<p>So my brother got off the waitlist for TASS for the UIndiana program but he’s also been offered this opportunity to serve as a counselor and teach debate in Slovenia. </p>
<p>Cost is not an issue, and my brother is interested in both as appeal to his different interests. </p>
<p>But, which will colleges like more?</p>
<p>And will turning down TASS make it harder to get into TASP?</p>
<p>It’s not about which one colleges will like more or making it harder to get into TASP, he should go for whichever one he is most interested in. </p>
<p>Health and Illness in the African American Community: Social and Neurobiological Perspectives is very diffrerent from teaching debate in Slovenia.</p>
<p>He should ask himself, “Which will be most beneficial to where I see myself in a few years?”</p>
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<p>The answer to this is, possibly. TASSers are guaranteed an interview, so they get an automatic pass into the second round–but if your essays wouldn’t have made the cut anyway, you won’t be selected unless you have a REALLY amazing interview.</p>
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<p>Depends on what the rest of his application looks like. Does he show a clear passion for debate, and can he write well about his abroad teaching experience without sounding entitled? (Unless the Slovenia option is also free, in which case you should make that clear to the adcom.) Without supporting evidence, TASS is probably more prestigious (although it’s a great matter of debate how much TASS/TASP actually causes vs. correlates–I tend to think it’s a mixture of both), but neither will be looked at in isolation.</p>
<p>Ideally, of course, he would just pick the one he likes most, but you have already said that both appeal to different sides of him. I was in a somewhat similar dilemma six months ago, deciding whether to even apply to TASP–except cost was an issue for me–but I chose TASP in a heartbeat when admitted off the waitlist because it’s a one-time opportunity that will never arise again. TASS is a little different, since you can apply to TASP the year after.</p>
<p>Just to make clear that the Slovenia option is free. Ah, decisions decisions.</p>
<p>oooo…That makes things harder. Anything free usually equates to prestigious. Does he have a significant track record with debate? Or is he more interested in the humanities?</p>
<p>TASS is free as well though.</p>
<p>haha yup. exactly 
So at this point it’s a stalemate.
If he wants to get into TASP maybe TASS would be a better option. But then again, teaching debate in Slovenia also sounds awfully appealing…</p>
<p>Is he interested in the African-American community? If not genuinely interested (i.e. he’d go even if it weren’t prestigious), then go with the other.</p>
<p>The Slovenia thing might be a deal-making essay topic if:
<p>If all of the above, then definitely the debate thing. TASS is prestigious, but it only correlates with admissions.</p>
<p>TASSers are NOT guaranteed an interview…not sure why everyone thinks that because there were certainly TASSers that applied this year that did not get an interview. Not sure if any of the TASSers this year made it to TASP…most did not. The couple of years before there were very few that went on to a TASP seminar after doing TASS the previous year. There was only one TASSer at UMich TASP last summer.</p>
<p>So…if you made it into TASS and it really appeals to you, this is probably your only shot at a Telluride program. The other option overseas sounds amazing, though. Do whichever program really calls to you. You don’t get to do this summer again. When I asked my D if she wished she could do a summer again (because she also narrowed things down to two wonderful choices) she said she would need another whole lifetime to do everything she wants to do! What is the one thing you will regret most not getting to experience? That is what matters most!</p>
<p>Oh…I see this is advice for your brother. Well, I hope he goes with the gut, so to speak!</p>
<p>Huh–thanks for the correction, critter. I heard from a previous TASPer, I think, that TASSers were guaranteed an interview, but there must have been a miscommunication somewhere.</p>
<p>Actually, I think it’s been Telluride policy in the past to give all TASSers who apply to TASP an interview… but those Tellurideans are fickle. The rules can change for any given year.</p>