College Admissions Consulting Will doing a summer program at a college get me into that college? Written by Zaragoza Guerraon December 29th, 2016 Prior to joining College Coach, I spent part of my career as director of admissions for the Boston Conservatory, where I oversaw overall recruitment and auditions for students interested in music, theater, and dance. I spent most of my admissions career, however, as an admissions officer for two institutes of technology. As an associate director of admissions at MIT, I directed overall recruitment and yield activities as well as international, transfer, and special student admissions. I also served as an assistant director of admissions for Caltech, where I handled specialized student recruitment and reviewed domestic and international student files. Learn More About Zaragoza college admissions process, summer activities, summer planning, In admissions, there are rarely any in-the-know summer programs that, in and of themselves, will get an admissions officer to shout “Admit!” in committee. A summer program’s admissions impact is often more organic in nature: it might provide the foundation or connections for more challenging experiences down the road. But what about summer programs offered at a college or university? Surely such participation is preferred by the host school in the freshman admissions process. No? Maybe. Before banking your admission dreams on a summer program at your target school, be sure to ask the following three questions: Who’s teaching, and how big are the classes? Think about it: That letter of recommendation you’ll be seeking from the grad student who’s trying to distinguish you from among the other fifty students who took his class will probably not carry much weight in an admissions committee. But if you do well in a program where classes are small and taught by professors, a strong letter of recommendation might have an impact, particularly at the professor’s home school. Take into consideration what kind of mentorship opportunities, if any, a program might provide you. Is the program more expensive than selective? Truth be told, summer programs can be income generators for colleges. But there are a few out there that do scout for talent. It doesn’t hurt to ask how competitive it is to get into the program. If it seems the program is as selective as the admissions office of the host school, there’s a chance that admissions office might be recruiting from among the program’s attendees. Is a summer stay important in determining your interest or fit for the school? Some schools are so distinctive, they want to make sure the students they admit know what they’re getting into. Perhaps it’s the service academy that wants to make sure applicants are familiar with their ethos, or a women’s college looking to see if students understand their campus culture, or a small rural school that’s interested in students who know what to make of life in the country. Some summer programs are not just about testing the academic mettle of prospective students; they’re about gauging fit and interest, which can sometimes factor into an admissions decision. Let’s face it, summer school is summer school. If, after asking the above questions, you discover that a summer program’s most compelling factor is the name of the college attached to it, focus your energies instead on what you’d like to take, rather than the host school. There’s a pretty good chance an admissions officer will have more interest in why you took “Linear Algebra,” “Medieval Armory,” or “Europe in the Twentieth Century,” and how you fared in that class, than where you took it. Related Resources Read | Posted on April 16th, 2024 Understanding Direct Admission: A Pathway to Success Read | Posted on April 10th, 2024 Acceptance by Emi Nietfeld; Why You Should Fill out the FAFSA Read | Posted on April 9th, 2024 Community Colleges with Campus Housing
