College summer programs for high school students can be fun, educational, and a great way to experience life on a college campus. Many teens dream of spending a few weeks living in dorms, meeting new people, and exploring potential career interests. But if you’re a parent wondering whether these programs will help your child get into an elite university, the answer quite often is “No.”
While many college summer programs advertise themselves as ways to bolster a college application, the reality is that most programs accept any student who can pay the tuition. These programs, although valuable experiences, don’t carry much weight with university admissions officers—especially at top-tier schools. They are often not run by the colleges where they take place, and participation won’t boost your child’s chances of getting into that specific university.
However, there are a few highly selective summer programs that do make admissions officers take notice. These programs are competitive, prestigious, and often free, offering a real advantage to students who are accepted. Here’s what you need to know about these programs—and why they stand out. See summer program chart
The Reality of Most Summer Programs
The majority of pre-college summer programs are “pay-to-play.” They offer high school students the chance to explore academic subjects, experience independence, and enjoy life on a college campus, but they generally accept anyone who can afford the tuition. While these programs can still be educational and enriching, they don’t have the prestige that elite universities are looking for in applicants. Why? Because they’re not selective. If your child’s application can get through simply because you’ve paid for it, that doesn’t signal any particular academic or extracurricular strength and is not enticing for a college admissions officers looking for the most competitive students.
Most of these summer programs are not even run by the universities themselves, but by third-party organizations renting the campus space. This means they have little to no influence on college admissions decisions at those institutions. In short, attending one of these programs won’t give your child an edge in getting into that university.
Highly Selective Programs: The Real Deal
There are a few summer programs that are highly selective and carry significant weight with admissions officers, even at the most elite college. These programs are designed to identify top academic talent, often providing fully-funded opportunities to the few students who are accepted.
For example, programs like the Research Science Institute (RSI) or the Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP) are known for their rigorous application processes and competitive admissions. Both of these programs have acceptance rates of less than 5%. Getting into one of these programs signals to college admissions officers that your child is not only talented but capable of thriving in a demanding academic environment.
What makes these programs different from standard pre-college programs? They require academic excellence, leadership experience, and a passion for learning to be selected to participate. These programs also tend to have a significant output, such as a research paper, a publication, or a project that can be showcased in a college application. Often, they are free or offer full scholarships to accepted students to ensure that anyone qualified will be able to attend.
Pre-College Programs: Educational, But Not a Game-Changer
So, should you skip the typical pre-college programs entirely? Not necessarily. While they may not carry the prestige of selective programs, they can still serve a purpose. Pre-college programs can expose your child a potential major to confirm interest. If your child is passionate about a particular subject, taking a related course during the summer can also help them stand out on their college applications, especially if they use that knowledge to create a research project or independent study afterward. Don’t get too caught up on the opportunity to get college credits before school. They don’t usually amount to much.
Most programs can be useful for skill-building, personal growth and can be lots of fun! Just don’t assume that attending one will impress admissions officers.
