, I washed dishes and waited tables (amongst other things) over the summer, instead of going to a pay-to-play program or starting an NGO or getting coffee for a research lab (aka “doing research”) It did not seem to negatively impact my college applications.
@Golfgr8: It would be interesting to spend a summer working in Victoria, British Columbia or anywhere on Vancouver Island.
As for the service academy summer leadership programs, the USAFA in Colorado Springs is mostly academic as even new cadets are given several months to adjust to the altitude. (If I recall correctly, it is over 7,000 feet altitude.)
At all of the summer leadership programs, the participants are being closely scrutinized & evaluated. Some of what occurs is a bit counter-intuitive until one gets a chance to reflect on the experience.
My kid loves hands-on work and — although his college office has the kids doing their essays over the summer — he is burnt out from academics and there is NO WAY he would do an academic program. I’ve been pushing for Chipotle or something, but he would be happier working outdoors for a landscaper or contractor or something. A project for the upcoming breaks.
IME, every AO valued “real” work. When DS went to his first admissions interview for college, it ended up being with the director of admissions. It was scheduled for 30 minutes and lasted over an hour. Her comment to DH when she came out was something to the effect of how refreshing it was to talk to a kid with real work experience and how increasingly rare that was.
Many summer jobs help kids learn how to deal with all different kinds of people. While BS kids do tend to be good at interacting with adults, they are adults who have chosen to work with and nurture kids. The grumpy diner, the parent of a homesick camper, the short order cook – all a good way to see life outside the bubble.
It can be hard to work around other obligations. Like anything else, it’s a matter of priorities. But if you only want your kid to fit work around the fun and perks, you are also sending the wrong message. For the time that’s been committed, work will come first, even if it means not joining friends for a weekend at the beach, etc…
Not a camp counselor, but something similar while getting to live at home. Kiddo is a junior swim coach, spending about 30 hours a week with 4-10 year olds.
We got an emphatic thumbs up from his cc for kiddo’s plan to do this all four years.
Another summer plan the cc approved of for another kid was to work as a dishwasher at a local restaurant.
At parents weekend the head of Yale admissions spoke to parents. He couldn’t have been more clear that real summer jobs were viewed as a great thing.
So, yeah, I wouldn’t worry about AOs perspective on summer jobs.
