The Best Summer Programs for High School Students

Summer: a time to relax, lay out on the beach, and—return to the classroom?

It’s true! Intellectual exploration is not reserved for the school year alone. In fact, admissions officers are increasingly interested in how students are using their summer breaks, recognizing that, for many students, summers represent the largest amount of free time they will have during high school. With this in mind, we encourage students to use their summers to explore subjects that interest them. Budding philosophers might debate deontology and consequentialism, environmental scientists might take water samples from a polluted estuary, and mathematicians might immerse themselves in probability and graph theory. Where can they find such opportunities? For many students, the answer is summer programs or research mentorship. These programs—generally offered by colleges, educational groups, or service organizations—give students opportunities to explore fields that intrigue them, often alongside other interested peers.

SUMMER PROGRAMS: MAKE YOUR MARK

Still not sure that you want to take a break from your beach vacation to analyze dystopian literature or run biochemistry experiments? Below, we’ve listed some of the key things that make summer programs helpful in the college admissions process.

They allow you to explore (and illuminate) your interests. When you apply to college, you will generally either declare a major or express an interest in majoring in a particular field. While some potential majors (English literature, chemistry, math) may be covered by your high school curriculum, many won’t be. So how can you tell if you might like entrepreneurship, anthropology, or Renaissance art? Conducting high-level research related to that topic gives you an opportunity to dip your toes into the field and figure out if it’s the right subject for you. As a bonus: when you apply to college, this project will show admissions officers that you have explored the field and make you a more credible applicant within your stated major.

They can highlight your expertise. Each year,colleges receive tens of thousands of applications, many from students with excellent grades and test scores. Especially if you are interested in a popular subject like computer science or biology, it can be tough to stand out in such a crowded pool. Participating in a highly selective summer program related to your field of interest can make clear that you are a top candidate within this group. Admissions officers are often excited about STEM-focused students who took part in top programs like RSI, BU RISE, and Clark Scholars. Very strong creative writers might have participated in the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio or the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop or created their own portfolios through our Writing Mentorship Program. While it’s certainly possible to be a top candidate without taking part in these programs, having one or more of them on your resume will ensure your application stands out.

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They help you prepare for the upcoming school year. One great way to use your summer: to advance your work in high school. You might, for example, use the summer to push ahead in your coursework, perhaps taking a course on Algebra II during July and August so that you can place into Pre-Calculus the following fall or participating in a Spanish immersion program so that you can test into the honors-level Spanish class. You can also use summer opportunities to prepare for extracurricular success. A creative writing-focused summer program might help a budding poet generate drafts that they can polish during the upcoming year, while a historian might carry out research at a Concord Review History Camp to use as the basis for a future National History Day project.

They may give you a leg up at your dream school. Some colleges offer special admissions opportunities to students who participate in their summer programs. The University of Chicago, for instance, recently launched its Summer Session Early Notification program, allowing rising seniors who have completed a UChicago summer program to submit an Early Decision application to the school before October 15^th and hear their results within three weeks—well before other ED deadlines. High school students who participate in the Syracuse University Summer College may be eligible for guaranteed admission to Syracuse’s College of Arts and Sciences through the school’s Guaranteed Orange program. Other colleges do not offer such distinct advantages to summer students, but they do take note of applicants who have attended a program at their institution and weigh that as show of demonstrated interest when making admissions decisions.

PATH(S) TO AN IMPACTFUL SUMMER

That said, established programs are hardly the only way for students to make their mark over the summer! Students can also build their own high-impact summers by seeking out research opportunities, taking college-level courses, holding down a job, or carrying out meaningful community engagement (in addition, of course, to spending some time at the beach). If designed correctly, many of the advantages of summer programs will carry over to these self-structured summers. They key is to come up with a plan that highlights your strengths.

THE ROLE OF STUDENT RESEARCH IN COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

High school students who engage in research are 4 to 5 times more likely to gain acceptance into top universities–yet the reasons why might surprise you. Don’t miss out on our exclusive, free webinar (April 8^th, 2025, 8pm ET) where we’ll explore the advantages of STEM, humanities, and social science research for pre-college students. Join us for an insightful discussion with Maite Ballestero (Research Science Institute at MIT), and Robert Nasson (The Concord Review). Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insider tips on leveraging student research for college success!

Having trouble figuring out what your path might look like? We’re here to help!

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Dr. Eliza Fox

Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions

Eliza has years of experience at Top Tier Admissions, helping students gain admittance to top-flight colleges and pioneering the Writing Center. She holds a B.A. in English with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University, where she was a two-time recipient of Stanford’s Rebele Journalism Fellowship. She earned her MA and PhD in English Literature at the University of Virginia. Prior to working at Top Tier, Eliza taught in UVa’s English Department and its Academic and Professional Writing Program. The effectiveness of her teaching and her commitment to her students earned her multiple awards, including the All-University Graduate Teaching Award and honors from UVa’s Seven Society. Eliza’s own writing has appeared in publications ranging from academic journals to The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also has experience in publishing, digital humanities, and study abroad programming.