<p>I am quite confused on what to do this summer. I deperately need some evidence of some unique acitivity out of school to place on my transcript. I am a junior and am still not on any sports team or the head of an organization. I have had some transportation problems and a lack of time. Well, that will change very soon! </p>
<p>Anyways, I have been a MAJOR PROCRASTINATOR and have not done a thing yet for the application to TASP (Telluride Association Summer Programs). The application can be postmarked no later than tomorrow. However, I am feeling a bit apprehensive to ask my science teacher to write a recommendation in one day. In addition, I feel that rushing my science teacher into writing this recommendation in 1 day will not go well when I ask for future help (such as when I need her to write another recommendation letter for RSI and for a summer program at Columbia University. Should I forget about writing this application?</p>
<p>Here are the summer programs I am planning to apply for…Please tell me which one would look the best and increase my chance for being accepted into an ivy league school (specifically Columbia).</p>
<p>Another consideration I made, is that if I did not want to attend one of the programs such as TASP, even if I got accepted, would it be worth placing this notice of acceptance on my resume? I have only one dependable science teacher who wouldn’t mind to write a good recommendation letter. My other two science teachers, especially my former AP chemistry teacher was not too fond of me, and my biology honors teacher moved to another school. All I have left is the AP/IB biology teacher. </p>
<p>I thought going to the Columbia program would be the best idea because it would show the Columbia admission staff that I have taken special interest in their school and because I think most of the people who attend this summer program live near NY (I might be one of the few out of state students). Last, I may need some time to study for the SAT II tests I plan to take in October and I will need some time to do volunteer work as well as study for Spanish (not my strong subject).</p>
<p>I would really appreciate advice from people who have been accepted into Columbia and anyone else who knows about this kind of stuff. I hope I can get a response soon because every second I am away from the computer I become even more aware that the deadline for TASP is drawing closer!</p>
<p>There is a lot of work to do for TASP, and it’s likely that if you rush through it, the app won’t be good enough. One day is really short to get a recommendation, too.</p>
<p>Well, the difference between TASP and RSI, both very impressive, is that TASP is more English/History/Culture focused and RSI is more Science/Math focused. Since you’d be getting a recommendation from your science teacher to go to TASP, that might be a little strange.</p>
<p>If you can get into RSI and if you have enough time to do that app, go there, because it’s also free and looks great on apps. Only if you want to, of course. Don’t do it to get into college. There are other equally good things to do with your summer that you could enjoy and put as a good thing on your app.</p>
<p>The Columbia program is expensive. Does the Florida one cost money?</p>
<p>I suggest: forget TASP, pour a ton of effort into RSI if you’ve got what it takes to get in and if you actually want to go, and don’t spend too much money (you’ll need it for college). If you don’t get into RSI, no big deal because there are plenty of other good things to do (interesting jobs, studying, you know).</p>
<p>Actually, I can get recommendation letters from any teacher for TASP (including my AP US history teacher who is fond of me). But I also agree that it is too late. Anyways, getting accepted into RSI would be better than TASP because I plan to apply for Columbia’s medical school. </p>
<p>By the way, the florida program is about $2,600 while the Columbia program is about $2,700 (maybe up to $3,000 when considering dorming and travelling expense).</p>
<p>You’d apply to Columbia College or Fu Foundation SEAS, not the medical school. But you don’t have to go to science camp to get into Columbia for science. I went to music camp every single summer and I did fine. But it sounds like you have your plans worked out anyway. Good luck.</p>
<p>If you have no conscience, you could ask your history teacher to write you a recommendation for TASP and explain why this is important to you and why you didn’t ask sooner, and hope for the best. And apologize profusely and write a thank you letter like the teacher’s never seen before. Then, you should give the teacher plenty of heads-up if you ever want the teacher to write another.</p>
<p>If you get into TASP or RSI and go, you’ll do really well when you apply to colleges. On the other hand, if you don’t have good extracurriculars already, it’ll be hard for you to get into TASP or RSI now. But if you don’t get in, you could still do really well when you apply to colleges.</p>
<p>By the way Jono, which college do you go to? (“I went to music camp every single summer and I did fine”) </p>
<p>In response to: “On the other hand, if you don’t have good extracurriculars already, it’ll be hard for you to get into TASP or RSI now.”, would it help any if I mentioned that I have been inducted into the 2004/2005 National Honor Roll? Some of the comments on the letter I received include, “Qualifying as a National Honor Roll inductee brings many exciting benefits. National Honor Roll has set aside $25,000 to be shared among 25 of its qualifying inductees from the 2004/2005 school year.”…"The govenor of your state, your U.S. senators,and local newspapers will also be advised of your child’s status. This is a complimentary service available to exclusively to honorees… "</p>
<p>Thanks for all your advice and help. I hope to hear from you soon. As of now, I think I will follow your and my brother’s advice to forget about applying to TASP. Instead, I will focus my energy on RSI and studying for the new SAT. My backup plan includes applying for Columbia’s summer pre-college program.</p>
<p>I think RSI will probably help you out a lot in admissions, but any kind of academic summer activity at all is probably a plus. I’ve gone to music camps pretty much every summer, too. None of them were top-of-the-line though, because I’ve never wanted the intense conservatory experience and I don’t want to major in music. I’ve also been to a couple of computer camps (one of which I taught C++ at) and an honors camp at Indiana State (it was pretty weak).</p>
<p>I haven’t gotten in yet, so this information will probably help you out not a bit.</p>
<p>I’m going to Columbia next year. I’m a high school senior, and I got in ED this year.</p>
<p>You could mention any extracurricular you have. You don’t need sports (a lot of ivy admits don’t have sports), but you probably have other things. I don’t know much about these national honor rolls, or “who’s who among. . .” and the others, but I was always kind of scared of them, and I didn’t want my information being sent out, so I avoided them. So I really don’t know if they help or not. Maybe someone else does. </p>
<p>You might as well write what you have and see what happens. But isn’t the National Honor Roll mostly based on scores? You have to send RSI your scores anyway, so I don’t know if mentioning the National Honor Roll (I don’t think it’s that competitive anyway) would add much. You must have good scores or a nomination if you got invited to TASP, though. Look for other things, maybe there’s something interesting you’ve been doing with your time outside of studying.</p>
<p>I bet you’ll get into Columbia’s summer program (assuming your scores are good because of your TASP invite), so that could always work.</p>
<p>Try hard for RSI, but don’t be upset if you don’t get in. It’s harder to get into that than it is to get into an ivy. Good luck again.</p>