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Can anyone give me any more information about Stanford's High School Summer College program? I got a pamphlet in the mail and am really interested. Anyone researched it or gone? ... the website isnt very informative... doesnt have course listing or tutition prices<- if anyone knows that it would be greatly apreciated, according to Stanford's usual cost for summer "units" my guess would be that 8 units (the minimum amount for residential participants) to be around $5000... correct me if im wrong.

By Massdad (Massdad) on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 02:08 pm: Edit

I don't know of Stanford's specifically, but I can tell you some about Yale's and Harvard's, which I suspect are similar.

I suspect your cost estimate is close, but a bit low - don't forget housing and food.

Most of these programs claim to offer college courses but seem to be geared more to HS students. One way to find out is to explore whether the parent college would accept any credits if you got in there. Most will not. As a result, they may be tough to transfer, but hopefully others will chime in on this point with direct experience. Rarely are the courses taught by regular faculty, but I'm sure there are exceptions.

Finally, I'm not aware of any advantage one gets in admissions from having attended a summer program, although the schools may hint at this. It should not be a negative, as a summer spent learning is never bad.

By Laceycheer (Laceycheer) on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 03:20 pm: Edit

yeah, the credits count for college... and thank you for your info!

By Massdad (Massdad) on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 03:42 pm: Edit

Laceycheer, Stanford says " Students are eligible to earn college credit for undergraduate classes. " Note the word "eligible". I would not be surprised if Stanford does not accept their summer courses for credit if you got in as a freshman. Harvard, for instance, does not.

By Mstee (Mstee) on Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 05:52 pm: Edit

Harvard Summer School--my son went last summer. It was worth it for him, even if the courses don't transfer. The kid had never gone anywhere before, and I was wondering how the heck he was going to leave home and go off to college since he'd never even gone to camp. He simply refused to go anywhere before this. He had a great time and I feel much more confident (as I'm sure he also does!) about him leaving home next fall. It also was a great way for him to become familiar with Harvard and several other colleges in the area. Harvard says its summer courses are for credit and transferable to *most* colleges and universities--whatever that means! I was under the impression that many of the courses are the same courses that their own undergrads are taking for credit during the summer. My son said his math course didn't have many high school students in it, but the writing class had many. I have to say he appreciates the cool Bay Area summers much more after spending the summer in Cambridge. It was HOT, and the dorm there was not air-conditioned.

By Argilospsychi (Argilospsychi) on Monday, February 02, 2004 - 05:20 pm: Edit

my cousin went to a really really cool sounding one at Yale. I think it was some kind of exploratory learning thing. They took all sorts of really interesting classes but w/out tests or homework and went on day trips to white water raft adn stuff like that.

It's probably expensive and selective. My cousin is rich and goes to concord academy if that gives you a clue.

But props to having rich relatives...I get to go bask in their pool next week

By Gianscolere (Gianscolere) on Monday, February 02, 2004 - 07:13 pm: Edit

lol argil...btw, concord academy is a marvelous school.

By Thekev (Thekev) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 07:44 pm: Edit

Does anyone know of any free programs at ivies or equivalent schools?

By Mstee (Mstee) on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 12:30 am: Edit

Stanford has something called Quest for high achieving low-income (minority?) students. I think it is free. I don't remember the details. Google Stanford Quest for details.

By Daffyflower (Daffyflower) on Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 11:34 pm: Edit

Call out to everyone who went to Yale summer program...

How was it?
Is it a good program?
Do SSP kids separated from actual Yalies, or are the high schoolers just thrown to make a weird sort of mélange?