Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 11:41     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:No, the programs are all a money grab and do not help your child get in to the school. Period. Full stop.


The best advice is to do your homework. Some are tied to the college and taught by professors.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 11:41     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What if the kid is interesred in topics of summer course at say Duke for example and is trying to see if that is in an area she wants to major in. Can't hurt. But does it look like pay to play? It could be a way to meet faculty and speak more to it in admissions.


Summer courses for high school students are almost never taught by core faculty at top schools. It's PhD candidates and postdocs, for the most part, who have no say (or interest) in UG admissions.

But it can make sense to explore an academic interest.


Fun fact, you can meet faculty who are not actually teaching the summer course you are taking.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 11:40     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:It might. Just don’t include included on your activity list for other schools.


Disagree. If it supports the narrative that the application is telling, then include it.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 11:18     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:What if the kid is interesred in topics of summer course at say Duke for example and is trying to see if that is in an area she wants to major in. Can't hurt. But does it look like pay to play? It could be a way to meet faculty and speak more to it in admissions.


Summer courses for high school students are almost never taught by core faculty at top schools. It's PhD candidates and postdocs, for the most part, who have no say (or interest) in UG admissions.

But it can make sense to explore an academic interest.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 11:16     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
What if the kid is interesred in topics of summer course at say Duke for example and is trying to see if that is in an area she wants to major in. Can't hurt. But does it look like pay to play? It could be a way to meet faculty and speak more to it in admissions.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 11:05     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It might. Just don’t include included on your activity list for other schools.


Don’t this to this person. They were previously told they were wrong on another thread. My kid put Yake Young Global Scholars on every application.


Pre-college programs are very different than YYGS.


Yale also has a young writers workshop. Wondering if thats similar to YYGS or precollege programs
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 10:33     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:Yes, if your kid goes to the summer program AND applies ED. If applying RD, the school will know that it was not your kid's first choice and will wonder if they actually want to go there (and if not, why did they not apply ED or even ED2).

But applying ED itself is already the strongest demonstration of interest!

Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 10:31     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It might. Just don’t include included on your activity list for other schools.


Don’t this to this person. They were previously told they were wrong on another thread. My kid put Yake Young Global Scholars on every application.


Pre-college programs are very different than YYGS.


This! FFS. I am not saying I agree or disagree with having these programs on your application, but YYGS is not a typical pre-college program.


Disagree. It's competitive admission, but still pay to play. Just like the Wharton/ Georgetown/ MIT ones.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 09:54     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It might. Just don’t include included on your activity list for other schools.


Don’t this to this person. They were previously told they were wrong on another thread. My kid put Yake Young Global Scholars on every application.


Pre-college programs are very different than YYGS.


This! FFS. I am not saying I agree or disagree with having these programs on your application, but YYGS is not a typical pre-college program.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 09:51     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I personally know of students at both Wash U and Tufts that did the summer programs.


Did they apply RD?


Mine applied RD, did not do any programs and was admitted to both of those schools.


Mine also got into 2 of the 3 mentioned by OP, in RD, did not apply to the third.
Summers were competitive-entry programs, such as funded gov school and similar, not pricey college programs
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 09:50     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Cherubs at NU matters.
The other NU "pre-college" programs are a joke.

WUSTL and Tufts pre-college aren't selective at all. Better to do something else with your summer.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 09:48     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:I am aware that pricey pay-to-play research programs are disparaged by some. My question is more strategic: If your kid does a pre-college program at a school like Northwestern, Tufts, Wash U, does that help to show demonstrated interest for purposes of applying regular? In asking, I am considering the courses that you sign up for (not the research programs that have a competitive application process since those are competitive and you are likely to apply to multiple research programs since they are hard to get).

(I know that visiting shows demonstrated interest. Why wouldn't going for a summer course also demonstrate that interest?)


Doubt it moves the needle. Do ED if you really want those schools. If the student is truly ivy level they can get into T11-20 private schools in RD, and an ivy or T10 if they get lucky. This tier does not significantly use DI, other than Chicago's ED0 program which is different
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 06:39     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I personally know of students at both Wash U and Tufts that did the summer programs.


Did they apply RD?


Mine applied RD, did not do any programs and was admitted to both of those schools.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 06:36     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:I personally know of students at both Wash U and Tufts that did the summer programs.


Did they apply RD?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 05:59     Subject: Does going to a summer program help show Demonstrated Interest at Top 20/30 (but not Ivy) schools?
Anonymous wrote:No, the programs are all a money grab and do not help your child get in to the school. Period. Full stop.
+1