After deciding which of the previous summer camps fit your needs best, it’s on to the application. For many of the programs listed, the application is similar to applying to college in the sense that you’ll need to submit recommendations, transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, activities, your interests, and a lot of other background information. However, once you have a baseline of credentials, it’s the essay and recommendations that help to distinguish the candidates.
Recommendations
Choose recommenders who have had a lot of experience being around you, whether in class or out. They should be able to give the program a picture of the type of person you are, and hopefully, this recommendation comes from a person who works with you in that program’s field in some capacity (classes/activities).
Essay
The essay is the most challenging part of the application process. However, you should recognise that, even if not accepted, the resulting essay(s) will be great practice/source material for your supplemental essays and even your Common App essay.
In writing for SSP, there were five essays ranging in length and subject matter. However, most programs will ask versions of:
Who are you?
- Be honest
- Structure your essay around three traits
- Use stories to show your traits and maturation
What’s made you who you are?
- Use people/places/things/or any sort phenomena to give as examples of catalysts for character change
- In my case I used my neighborhood, my city, and math meets in middle school
Why do you need to come here?
- Become familiar with their values (scan every page of the website)
- Search up the faculty, discover their interests and show how such interests would mesh with yours
- Become familiar with their alumni, and for example, use their success as reason for applying, and/or show how such a program aligns with your career path
Why do we need to accept you/what do you bring to the table?
- Structure around unique traits
- Find faculty with traits you admire but don’t have, show you have complementary skills
- Give past examples of teamwork and furthering or keeping together groups to then accomplish something
In general, traits of teamwork and leadership are highly valued and should be on display if possible. Again, referencing college confidential and other such forums with kids going through similar paths or have already and are sharing what did/didn’t work is invaluable but should be taken with a grain of salt. Also, always avoid cliches and make sure to show you’ve spent time combing the website; drop mentions of parts of the site that stood out to you.
I would like to stress again that even if you aren’t accepted it was not all in vain.
High Schoolers Who are Never Too Afraid 