SUMMER SCIENCE PROGRAM
Invite reviews
Invite friends and colleagues to share their experiences with this nonprofit
April 9, 2013
Summer Science Program, Socorro, NM 2010. I determined the orbit of an asteroid and spent my nights programming using vPython. Wait, it gets worse. Damn place was full of baby rattlesnakes and spiders, freak weather, terrible food... and spherical trigonometry. And I hung out with the most mature, creative, and smart high schoolers I'd ever seen. It wasn't really about the math or the science. It was about knowing that you could do something crazy like determine the orbit of an asteroid without even knowing calculus by dint of sheer hard work and ingenuity, and know that you had a crew of 35+ other people in the same boat, helping you every step of the way. I've never bonded with a group of people like that - first time in my life I felt a sense of community. If I could go back in time and do it again, I would hit the repeat button, creating an infinite loop.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
April 5, 2013
SSP is the best summer of my life thus far; it really was a pivotal point in my life. In the summer of 2011, after my junior year of high school, my passion for physics/astronomy and a google search brought me to the Summer Science Program in Socorro NM for five weeks of astronomy, physics, and computer programing with thirty-five fellow nerds from around the world, culminating in a final project (tracking and calculating the orbit of a near-earth asteroid and submitting the data to JPL) and lifelong friendships. I have raved about this experience in college essays, research applications, and letters to friends because SSP furthered my understanding and love of physics and helped me decide that the area i want to pursue in my studies is theoretical astrophysics. It also provided a curriculum that challenged me to reach my full potential with intellectual room to stretch my wings and no longer bump my head against the ceiling; in fact; under the stars there is no ceiling in sight. As wonderful and enriching as the academic experience is, our studies are really more of an excuse to gather a diverse group of intelligent, passionate, and fascinating individuals who each bring so much to the collective experience, sharing knowledge, skills, philosophies, and peanut M&M's. SSP provided the community I had been searching for my whole life; a peer group who shared my passion for scientific exploration, where I was not the only person to exclaim, "Math is BEAUTIFUL!" and quantum tunneling can become an inside joke! We sang, danced, played ninja, napped, stargazed, taught, learned, and laughed....The energy, collaboration, and bonding are without compare. I lived an entire life in those five weeks, learning so much, and sharing so many experiences; I will always cherish these memories and encourage others to participate.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
April 5, 2013
When I was a junior in high school I was selected to spend the summer at the summer science program in Socorro, New Mexico. I come from a fairly poor family and had never attended a summer program before (in fact, I had had to decline another prestigious summer program because of costs-- they gave me a half scholarship but that was not nearly enough). SSP gave me a scholarship that made it possible for me to attend-- I only had to pay my airfare.
The experience changed my life. I credit it with getting me into MIT, and more importantly with preparing me to learn at MIT. It also gave me a lot of good, brilliant friends around the world. Through alumni connections SSP also continues to give me opportunities for internships and scholarships and other enrichments.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
April 5, 2013
SSP provides an unparalleled experience in the foundations of scientific exploration to rising High School seniors from around the world. The program not only teaches advanced topic in astrophysics (and in doing so, prepares the next generation of scientific leaders), but provides life lessons in team work and collaboration. SSP has an illustrious history of over 50 years. SSP is managed and directed by its graduates. My wife attended SSP, and cites this as a formative event in her development as a biomedical researcher. Now, we are both involved in actively supporting SSP.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
October 17, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
My wife attended SSP in the 1970's, and it was a formative experience for her. SSP, then and now, provides an unparallelled academic opportunity to those fortunate enough to attend. SSP is an early proving ground for our future leaders, not just in the sciences, but across multiple disciplines. SSP teaches more than science; it teaches how to address and conquer problems; it teaches collaboration; it teaches dedication; it provides the tools that these gifted individuals will use today, tomorrow, and for the rest of their lives as they better the lives of those around them. That is why I am a donor to and an enthusiast for SSP.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
December 17, 2012
I attended SSP in the late 2000s, and to this day it remains on of the most positive and formative experiences in my life. I am constantly running into other SSPers -- even those from other classes! I can confidently say that SSP changed the trajectory of my studies (and perhaps life?).
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
November 8, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
SSP is an incredible summer program that offers high school students the opportunity to see what the modern fields of astronomy, physics, and technology are all about. It offers a hands-on learning experience combined with access to some of the greatest minds in the world. For me personally, I have met amazing friends in the program and have gotten the chance to see the world through a new pair of lenses (both figuratively and realistically speaking). To put into perspective what this program means to me, SSP is a program that I will always take the time to give back to.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
November 8, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I attended SSP in the late 1990's and it was the best summer I spent in high school. There's definitely something to be said about spending a summer with academically like-minded students from all over the world - it's both confidence-inspiring and humbling at the same time. The curriculum is challenging, and like college each student comes in with a mixed background. I had experience with calculus, physics, and computer science but no knowledge in astronomy, and the fellow students and TA's helped to fill the gaps I didn't pick up in lecture. The curriculum also has a goal - to apply what we learn to an actual project - tracking an asteroid! Day to day student life is well-balanced between lectures and guest speakers while still giving students plenty of autonomy. The field trips are meaningful - One of ours was going to Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and looking through the bay door window at the Deep Space One spacecraft mere months before it was launched into space. I truly feel my experience at SSP gave me the confidence to get into and be successful at MIT. SSP has a large community of supportive alumni; I don't think I could have attended without SSP's need-based financial aid - so thank you SSP and SSP alumni.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
November 7, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
SSP is a program with history, known to inspire and enlighten. The students here are so brilliant and diverse. My participation in this program helped me decide my future. And here I am now--but of all the things I have done with my life, SSP will always be #1.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2006
1 person found this review helpful
November 7, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
This program utterly changed my life, such that I can no longer recognize the person I was before it. 5.5 weeks in the atmosphere SSP creates helped me to realize my career goals, see just how far I could push myself, and gave me the social experience of a lifetime. Having never interacted with people just as passionate as I am, it was truly a breath of fresh air, and something I've been trying desperately to emulate since the program. It was truly monumental.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
November 5, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I'm still amazed by how many doors SSP opened for me in terms of my personal and academic goals. I met my best friend at SSP. I fell in love with science, discovery, and meaning at SSP. It was the summer of a lifetime, and I can't imagine where I would be without the experience.
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
Life-changing
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Definitely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
Filter by reviewer role:
Support This Nonprofit
Help this nonprofit get more reviews
5 tips for getting reviews