15 Best Pre-College Summer Programs |  Ranking

College is a significant step. It brings with it new challenges, possibilities, and friends. While it may be appealing to anticipate freedom from your parents and the high school framework, such independence can be difficult to adjust to.

Furthermore, your studies are more difficult, and your decisions are more important. Plus, chances are you’ll be starting fresh when making acquaintances.

Read through!

What are Pre-College Summer Programs?

Pre-college summer programs are college-level classes designed for motivated high school students who want to get a head start on their future college careers.

Pre-college summer programs provide a wide range of benefits and opportunity for students to become acquainted with the collegiate environment. Summer programs allow students to meet new people and build lifetime friendships while experiencing college campus life and earning college credits.

High school students who opt to take part in a pre-college program learn about college-level material. In other words, they are better prepared for college life and even know how to make their college application stand out.

Pre-college programs are an innovative method for students to delve deeper into academic interests while obtaining a sense of campus life. If given the opportunity, pre-college programs can be extremely beneficial and entertaining.

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Benefits of Attending one of the best Pre-College Summer Programs

When summer arrives, many high school students fantasize about how much free time they will have. It might be time to visit friends, find a part-time job, or go camping. It’s a welcome reprieve from school and assignments and some much-needed downtime.

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But this is also a great opportunity that you will never have again. Besides relaxing and recharging your batteries, you may use your summer to learn more about college life and make important decisions about your future.

Many colleges provide a summer pre-college program for high school students. Here are five advantages of attending one:

You Get a Complete College Experience

If you’ve ever been concerned that college might not be for you, there’s no better way to test the waters than to apply to one of the best pre-college summer programs. Many colleges provide an all-around college experience.

You’ll live on campus in dorms and get your first independent life experience. You may also attend summer courses alongside students, giving you an idea of the facilities and learning opportunities available if you decide to attend college. Learning about the environment can help you make difficult college decisions in the coming years.

You Have the Opportunity to Meet New People

Attending one of the best pre-college programs could make your summer unforgettable. You’ll get to meet new people, some of whom could become friends for life. You’ll also get to meet instructors and consultants who can help you explore your options and perhaps provide references later on.

You Can Study for Your Exams

Incorporating SAT and ACT prep into the school year can be challenging. You’ll have a lot of other commitments and deadlines to consider.

In contrast, you’ll have plenty of time during the summer to truly buckle down and work for those all-important grades. Some colleges include test prep classes in their summer programs. When combined with other subjects, these courses provide a productive but enjoyable way to spend your summer.

It Maintains Mental Activity

It’s easy to get into poor habits throughout the summer. We stay up late, sleep until the afternoon, and forget much of what we learned the previous year.

A Sign-up for one of the best pre-college summer programs for high school students will keep your mind engaged and help you learn new things. This makes it much easier to get started in the fall semester. You’ll recall previous classes better and pick up new information more quickly.

You broaden your horizons and your experience

You may not have had much experience outside of your school, town, or state until this point. Attending the best pre-college program during your summer vacation is an excellent method to develop as a student.

You’ll have a lot of new adventures and meet new people from all over the country and the world while you’re away from home. All of these will help you approach life from a better perspective.

The Reality of Pre-college Summer Programs 

Although many elite universities offer the best pre-college summer programs, their selectivity, and intensity vary greatly these days.

It’s critical to understand that, in many situations, colleges lend their brands and campuses to programs run by for-profit firms to profit from otherwise idle premises over the summer.

In some cases, a single university department or division organizes programs, such as a school of professional studies, which has little to do with undergraduate academic standards and certainly no direct line to the admissions office.

While the level of education remains great, most students with solid academic records and the means to pay full-price tuition will have a good chance of acceptance into some of these programs.

Less competition is wonderful news, but it also means that attending one of the best pre-college summer programs at, say, Harvard does not offer nearly the same prestige or achievement as being admitted to Harvard.

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Will your Child’s Participation in a Summer Program at a University help him or her get into that College?

The quick answer is most likely not, at least not directly. The vast majority of the best pre-college summer programs do not influence the undergraduate admissions practices of their host college and should not be seen as a backdoor into that school.

Furthermore, except the most prominent schools, college admissions officers are fully aware of the high acceptance rates and price tags of many of the best pre-college summer programs and will not see admittance into one as a notable success. They may see it as proof that your family is wealthy.

Nonetheless, enrolling your child in a pre-college program may be worthwhile. Remember that many summer programs draw their teachers from the faculty of their host college and that even less selected programs can be academically difficult.

Furthermore, suppose your child has the option to take a course that is related to their current interests and specialties. In that case, it will show their dedication to that subject and boost the profile they attempt to establish in their college applications.

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15 Best Pre-College Summer Programs | 2023 Ranking

Summer programs allow high school students to pursue their academic interests and discover new passions. They also give high school pupils a taste of college life and the opportunity to meet students worldwide.

This article will explore the 15 best pre-college summer programs in 2023 and how to choose the proper program for you.

#1. Duke University

Duke University has one of the best pre-college summer programs in 2023. Duke’s summer programs for graduating high school students are offered in five two-week residential sessions, with commuting options available to partner schools and students.

Duke University also provides two hybrid sessions, one in residence and the other online, with the two weeks separated. The cost of these programs varies. However, depending on the chosen curriculum, they range from $3,200 to $3,400.

Duke University is a private research university that was founded in the 1830s by Quakers and Methodists.

The school’s name celebrates electric power entrepreneur James Buchanan Duke, who established the endowment today worth more than $12 billion. The school’s enrollment surpassed 16,700 students. Many publications rank Duke as one of the world’s most elite colleges.

Apply here: Duke University

#2. Cornell University

Cornell University’s School of Continuing Education (Cornell CSE) also provides one of the best pre-college summer programs for high school students (current sophomores, juniors, and seniors).

These programs allow them to experience college academics (and campus life) before beginning their freshman year. For about $4,800.00, students can enroll in one of over 50 Cornell University undergraduate classes that last three or six weeks. Cornell-acquired credits are transferable as college credits at the discretion of the respective school.

Cornell University, founded in the mid-1860s, is a private, statutory land-grant institution of higher learning.

Furthermore, the school is a sea, space, and sun grant university divided into 14 colleges and schools. Over 25,500 students take online classes in Ithaca, New York City, Qatar. Cornell University is one of only a handful of Ivy League universities in the United States.

Apply here: Cornell University

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#3. UCLA

UCLA’s Pre-college Summer Institutes program ranks high on our list of the best pre-college summer programs in 2023. Summer sessions at UCLA give undergraduate students classes for one to three weeks.

The program fee ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the student’s selections across eleven study subjects. UCLA provides merit and need-based scholarships to California high school students eligible for the program.

The UC Los Angeles campus is part of the ten-campus UC system, which was created in 1919. UCLA is a space-grant institution of higher learning with a student enrolment of over 45,500 students per year.

UCLA athletes have represented the United States in the Olympics every year except 1924, with a gold medallist in every appearance save 1932.

Apply here: UCLA

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#4. University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley has one of the best pre-college summer programs for high school students.

Summer session at Berkeley is a residential program allowing students to experience campus life while earning college credits and taking part in extracurricular excursions and activities. Residence halls are supervised and include a regular meal plan.

This wonderful summer at UC Berkeley will cost you around $15,100. Students can complete their college environment experience by attending college prep workshops.

The University of California, Berkeley is one of the world’s finest institutions of higher learning, having been founded in the 1860s and being the oldest of the UC member schools. UC Berkeley is a space-grant and statutory land-grant university with fourteen colleges and schools and about 45,000 students each year.

The university is home to several research institutions, including Math/Science and Space Sciences. Berkeley collaborates with national laboratories in California and New Mexico.

Apply here: UC Berkley

#5. Brown University

Brown University’s on-campus program gives high school students an idea of what college life is all about. Students can choose from classes that last one to six weeks. Participation in Brown’s premier pre-college program costs between $3,200 and $13,850, depending on various circumstances.

Students can experience an Ivy League environment while attending classes with students from all over the world. Brown University offers one of the best pre-college summer programs. It also provides application fee waivers and grants for this program.

Brown University is a research university that was founded in 1764, making it one of the country’s seven oldest higher education institutions.

Brown is an Ivy League and space-grant university with about 10,000 students on its urban campus or online. Brown is one of the most elite colleges, with a 5% admittance rate for first-year students. 

Apply here: Brown University

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#6. University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania summer program is among high school students’ best pre-college summer programs. This program helps students prepare for the college experience while also allowing them to choose from various on-campus coursework.

The University of Pennsylvania’s pre-college residential program allows high school students to obtain UPenn academic credit that can be put toward future college requirements. Penn’s pre-college program ranges from $13,246 to $21,114, depending on the number of courses taken over the summer.

The University of Pennsylvania is a private institution of higher learning founded by Ben Franklin in the 1750s, making it one of the country’s colonial colleges (those chartered prior to the American Revolution).

Every year, the school educates about 22,200 undergraduate and graduate students. The list of alumni from the University of Pennsylvania reads like a who’s who of politicians, scientists, and scholars.

Apply here: University of Pennsylvania

#7. University of California, Davis

 The University of California, Davis provides high school students (ages 14 to 18) with a selection of residential college-level courses that allow students to taste college before graduating from high school.

Fees and expenses for UC Davis’ pre-college program range from $6,000 to $6,600, depending on the student’s field of study, which includes environmental toxicology, theater, equine science, pre-med, coastal, and marine sciences, and innovation and entrepreneurship. UC Davis has one of the best pre-college summer programs in 2023 so far.

The University of California, Davis is a public land grant university and a Public Ivy institution of higher learning.

Every year, over 31,100 students attend UC Davis. UC Davis’ veterinary school is regarded as the best in the country and the largest school for veterinarians. The University of California Davis is the most northern of the University of California system’s 10 campuses.

Apply here: UC Davis

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#8. Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech’s College of Design (GT) offers a two-week summer pre-college design program that is offered in two sessions: June and July. Georgia Tech offers one of the best pre-college summer programs for high school students (rising junior or senior students) in building construction, architecture, music technology, or industrial design.

Each two-week workshop at Georgia Tech’s pre-college design program costs $2,300. These programs emphasize the interdependence of design, technology, and building, among other things.

Georgia Tech (previously known as the Georgia Institute of Technology) was a public university founded in the mid-1880s as part of the attempt to reconstruct the South following the Civil War.

Georgia Tech, a member of the state university system, enrolls over 35,600 students per year. The school is divided into six colleges offering scientific and technical programs and degrees.

Apply here: Georgia Tech

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#9. John Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University offers among the best pre-college program for high school students. For each of the two-week programs, Johns Hopkins offers three sessions for high school students in STEM, Preparing for College, Foundations of Medicine and Health, Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology & Brain Sciences, and Film & Media. Tuition for each course offered by Johns Hopkins University is $5,500.

Johns Hopkins University is a research university that was created in the 1870s. JHU has campuses in Maryland and Washington, D.C., as well as foreign locations in China and Italy.

Over 27,100 students take classes online or on one of JHU’s campuses every year. Johns Hopkins University is ranked among the top 10 universities in the United States and worldwide.

Apply here: John Hopkins University

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#10. Georgetown University

Georgetown University has one of the best pre-college summer programs on its Washington, DC campus. This intensive experience for high school students lasts one to eight weeks and includes a wide range of disciplines.

Some options include creative writing, biotechnology, economic policy, social justice & public policy, nursing, and advocacy leaders. Georgetown University’s pre-summer program costs roughly $6,700.

Georgetown University is a private institution. A Roman Catholic bishop founded it in the 1780s. The university is still linked with the Jesuit Christian church and has 10 graduate and undergraduate schools/colleges.

Georgetown has 18,500 students (from over 125 countries) who attend online and on-site classes in Washington, DC. Georgetown’s men’s basketball team has won eight Big East championships.

Apply here: Georgetown University

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#11. University of Texas, Austin

 The University of Texas at Austin has a residential pre-college program that offers two three-week courses to high school students each summer. Coursework options for high school students include programming, fashion, digital marketing, and sports administration, to name a few.

Tuition for commuters is around $3900, while the residential three-week residential program is around $6,999. Students in UT’s pre-college program can enjoy the amazing entertainment and attractions of Lone Star State. These summer programs record many applications and are ranked among the best pre-college summer programs in 2023.

The Austin campus of the The University of Texas System was established as a public institution of higher learning in the early 1880s.

The state’s flagship university is also a space-grant institution, with over 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled each year. UT Austin has seven libraries and seventeen laboratories.

Apply here: University of Texas

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#12. Purdue University

Purdue University’s Summer College for High School Students provides students (aged 15 and up) with access to over 600 courses from its pre-college summer programs. Purdue University’s classes are provided in 1, 4, 8, and 12-week formats to accommodate student’s busy schedules.

The curriculum costs $347.85 per credit for Indiana residents, with a set rate of 6-7 credits at $2,498, with room and board while on campus for an extra $1,469. The university boasts of having one of the best pre-college summer programs.

Purdue University is a land-grant university in West Lafayette founded by John Purdue in the late 1860s. Purdue University is also a sea-grant and space-grant institution of higher learning, with a student population approaching 50,000. Purdue graduates include over two dozen astronauts and six CEOs of Fortune 500 businesses.

Apply here: Purdue University

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#13. Emory University

Emory University’s Summer College is a residential pre-college program for rising juniors and seniors on its Atlanta campus. Students can choose between two two-week non-credit courses and two six-week college credit courses.

The college credit program costs $8,966, including the student’s meal plan and accommodation costs. Philosophy, computer science, economics, physics, drama, psychology, and dance are just a handful of the courses available to students that attend. Emory University’s summer program is one of the priciest and best pre-college summer programs for high school students.

Emory Institution, founded in the mid-1830s, is an Atlanta-based private research university. The school maintains a religious association with the Methodist Church and serves over 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students annually. Emory University is the state’s second oldest higher education school, with Mercer University founded only a few years before Emory.

Apply here: Emory University

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#14. Carnegie Mellon University

There are numerous possibilities for high school students who want to attend a pre-college program on Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh campus. Pre-college programs at CMU are available in three, four, and six-week terms.

The cost of the programs varies depending on the content and length but ranges from $9,000 to $11,630. Music, art, architecture, computer science, design, acting, and writing are just a few of the courses available for CMU’s pre-college program.

Carnegie Mellon University is a research university that was formed in 1900 as the Carnegie Technical Schools. Currently, the school’s summer programs rank as one of the best pre-college summer programs in 2023. CMU has three campuses: one in Pittsburgh, one in Silicon Valley, and one in Qatar.

Every year, Carnegie Mellon University enrolls over 15,500 undergraduate and graduate students. CMU is divided into seven colleges/schools, with its main campus roughly five miles from the city’s central business center.

Apply here: Carnegie Mellon University

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#15. Virginia Tech

 On its Blacksburg campus, Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering offers one of the best pre-college summer programs in computers and technology (known as C-Tech2) for dedicated high school students.

This Virginia Tech high school curriculum is for rising junior or senior girls. Each summer, VT provides one two-week program for around $2,000. Students take part in exciting applications to gain a new perspective on engineering. It should be noted that students can apply for need-based scholarships.

Apply here: Virginia Tech

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Virginia Tech (VPI) is a public university that was created as an agricultural and mechanical institution in the early 1870s. VT is a senior military college and a land-grant or space-grant university, with around 36,100 students annually. Virginia Tech is the state’s second-largest public institution of higher learning in terms of enrollment.

How to Choose a Summer Pre-College Program

There best pre-college summer programs are not usually easy to get. Some offer open enrollment, which means anybody may join, while others have a more stringent admissions process. While cost, length, and nature of the program are important considerations, pre-college programs can run anywhere from one to eight weeks and offer a variety of curricula and experiences.

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Conclusion

You are ultimately responsible for determining which program is the best. We can help you make an informed decision, but you must evaluate which variables are most important to you.

Many universities provide summer programs for high school students. Some are closer than others. Some cost less. You are not restricted to the programs on this list; these are simply the 15 best pre-college summer programs for high school students nationwide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

References

• Collegeconsensus.com – Top 15 best pre-college summer programs.
• Jlvcollegecounseling.com – Benefits of attending a pre-college summer program.
• Valuecolleges.com – Best pre-college summer programs

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