Competition for summer programs runs intense

Letters of recommendation, lengthy essays, “reaches,” “targets” and “safeties.” 

This sounds like a list in preparation for college applications, but it’s actually for a competitive summer program. In fact, competition for these programs can get as intense as that for an Ivy League school. But what do these programs offer? 

The prospect of attending prestigious summer programs at universities across the nation has become increasingly popular among rising juniors and seniors. SIMR (Stanford Institutes of Medicine Research), MIT’s RSI (Research Science Institute) and Wharton’s LBW (Leadership in the Business World) are just a few of these coveted programs that students believe will boost their resumes.

To gain an appreciation of how competitive these programs are, let's look at just one: the Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP).

As part of the application process, students must write six 1,500-word essays. Once the application is turned in, students have little chance of getting in.

In 2012,TASP accepted 64 students out of 1,350 — a roughly 5 percent acceptance rate. That compares to the roughly 6 percent of students who were accepted into Harvard's freshman class that year.

Critics say many people apply to these prestigious programs solely because of the name of the program instead of a genuine interest in the subject.

Senior Anushree Dugar, who went to Stanford Institutes of Medicine Research, said that such programs are for those passionate about the subject who want to obtain real world experience, not for resume padding.

“I do think these programs look good on college applications but that’s clearly not the reason why I applied,” Dugar said.  “However, I do think colleges will like the experience [students] gain from these programs, but what you get out of it is much more important.”

Senior Alvin Huang, who attended Wharton’s Sports Business Program, also said he applied due to his passion for the subject.

“I wouldn’t say it was as selective as other programs, but it was a good combination for me because I’m really interested in sports and I also wanted to learn more about business,” Huang said. “I don’t think necessarily it helped for college acceptances but the main reason why I went was to learn more about the foundations of business strategy and it was really fun because it incorporated my big passion for sports.”

These programs allow students to acquire first-hand knowledge from site visits, speakers and lab research, which can help them gauge their actual interest in the subject. 

“We were taught by Wharton professors and guest speakers from different sports franchises,” Huang said. “There were VPs, CEOs [and] marketing managers who talked to us about what they did on a daily basis.”

Junior Agastya Gupta applied to RSI because his interest in tech startups. To him the prospect of exploring one’s interests in a summer program supersedes any ulterior motives to apply.

Guidance counselor Frances Saiki feels the same way about summer programs.

“One program cannot make or break a student’s chances of getting into a school,” Saiki said. “While it can help a student’s application, it is usually not the determining factor that gets a student into college. Instead, what a student makes of an experience, any experience, and how they can grow from it, in my opinion, is more valuable.”