I think it matters if it is plural or singular. They both have to be plural or both have to be singular. Ex: The pig is pink. There is only one pig (singular) so it has to be is (singular) Another Ex: The pigs are pink There are more than one pig (plural) so it has to be are (plural) Hope that helps!
You can observe how challenging institutes are by taking surveys and then see how difficult summer programs are to students. Compare and contrast your results to see what you get.
