If you’re a high school student interested in enhancing your academic profile, consider participating in a pre-college program!
Pre-college programs are educational experiences that will allow you to explore subjects you’re interested in, gain essential skills, experience college life, and maybe even earn some college credit along the way! If you're still undecided about your college major or haven't narrowed down your top university choices, a pre-college summer program can help you figure out if a specific field is the right fit for you!
In this blog, we have reviewed some of the best pre-college summer programs for high school students by considering the following criteria:
- University rankings: The programs included in this list are from some of the best universities in the United States based on their rankings. The acceptance rate for a university’s undergraduate admissions also helps narrow down the most prestigious universities.
- Cost: The most prestigious programs are often offered free of cost, which makes the selection process extremely rigorous and merit-based. Even though most of the programs included in this list are not free of cost, they are offered by renowned universities in the country.
- Competitiveness: The competitiveness of a program is all about having a low acceptance rate, which means that getting accepted to the program is a strong indication of your ability as a student. Even though the acceptance rate isn't a direct measure of how competitive something is, it still provides some valuable insights for assessment.
- Prestige: Pre-college programs do not have ‘high prestige’ value on their own. It’s the highly selective or selective programs that will help boost your academic profile. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t consider them at all! These programs can give you a head start on your credit requirements, help build your skill set, and supplement your learning.
Let’s dive in!
1. MITES Summer
Subject Areas: STEM fields— math, science, architecture, machine learning, genomics, and more.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free for all accepted participants. Students will be required to pay for their transportation to and from MIT.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: Six weeks from late June to early August; TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Current U.S. high school juniors can apply.
MITES Summer is a pre-college program offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which allows high school students to take up to 5 rigorous, college-level courses in math, science, and humanities over 6 weeks. This program aims to help students develop their academic, research, critical thinking, and personal skills.
The program will allow you to attend sessions, discussions, and a 1:1 guidance program with top mentors in STEM. You will also tour MIT labs and local companies that employ MITES alumni. Additionally, you will engage in seminars with STEM professionals and benefit from college admissions counseling. You will learn the importance of STEM as a solution to real-world challenges, and work with your STEM knowledge to build a better world. At the end of the program, you will receive a comprehensive report from your instructor highlighting your strengths, areas of improvement, skills, and contributions to the class that can help you draft a solid college application and boost your academic profile.
Subject Areas: Environmental health and engineering, behavioral economics, psychology, international relations, neuroscience, data science, machine learning, network science, biophysics, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, history, philosophy, political theory, sociology, and more!
Location: Virtual
Cost: You can contact them for more information regarding tuition and questions about need-based financial aid.
Application Deadline: May 21, 2024, for the summer cohort and September 25, 2024, for the fall cohort.
Dates:
- Summer seminar: June 24–September 2, 2024
- Fall seminar: October 23, 2024–February 19, 2025
- The dates are flexible for Horizon Labs, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and college applications. You can apply here!
Subject Areas: STEM fields, arts, speech, writing, literature, psychology, medicine, public health, law, politics, media, journalism, philosophy, history, business and leadership, ethics, and sociology.
Location: Harvard University campus in Cambridge, MA
Cost: $5,550 + $75 application fee. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline:
- Early Application Deadline: January 8, 2025
- Regular Application Deadline: February 12, 2025
- Late Application Deadline: April 9, 2025
Dates:
- Session I: June 22–July 3, 2025
- Session II: July 6–18, 2025
- Session III: July 20–August 1, 2025
Eligibility: Students aged 16–19 years old who will graduate high school in 2026 or 2027 can apply.
Harvard’s Pre-College Program for high school students is an intensive two-week summer program designed to give you a glimpse of college life. You will live on the Harvard campus during your two-week session while taking a college-level course with the other students. Per session, you can choose any one of over 30 available college-level non-credit courses, which cover subjects in STEAM, business, humanities, business and economics, and sociology, among other fields, taught by Harvard-affiliated instructors. If you are interested in more than one course, you can participate in multiple sessions. Each course will typically have 12 to 18 students and you’ll be expected to be in class for 3 hours every day, engaging in discussions and presenting your research.
Outside of class, you'll have 2 to 4 hours of homework, and the rest of your time can be spent on fun stuff like field trips, dance lessons, arts and crafts, and talent shows. You’ll also get to participate in college readiness activities that include workshops on how to write college admissions essays, seminars on understanding the financial aid process, and panels on how to choose the right college. At the end of the program, you will receive a Harvard transcript. You can also get a written evaluation from the course instructor, which will be a great addition to your college application.
You can check out the different summer opportunities available at Harvard here.
Subject Areas: Business, biology, engineering, social science, writing, computer science, design, humanities, social justice, mathematics, philosophy, physical and earth science.
Location: Virtual (synchronous lectures)
Cost: $3,050; some courses may require the purchase of additional materials such as course readers or textbooks. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: March 29, 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: Multiple sessions were available in 2024; TBA for 2025
- Session 1: June 17–June 28, 2024
- Session 2: July 8–July 19, 2024
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 8–11 can apply. Some courses are restricted to certain grade level ranges.
Stanford University’s Pre-College Summer Institutes offer a 2-week virtual program, open to high school students across the world, that focuses on intensive study in one online course through in-depth academic exploration. You can choose from 60 online summer courses available across disciplines including computer science, math, creative writing, social justice, philosophy, engineering, and more. These courses are ungraded and are not awarded credit and you can attend only one course per summer.
During the program, you will meet with instructors for two hours every day from Monday–Friday for live online classes. Additionally, you will get to engage in out-of-class learning assignments designed for your chosen course. Seminars, workshops, and activities are also available for you to participate in your free time. At the end of the program, you will get a written evaluation and a certificate of completion. The program accepts only 16 students per class.
Note: Before applying to the course, please make sure that you can make arrangements to meet the technical requirements for this program.
Subject Areas: Science, technology, philosophy, literature, politics, law, economics, global challenges, and culture.
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $6,500 for a 2-week session + a $75–$90 non-refundable application fee. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis:
- Early action deadline: October 20, 2024
- Regular decision deadline: January 10, 2025
Dates: Residential sessions will be available in June, July, and August 2025:
- Session I: June 22–July 4, 2025
- Session II: July 6–July 18, 2025
- Session III: July 20–August 1, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors aged 16–18 years by July 20, 2025, graduating in May/June 2026 or 2027 can apply. Students must be first-time participants in YYGS.
Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) is an academic enrichment program for academically motivated high school students providing them with a glimpse of college life. During the program, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a STEM, social sciences, humanities, or cross-disciplinary track. You’ll get to work with a different group of peers and learning contexts, allowing for a wide range of peer-to-peer interactions.
This program will expose you to a college-like environment, with academic courses, social activities, and collaborative learning experiences with other participants. You will also have an opportunity to brainstorm and explore a collaborative project under the mentorship of YYGS staff. An acceptance from YYGS reflects highly upon your student profile, as the program is competitive, with an acceptance rate of 18-20%, with applicants from around the world. YYGS also hosts webinars on college admissions, tuition, academics, and more! You can either attend these sessions live or watch their recordings later. You can check them out here.
You can read about some of the best opportunities available at Yale here.
6. Summer@Brown
Subject Areas: Biological and natural sciences, research, business, economics, legal studies, engineering, technology, languages, literature, writing, communications, medical and health sciences, physical sciences, math, political science, philosophy, history, psychology, social sciences, and arts.
Location: Brown University campus in Providence, RI. Hybrid and virtual course options are also available.
Cost: Ranges from $2,816 to $9,870 depending on the session and duration of the course selected. You can check here for a detailed breakdown of the costs. Scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: May 10, 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: Vary depending on the course selected but one to six-week sessions are available in June and July.
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12 and aged 14–18 years can apply.
Brown University’s Pre-College Programs offer high school students the opportunity to experience college-level courses spanning various fields such as biological and natural sciences, business, economics, philosophy, legal studies, literature, writing and communications, psychology, physical sciences, math, politics, arts, engineering, and technology. It is meant for high school students who want to experience college-level academics without the pressure of grades and credits. You can check out the complete course catalog here. As a Summer@Brown participant, you can choose from their catalog of 300+ non-credit courses, engage in community activities, college-readiness workshops, and more! Outside of class, you’ll participate in workshops, activities, and events.
For each course, you will attend classes for three hours every day five days a week. You are supposed to put in three additional hours of out-of-class work on your own or with other classmates. You will also be involved in class discussions, group work, and individual study. You will receive a certificate of completion after completing the course and if you complete a 2-week or longer course, you’ll be eligible to receive a course performance report as well. You can also opt for course-based research experiences, which will involve proposing, developing, and presenting your research projects.
You can check out the different summer opportunities available at Brown University here.
Subject Areas: STEM fields—math and science, college application preparation, and more.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free for all accepted participants
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: June 22–August 3, 2024 (6 weeks); TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Current high school juniors can apply.
Carnegie Mellon University offers a 6-week pre-college program for high school students interested in STEM-related research. As a SAMS student, you will be exposed to and taught essential skills in the field of STEM research virtually before the program starts. During the program, you will engage in a rigorous curriculum taught by CMU faculty and staff. You will also participate in seminars, discussions, lab sessions, and meetings before attending the program's conclusion at the symposium in August.
You will attend quantitative and computational skill seminars in math and science and receive guidance on a STEM-related project from a STEM faculty member and/or graduate student. You will also participate in writing workshops with a focus on college application preparation. The program will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of STEM via traditional classroom instruction, hands-on projects, and interaction with faculty and staff mentors.
The program is fully funded and highly selective, with an acceptance rate of approximately 7% and only 110 spots available.
Subject Areas: Agriculture, life sciences, anthropology, arts, architecture, economics, management, astronomy, ecology, biology, chemistry, communication, computer science, earth, and atmospheric sciences, engineering, government, history, law, linguistics, mathematics, music, physics, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and more.
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Online courses are also available.
Cost:
- Tuition is $1,840 per credit.
- Some online courses may also charge nonrefundable course fees to cover mandatory items such as reading materials or course supplies.
- Financial aid is available.
- Cornell tuition does not include textbooks for the class.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines are available in May and June depending on the session selected.
Dates: Multiple three- and six-week sessions were available in 2024: June 3–June 21 | June 24–July 12 | July 15–August 2 | June 24–August 6. Dates TBA for 2025.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply. Students must be at least 15 years old to attend online summer courses and at least 16 years old to attend on-campus summer commuter courses.
Cornell University's School of Continuing Education (SCE) offers pre-college commuter and online summer courses to help high school students worldwide get a head start on college. As a participant in this program, you’ll have the opportunity to earn 3–8 credits, which can be transferred toward a degree at Cornell or elsewhere, and you’ll receive a Cornell transcript upon completing the program. You will get to attend a college-level class, enhance your college application, and earn college credits.
For the commuter session, only 6-week courses are available but you can choose between a 3-week and a 6-week course for the online session. You will have to choose from over 100 regular undergraduate Cornell courses in fields including architecture and arts, social change, business, hospitality, international relations, health, science and technology, veterinary medicine, and more. The online courses are conducted via the web-based learning system Canvas and involve interaction with the instructor and other participants via email, discussion boards, chat rooms, video conferences, and/or phone.
Subject Areas: SAT/ACT preparation, college preparation and application writing, time management, and goal-setting exercises.
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free for all accepted participants. The university will pay for transportation to and from campus for participants coming from outside of Southern California.
Application Deadline: January 12, 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: July 15–August 3, 2024; TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Current U.S. high school juniors with a 4.0 weighted GPA or above with demonstrated financial need can apply.
The Bovard Scholars program at the University of Southern California is for high-achieving students from all over the country. It aims to help them improve their critical thinking skills, research abilities, and career goals along with assisting them with college application preparation. This is a 3-week residential program with a student-to-staff ratio of 3:1.
During the program, you will be assigned a coach to guide you through application processes at different universities, competitive exam prep, as well as career guidance even after the program ends. The program will also allow you to participate in social events with industry leaders, group activities, scholarship databases, and goal-setting exercises. For most activities, you will work in small groups except for some exercises, such as your career self-assessment, where you will work independently. On Saturday mornings, you will get to take a full-length practice exam to simulate the real exam process. You will also have the opportunity to participate in panel discussions with current students and recent graduates, as well as visit workplaces that align with your career interests at innovative companies in the Los Angeles area.
Subject Areas: Chemistry, physics, history, psychology, languages, mathematics, and statistics.
Location: In-person commuter program at Columbia University campus, New York, NY
Cost: Tuition is $2,474 per point + a non-refundable $80 application fee. You can check here for a detailed breakdown of the costs.
Application Deadline: Applications are closed for 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: This is an in-person commuter program with two sessions available:
- Summer Session A: May 20–June 28, 2024
- Summer Session B: July 1–August 9, 2024
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors can apply.
Columbia University’s College Edge program offers high school students the opportunity to gain college experience by enrolling in university courses to earn credit alongside undergraduate students. The program is designed to prepare you for both college and your future careers through coursework and college preparation workshops.
During this program, you can choose from a variety of college-level courses including fields such as chemistry, physics, history, psychology, languages, mathematics, and statistics. You can enroll in a maximum of 6 points during the program. Classes will be conducted on campus, and you should allocate two to three hours for studying outside of class for every hour spent in class. You will also get to attend seminars, workshops, and lectures to prepare for college and career, develop leadership skills, and make connections with peers from all over the world.
Columbia University also offers other high school programs that you can explore here! Some of these are academic enrichment programs where you’ll be able to learn without the pressure of grades or credits.
Subject Areas: STEM fields, psychology, brain sciences, film and media, medicine, humanities, and social science.
Location: In-person at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Virtual options are also available.
Cost: $6,065 (Residential) | $4,660 (Commuter) | $1,950 (Online). Scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: Multiple in-person and online sessions were available in 2024; TBA for 2025
- In-person sessions: June 24–July 4 | July 8–July 18 | July 22–August 1
- Online sessions: June 24–July 5 | July 8–July 19 | July 22–August 2
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12 with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher can apply. International students must check the admissions guide before applying.
Johns Hopkins University’s Pre-College Summer Programs offer high school students an opportunity to learn from Hopkins’ instructors and connect with academically motivated students worldwide. In this two-week program, you will get to enroll in the course of your choice in various fields including medicine, neuroscience, psychology, social sciences, film, media, or more to gain college-level knowledge and skills, boost your college applications, and earn academic credit (1 credit per program).
If you choose to participate in the on-campus program (residential or commuter), you will attend instructor-led morning lectures followed by afternoon outings, presentations by guest speakers, and other social and educational activities outside the class. You could also opt for the self-paced online program which is conducted via a mix of asynchronous lectures and scheduled live interactions by the instructor. You will be expected to spend about 15 hours per week to complete the program. Some courses may have specific prerequisites, so you should consider checking out the on-campus course catalog and the online course list before applying.
Subject Areas: College preparation, design, leadership, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Location: Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Cost: Free for all accepted participants.
Application Deadline: Applications are closed for 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: July 14–July 20, 2024; TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be current high school sophomores, who are at least 15 years old.
- Attend a rural or small-town high school in the United States.
Washington University’s Rural Scholars Academy is a pre-college scholarship program that aims to support students from rural backgrounds in their journey at Washington University. The program runs for a week, exposing you to the fundamentals of design thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving, all skills essential for a successful college career. You will also be expected to attend discussion sessions, lectures, and hands-on activities, and get to develop your interpersonal, leadership, and academic skills in the process.
During the program, you will get to explore the process for highly selective university admissions with the guidance of WashU admissions officers. You will have the opportunity to explore various academic and professional development options in an urban setting through group activities, including social events, that highlight the city of St. Louis. The program will also allow you to participate in a design thinking workshop where you’ll learn hands-on methods for understanding people, synthesizing gathered information, identifying opportunities for design, prototyping, and communicating key concepts.
Subject Areas: Sciences, mathematics, arts, humanities, languages, engineering, social sciences, media, communication, and more.
Location: In-person at the University of California, Berkeley, CA. Virtual options are also available.
Cost:
- Virtual and Commuter tracks: $1,213 + $25 application fee. There is an additional $500 service fee for international students.
- Residential track: $15,800 for the 8-week session and $14,500 for a 6-week session + a $25 application fee.
Application Deadline: March 11, 2024, for the residential program and June 3, 2024, for virtual and commuter programs. Dates TBA for 2025.
Dates:
- Residential programs: June 16–August 9, 2024 | June 30–August 9, 2024
- Virtual and Commuter programs: Multiple sessions were available in 2024 between June 17 and July 19 with varying course lengths.
Eligibility: Students at least 16 years old who have completed grades 10 or 11 with an overall B average (3.0, weighted or unweighted) can apply.
UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars Program offers high school students the opportunity to enroll in college-level courses and earn credits alongside other UC Berkeley students. All options (residential, commuter, and virtual) are open to domestic and international high school students. The courses include topics from various disciplines such as arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM. You can check out the course catalog here.
In the residential or commuter track, you will take two courses offered through Berkeley Summer Sessions and have the option to participate in extracurricular activities, excursions, a scavenger hunt, and an exploratory workshop series delivered by admissions professionals. In the virtual track, you will take courses and participate in online extracurricular activities and events that will give you a chance to expand your personal and social horizons, learn practical information, and prepare for college.
Whether you’re looking for the next set of courses beyond your high school offerings, exploring a possible college major, or seeking to learn something new in your chosen field, this program will help you boost your academic profile.
Subject Areas: Biology, biotechnology, media, writing, psychology, economics, neuroscience, politics, coding, mathematics, physics, philosophy, data science, engineering, and public policy.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $8,600 (Residential) | $5,850 (Commuter). Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: June 17–July 5, 2024 | July 10–July 26, 2024; TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors at least 14 years old can apply.
University of Chicago’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program offers high school students the opportunity to enroll in undergraduate-level courses. You will get to learn from faculty, researchers, and other professionals by participating in workshop discussions, research projects, and other hands-on activities. This 3-week program accepts both domestic and international students. During the program, you will get to explore a topic of interest in detail as well as interact with faculty, researchers, and other professionals who will guide you through workshop discussions, research projects, and other hands-on activities related to your chosen course.
You can choose from a variety of courses spanning several fields, including creative writing, biology, biotechnology, film, media, developmental psychology, economics, neuroscience, physics, mathematics, law, philosophy, data science, molecular engineering, public policy, politics, and more.
Subject Areas: Experimental psychology, medicine, creative writing, and business.
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Cost: There is a $50 application fee and a $60 service fee for all participants.
- Residential: $5,212 (program fee) + $1,713 (room and board)
- Commuter: $5,212 (program fee) + $250.50 (lunch)
You can check out the Tuition & Payment page for a detailed breakdown of fees. Financial aid is not available.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all slots are filled.
Dates: Vary depending on the course and session selected; TBA for 2025
- Introduction to Experimental Psychology & Business: June 30–July 19, 2024 (Residential) | July 1–July 19, 2024 (Commuter)
- Introduction to Medicine & Creative Writing: July 21–August 9, 2024 (Residential) | July 22–August 9, 2024 (Commuter)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors in high school can apply.
Boston University’s Academic Immersion (AIM) is a 3-week program that allows high school students to engage in intensive courses in their field of interest. Courses are available on topics such as Introduction to Experimental Psychology, Business, Introduction to Medicine, and Creative Writing. AIM tracks are designed to integrate theoretical classroom learning with practical applications through various activities such as field trips, guest speaker sessions, and collaborative group projects. These experiences offer valuable insight into potential career paths, allowing you to gain a more comprehensive understanding of your field of study and future professional opportunities.
During the weekday, you’ll attend classes in the morning and experiential learning activities in the afternoon. Weeknights will be free for you to do your homework, participate in impromptu activities, and spend time with your peers until curfew. You can also participate in additional social activities such as practicing their musical instruments, playing sports at FitRec, or exploring Boston with other pre-college students.
Subject Areas: Business, entrepreneurship, economics, creative and performing arts, engineering, computer science, film, television, media, fine arts, architecture, design, humanities, social sciences, international affairs, politics, sciences, nanotechnology, and theater.
Location: University of California campus, Los Angeles, CA. Hybrid and virtual course options are also available.
Cost: Varies depending on the course selected but ranges from $1,399 to $7,142. You can check out the fee structure for different courses here. Needs- and merit-based scholarships are available.
Application Deadline: June 1, 2024; TBA for 2025
Dates: Sessions of varying lengths are available between June and August.
Eligibility: Students at least 15 years old in grades 9–12 with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher can apply. Please check the specific pre-college summer institute page for specific requirements.
UCLA’s Precollege Summer Institutes provide motivated and driven high school students the opportunity to earn college credit in one to three weeks while advancing their academic career and abilities in an area of study of their interest. Through co-curricular activities such as hands-on projects, performances, field visits, and guest lectures, you will gain a comprehensive and immersive understanding of your chosen subject beyond traditional classroom learning.
Course options are available across fields such as performing, visual, and creative arts, nanoscience, computer science, AI, content creation, design—costume, lighting, and sound, engineering, economics, environmental engineering, film and television, game design, dance, mock trial, investments, musical theater, international studies, political science, and more! Although these pre-college institutes aren’t particularly selective, they do offer an immersive experience in your chosen field along with an opportunity to interact with professionals at the top of their fields.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.