Anyone You Know Did The YESS Program?

[davidthefat]

http://www.yess.caltech.edu/

YESS is a 3 week summer program at Caltech; I was about to apply for it last year, but I couldn't find any teachers that were about to recommend me They said I was too lazy and was capable of more. So its my Junior year and I am determined about school, I want to get into the YESS program. Its not whether I get in or not thats the problem, but what is expected when I actually go? From what I can infer from the website is that its an academic camp, pretty much eat sleep and study there. That sounds like fun, but is it the subjects I like? Obviously robotics and computer science is my top favorite; the website says it will be about physics and biology. Now how much will that benefit me in the future? Will it give me a glimpse of a college life (minus the parties and ect)? Will it benefit me in my future endeavours as a programmer? It might benefit me to finish within deadlines.



I want to hear from previous YESS experiences:
How fun was it? (I mean like nerdy fun too)
What did you benefit from it? (short term and long term)
How hard is it to actually get accepted?
Was it worth the time and work?
What is the one thing you took away from that experience?
How hard was the work?


edit: also one more thing: How can I get "academic awards and honors"? The application has a whole essay to write about those... I do not have any... How do I acquire one of those?