<p>What does Princeton like to see in terms of summer experiences? Can any accepted students share what they did over the summers? What are some examples of summer programs that are seen as beneficial in the eyes of admissions counselors. I’m not just trying to find out what will get me in even if i hate the program, its just that it seems as if alot of summer programs are expensive and just a scam to get your money. Thanks</p>
<p>Well I can tell you what not to do…don’t do something that you won’t enjoy. You really don’t have to be curing cancer or building orphanages in impoverished countries…they just want to see that you spend your summer doing something you’re passionate about.</p>
<p>You just answered your own question. The programs that don’t cost you any money. Even better, the programs that give you money.</p>
<p>Well, if you can make them, nothing like MOSP or RSI. IChO, IPhO, IBO, IOI, IMO are nice too :D.</p>
<p>If you’re slightly more mortal, just do something you’d have fun with. I agree, a lot of those programs do seem like scams to me too. A lot of “pay a few K, become a leader, get into ivy” programs that I’d watch out for.</p>
<p>MOSP or RSI. IChO, IPhO, IBO, IOI, IMO, I’m guessing these are all acronyms. But I don’t know what they stand for. Could someone explaing please?</p>
<p>I read a Princeton adcom saying somewhere that he would rather see someone write on their app “sat under a tree and read” rather than a travelogue. dont waste money on stuff that’ll make you miserable. it makes you look privileged, which is bad, and is just a waste of your time.</p>
<p>My last two summers were spent in Costa Rica and Guatemala attending Spanish schools and teaching English (in Guatemala). I am definitely not privileged, in fact I am low income. I used my mom’s frequent flyer miles she had saved up for 5 years from a previous job and worked to pay for the $140 weekly tuition, which included 5 hours of one-on-one Spanish per day, meals and living with families who depended on the income to make ends meet. This was not even close to doing a student exchange program or paying thousands of dollars to one of those so called volunteer organizations. I met lots of interesting people from all over the world with whom I still keep in contact. I traveled on the weekends sometimes by myself, staying in $12 a night hostels. When I tell people that I traveled to C.A. for two summers alone (being a blonde 16/17 year old), they can’t believe it. My goal was not to impress adcoms with this but I can honestly say that I am more impressed with myself by doing this than if had I scored a 2400 on my SATs.</p>
<p>MOSP - Mathematical Olympiad Science Program
RSI - Research Science Institute
IChO - International Chemistry Olympiad
IPhO - International Physics Olympiad
IBO - International Biology Olympiad
IOI - International Olympiad in Informatics (computer programming)
IMO - International Mathematics Olympiad</p>
<p>I’d also recommend TASP (Telluride Association Summer Program), PROMYS, etc.</p>
<p>Yep, theoneo explained it. TASP and PROMYS are also really good. Don’t know much about the former, but the latter is a strong, competitive program, but pre-Olympiad level, making it easier to get into.</p>
<p>–EDIT–
I also just noticed this:
MOSP is Mathematics Olympiad Summer Program, I think…</p>