Last Updated on October 1, 2026
Quick answer: The summer programs that count most in college admissions are selective programs with real academic work, such as RSI, the Summer Science Program, the Telluride Association Summer Seminar, and PROMYS, plus independent research, projects, and jobs. Programs that admit nearly everyone carry little weight on their own, even at famous universities.
Summer Programs That Count: What Sets Them Apart
With a few months off from your high school responsibilities, the summer is an ideal time to try something new, dive deeper into an interest, travel, work, you name it. Many students look at summer programs as valuable enrichment opportunities, but only some are summer programs that count in college admissions. But beware: there is a huge range in the quality of summer programs available.
Many summer programs will offer a great experience but carry little weight in the admissions process. It’s important to know which programs actually make a difference to your college candidacy if that is part of your consideration.
Without further ado, here are my recommendations for summer programs, from the good to the great.
Well-Regarded Summer Programs for Your First Years of High School
Below are solid academic summer programs that are best suited for students hoping to identify their interests. They can be done multiple times – you can go to CTY every year and study something different each time if you so please! I typically recommend these summer programs to rising sophomore students who are still looking to explore their interests. The strategic value of these opportunities can be enhanced if you get a solid letter of recommendation from a summer program instructor. [1]
That being said, there are cons to keep in mind. Most of these summer programs lack selectivity. [2] Your engagement in stimulating experiences will be recognized in admissions offices, but will not be considered “impressive” by competitive colleges.
1. Duke University Pre-College – Duke’s summer courses for high school students. The former Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP) has closed, and Duke now offers pre-college enrichment for grades 9 through 12, alongside separate youth programs for middle schoolers.
2. Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) – Now run by Summer Discovery, SIG offers residential and day programs for grades 1 through 12 at campuses including Yale, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Bryn Mawr. Admission requires high test scores, participation in a gifted program, or an educator recommendation.
3. The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) – A selective, well-regarded program for grades 2 through 12, offered residentially, as day programs, and online. Students qualify through test scores.
4. Northwestern CTD – comprehensive programs dedicated to helping academically talented students realize their potential
5. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes – Now fully online, these two-week live courses for students in grades 8 through 11 let you explore one subject in depth with a small class of about 16 students.
6. Stanford Summer Session / Cornell Precollege Studies / Summer@Brown / Harvard University Summer School / Columbia Summer Program – These are similar summer programs that capitalize on the solid name recognition of their host schools. These classes can be nice learning tools but many times, the courses are not taught by actual faculty members from the university.
Another important thing to note: summer programs hosted at universities will not give you an advantage when applying to that university. The admissions processes are not connected in any way. If you enroll in a summer program at Harvard, don’t expect an admissions boost there. These colleges, and many others, offer some courses for college credit. Credit-bearing courses tend to add more to your application.
Highly Selective Summer Programs With an Explicit Focus
The majority of these opportunities are for students who have established a clear academic focus, usually backed up with solid performances on the PSAT/SAT and advanced coursework. Admissions officers will take note of these programs when reading applications!
7. University of Chicago – Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) – This summer program is selective with a research-methods focus. A solid performance here can carry a lot of weight for aspiring scientists.
8. Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) – An interdisciplinary program for rising juniors and seniors. Different sessions cover various topics, but all YYGS sessions are 2-weeks long.
9. Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World (LBW) – A business-leadership summer program for rising seniors, taught by actual Wharton faculty with many guest speakers from famous companies.
10. Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS) – Formerly TASP, TASS now combines Telluride’s seminars into one program with two tracks: one on how power shapes social structures and one in Critical Black Studies. It is open to sophomores and juniors ages 15 to 17. Admission is highly selective.
11. Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SuMAC) – Solid mathematicians can come to Stanford for a few weeks of math wizardry for up to two summers (Programs I and II). A well-regarded, intensive program with a serious mathematics focus.
12. Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS) – This program is hosted at Boston University, with a curriculum focused on number theory and making math “more creative.”
13. Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (HCSSIM) – A six-week program similar to PROMYS, with a close focus on mentorship and visiting mathematicians. Hampshire College is closing, but HCSSIM operates as a separate organization and plans to continue at a new campus, so check its website for the current location.
14. Interlochen Center for the Arts – If you are a solid musician, writer, or artist, you’ll want to consider Interlochen programs. Interlochen offers valuable opportunities for all sorts of artistic endeavors.
15. Camp Rising Sun – A leadership program for students ages 15 and 16 from around the world, held in Rhinebeck, New York. A competitive opportunity that requires a recommendation.
16. LaunchX – An entrepreneurship program, now independent of MIT, where students build their own startups. It runs in person in San Diego and online, and its flagship programs admit about 30% of applicants.
17. Iowa Young Writers’ Studio – A 2-week program where students take courses in poetry and creative writing. Admissions officers do track this workshop due to its competitiveness!
Highly Selective Research Programs
These programs, like other research opportunities for high school students, carry significant weight in the admissions process. Understand that because these programs are so well-regarded, they are extremely competitive. If you’re thinking about applying to these programs, research should sound exciting to you. Many students who attend these camps often end up submitting work to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) or the Regeneron Science Talent Search, two of the most selective science competitions for high school students.
18. Research Science Institute (RSI) – One of the most rigorous high school research summer programs. Historically, students who attend RSI are admitted to some of the most competitive schools in the US.
19. Summer Science Program (SSP) – A five-week residential program, mainly for rising seniors, with research tracks in astrophysics, biochemistry, and genomics.
20. Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook – A selective program that places high school students in Stony Brook University research labs with faculty mentors.
21. Texas Tech – Clark Scholars Program – With only 12 spots a year, a rigorous research opportunity awaits with the Clark Scholars Program. Prior research experience is helpful to ensure that you’ll excel.
22. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) – A biomedical research program that pairs students with leading scientists in the field. Roughly 50 students are admitted in each class.
When to Apply to Selective Summer Programs
Most selective programs open applications in the fall and close between January and March, with decisions in the spring. RSI, TASS, and PROMYS all require essays or problem sets that take weeks to complete, and several programs ask for teacher recommendations. Start researching in September of the school year before the summer you want to attend, draft essays over winter break, and give recommenders at least a month of notice. The most selective programs, including RSI, TASS, Camp Rising Sun, and Clark Scholars, admit students on merit, so put your energy into showing genuine depth in your essays.
Summer programs undeniably have a place in many students’ paths through high school, but too often they are embraced as meaningful pursuits when in reality, they are an easy option.
Don’t be afraid to blaze your own trail when thinking about how to spend your summer. With a bit of creativity, commitment, and initiative, you can come up with independent projects that, if done well, can be more compelling than many of these summer programs. I would challenge you to find the things that excite you and use the summer to find meaningful solutions without an imposed schedule and syllabus. If you can make a tangible impact and document it somehow, these projects can be far more compelling.
Start exploring possibilities for your summer today!
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