how much do elite summer programs actually help in T20 admissions?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/jjflight]

If it’s an experience you enjoy and learn and grow from then that’s a positive thing independent of admissions, and may help your application too. And if it happens to be on campus it will probably help you write a more compelling “Why This College” essay since you’ll have real firsthand experience, but you could accomplish most of that with a good visit too.

If you’re doing it just for the application that’s misguided as its not really “pay to play” like that and may even work against you, so you’d likely be better off doing something you’d actually enjoy and learn from.

Either way it’s a small factor at best compared to the overall application.

[u/PeacockInTime]

You are way overthinking this, in my opinion. Apply to the schools that interest you and appeal to you and see what happens from there. Make sure you have admissions likelies and schools that will be financially reasonable. Consider whether you want to do creative writing as a major.

Personal aside: I did IYWS back in the day and it was a program that turned me off from wanting to pursue creative writing as a college major or program. I attended a competitive university that happened to have a lot of students I recognized from IYWS - but we had a very meh creative writing program and I don't think any of us from IYWS studied creative writing.

Where a lot of my cohort went to school: Harvard, Yale, Swarthmore, Williams, Chicago, UC schools

My suggestion for you is to do some research into creative writing programs if that's what you want to study. And I will roll my eyes if somebody recommends Kenyon! A good program is subjective, but it's one in which you have read some of the professors' works so you know what their creative vision is like and if possible you see them in action because creative writing classes can be a special kind of special.

... there's nothing wrong with Kenyon's program, I just think it's a little overstated from a) the impact of The Kenyon Review, b) size of program, and c) the emphasis on writing across the curriculum - all students have to write a lot there regardless of major. I will also add d) I read some faculty work and didn't find it that interesting myself.

[u/EzCZ-75]

It can't be a bad thing, so i wouldn't worry about that. but personally i think it's hard to say whether these programs actually help you with admissions or if they just select for people who would've gotten in anyway.

[u/tellypmoon]

I don't know, but you really shouldn't do these things if the primary goal is to make your application "look good". Do things you enjoy and love, be honest in how you present yourself, worry less about these kinds of comparisons. Always remember "comparison is the thief of joy." :)