Admissions officers at elite colleges can tell a lot about an applicant by how they choose to spend their summers. While the school year is structured around required courses and programmed extracurricular activities, summer is a blank slate—what students do when they are not obligated to attend classes can convey what they truly care about, demonstrate their motivation and drive, and illuminate the kind of community member they will be on their future college campus.
Your summer activities will contribute to your admissions profile starting the summer following ninth grade. As admissions officers examine your summer involvements, they want to know: How will you spend your free time in college? Will you pursue research, join student organizations, seek out leadership roles? How have you used your time outside of the classroom to prepare for study in your discipline? Have you used your time to contribute positively to your community or field of interest?
A strong summer experience—especially one that is academic and rigorous—can help answer these questions in a compelling way.
What Types Of Summer Programs Stand Out To Admissions Officers?
When selecting a summer program, it is important to note that not all academic summer programs will have the same impact on your college applications. Academic programs can be separated into two categories: pre-college and merit-based. Merit-based programs are highly selective, requiring students to apply and be admitted based on their academic credentials, essays, and sometimes even test scores. Accepting a small fraction of applicants each cycle, some of these programs are more competitive than the Ivy League itself, and students should approach the application in a similar manner to the college application process by applying to a range of safety, match, and reach programs. Because of their rigor and prestige, these programs tend to be well funded, offering generous scholarship and aid packages for admitted students. Admissions officers hold these programs in high regard because they signal that a student’s academic ability has been evaluated and recognized by a third-party institution.
Pre-college programs, on the other hand, are typically hosted by universities and open to a wider range of students, functioning more like a paid college preview experience. These programs allow students to experience life on a college campus, take courses taught by university faculty, and get a feel for college-level academics. However, unlike merit-based programs, pre-college programs are usually tuition-based, meaning students pay to attend, and they do not employ a rigorous selection process. This means that while these programs might be useful for freshmen and sophomores who want to experience “college” for the first time, they will not carry the same weight in the admissions process and are not advisable for juniors and seniors who want to illustrate their academic credentials through their summer involvements.
Why Should You Participate In A Merit-Based Summer Program?
Merit-based academic summer programs are an excellent way for students to dive deeper into their subject of interest, prepare for collegiate coursework, and distinguish themselves in the admissions process. These programs offer structured learning opportunities beyond what a high school curriculum can offer and showcase to colleges that a student is a proactive and independent learner. Here are the three main reasons that students should apply for merit-based summer programs:
1. Targeted Opportunities For Learning In Your Field
One of the greatest advantages of an academic summer program is that it gives you the chance to delve deeper into a subject beyond what is offered in a traditional high school curriculum. While your school might offer advanced courses such as AP physics or anatomy and physiology, prestigious summer programs allow you to tailor your learning to a specific subfield such as astrophysics, creative writing, international relations, or biomedical research through specialized coursework. Further, these programs are often instructed by researchers and faculty members who are leaders in their respective fields, meaning that students are engaging with topics in the most challenging and cutting-edge ways available to them. Finally, unlike high school coursework, merit-based summer programs also provide students with critical opportunities to engage with their interests in hands-on ways, which is invaluable experience to add to college applications.
2. Third-Party Validation Of A Student’s Academic Potential
Applicant pools at top universities are full of valedictorians and students in the top 10% of their graduating class. A merit-based summer program can set you apart by showing that your academic skills are not just validated by your local school ecosystem, but have been evaluated and esteemed by a third-party committee of experts evaluating a selective applicant pool. Admissions officers take note when they see that a student has been selected for a prestigious, merit-based summer program because it signals that they have met high academic standards and excelled in a competitive applicant pool.
3. Network With Students And Faculty In Your Discipline
Finally, attending a prestigious merit-based summer program is a fantastic way to begin building a network of peers, faculty members, and researchers in your field of study. While attending such a program will not inherently increase your odds of admission at the school that hosts the program, it may boost your odds of admissions by providing you with a recommender who is well-known and well-respected in the discipline. However, students should keep in mind that the benefits of these programs are proportional to their active participation in them. Students should be intentional about making their mark on the program, speaking up in group discussions, building relationships with instructors and researchers, and following up with their contacts after their program concludes.
Which Summer Programs Can You Still Apply To?
Though deadlines for most rigorous programs fall in January and early February, there are some merit-based programs that are still accepting applications. If you want to pursue a prestigious academic experience this summer, consider applying to one of these programs before it’s too late.
- Harvard Ventures-TECH Summer Program
- Ideal for: Students interested in start-ups who want to complete an internship
- Dates: Two, six-week summer sessions:
- Session I: June 9-July 18, 2025
- Session II: July 7-Aug. 15, 2025
- Location: Online
- Eligibility: Ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders and international students
- Deadlines:
- Early Admission: Feb. 28, 2025
- Regular Admission: April 14, 2025
- Wharton Leadership in the Business World
- Ideal for: Students interested in core business subjects and research-based theories of leadership.
- Dates:
- June 8-June 28, 2025
- June 29-July 19, 2025
- July 20-August 9, 2025
- Location: UPenn Campus
- Eligibility: 11th graders with an 3.5 unweighted GPA or higher
- Deadlines:
- Priority Deadline: Jan. 29, 2025
- Final Deadline: April 2, 2025
- The Management & Technology Summer Institute
- Ideal for: Students interested in exploring the integration of technological concepts and management principles.
- Dates: July 6-26, 2025
- Location UPenn Campus
- Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and select juniors
- Deadlines:
- Priority Deadline: Jan. 29, 2025
- Final Deadline: April 2, 2025
- John Locke Institute
- Topics vary by campus. Ideal for students interested in:
- Oxford: Philosophy, politics, economics, history, law, and psychology.
- Princeton: Public Policy and Criminal Justice
- Georgetown: Global Affairs
- Nanjing: Economics and Finance
- Dates:
- Oxford: July 13-26; Aug. 3-16, 2025
- Princeton: July 20-Aug. 2, 2025
- Georgetown: July 20- Aug. 2, 2025
- Singapore: Dec. 14-20, 2025
- Nanjing: July 1-8, 2025
- Locations: Princeton Campus, Oxford Campus, Georgetown Campus, Nanjing, China
- Eligibility: Range varies by location:
- Oxford: Students ages 15-19
- Princeton: Students ages 16-20
- Georgetown: Students ages 16-20
- Nanjing: Students ages 13-18
- Deadline:
- Topics vary by campus. Ideal for students interested in:
- UCSB Research Mentorship Program
- Ideal for: Students interested in hands-on, interdisciplinary, university-level research.
- Dates: June 16-Aug. 1, 2025
- Location: UC Santa Barbara Campus
- Eligibility: High school students in 10th or 11th grade with a minimum 3.8 weighted GPA
- Deadline: March 17, 2025
For students who want to take advantage of the critical summer months to stand out to top colleges, now is the time to prepare their applications and secure their spot at a merit-based summer program. Doing so could make all the difference in your odds of acceptance at your dream college.