Any idea about this program? Our child thinks they want to learn more about economics and leadership in the summer. If anyone can speak to their experience and if it was a meaningful experience. Appreciate any insight
Hi, I attended EFL last summer at Cornell! I found the overall experience fun, but it was definitely not what I was expecting and I don’t think I got what I expected out of it. It was much more like a summer camp you go to in elementary/middle school than a summer program for high schoolers interested in economics.
During the program, 3 hours of each day was reserved for instruction on economics (the professor is not connected to the location you attend), and in the afternoon we would complete different challenges that can be compared to a summer camp. They were supposed to teach us different leadership and communication skills, but it really was just us standing in the hot sun for 3 hours.
In addition, the program itself is not very prestigious and is not connected to the college you are going to, so it doesn’t really help with admissions. I would say it is very pay to play. If your student is interested in economics and leadership, I feel like there is better programs to attend, like YYGS or NDLS. Even though EFL is cheaper than other programs, I didn’t feel like I got much value out of it. If your student is already experienced with econ, I wouldn’t recommend going. I took a basic macro econ course prior to the program, and I learned much more in the course than at EFL. Since it is pay to play, I feel like the material is not very deep, and is very surface level. Feel free to ask me any other questions!
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