The answer depends on what kind of program you’re talking about. Most pre-college programs fall into one of two categories.
The first is open enrollment. These programs often happen at well-known universities and use their name and cachet heavily in their marketing (e.g., Summer Discovery programs). Anyone who can pay the tuition gets in, and that tuition is often high.
The second is application-based and highly selective based on academic record and demonstrated interest. These programs are typically free (e.g., MIT’s Research Science Institute).
The selectivity of the latter category carries real weight when it appears on a student’s future college application. But the value of programs in the first category can be murkier.
For starters, an open-enrollment, pay-to-attend program that is held on a name-brand university’s campus does not mean that the university is endorsing it. Many of these pre-college programs are run by a separate continuing education office, not the university’s admissions department. Admissions officers who review college applications know this. When they see that an applicant has participated in a program that accepts anyone who can pay full tuition, admissions officers may not view that as evidence of anything other than the student’s ability to afford such a program.
This doesn’t mean that open-enrollment programs don’t have value. These can be worth the cost if they help you go deeper into a subject you care deeply about. If a class on urban policy sharpens a general interest into a sharp point-of-view, that’s a real outcome. It can show up genuinely as part of a “why I want to study this major at this institution” essay on an application. But it’s important to do your research to ensure that an open-enrollment program has the kind of rigor that can deliver that outcome. Asking these questions can help you gauge the value of a pre-college program, whether it costs a fortune or not.
Is it led by professors?
Does it support independent work instead of a pre-packaged itinerary?
Is the advising and feedback specific enough to push your thinking in a new direction?
If you’re a student who doesn’t qualify for a highly selective pre-college program but can’t afford an open-enrollment program, you can still take part in experiences that bolster your applications. For example, if you’re interested in pursuing a government major, attend a city council meeting and write up what you learn. If you want to learn about public health, volunteer at a food pantry and pay attention to the logistics behind it. If you’d like to study journalism, do some reporting on your own and submit the article to a local publication. All you need is a clear idea and the commitment to produce a meaningful outcome.
