International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) vs Simons Summer Research Program

Comparing two elite STEM opportunities. International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) is a olympiad while Simons Summer Research Program is a summer program.

International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) Simons Summer Research Program
Prestige Tier Tier 1 — Elite Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Olympiad Summer Program
Organization International Olympiad in Informatics Simons Foundation
Acceptance Rate Approximately 11-12% (40 fellows selected from ~350 applicants annually as of 2015)
Applicants Approximately 350 per year
Deadline Rolling
Cost to Apply $0 Free
US Only No / International Yes
Grades High school students (primarily juniors and seniors)
College Impact Highly positive impact on college admissions. Summer research programs, especially prestigious ones like the Simons program, are viewed very favorably by college admissions officers because: (1) They ...