It is not only the prestigious programs that provide a bump. Many of the serious summer programs that have costs CAN provide a bump for the right student WHO DOES WELL ENOUGH TO MERIT A BOISTEROUS RECOMMENDATION from the summer instructor.

Further, a student with a lowish HS GPA and a higher SAT score, who manages to get an A in a serious summer college course (think Calc I or Mock trial) can show they can preform independently.

However, these limited types of bumps are NO WAY big enough to alter the admissions balance in a top 25 school.

"But, they just don't provide a bump for college admissions."

Some do and some dont pp as evidenced above already. You may want to read the thread

Anonymous wrote:I would venture to say that a truly prestigious program like Telluride or NSLI-Y would carry more weight than a costly summer non credit-granting pre-college program

+1 The basic rule is that if it is national and free, then it is well-regarded by elite college admissions officers. So Telluride, NSLI-Y, MIT's MITES and RSI, etc. get attention. Except for NSLI-Y and Telluride, the rest are STEM oriented. Governors Schools and Boys/Girls State are great but not ultra-competitive or prestigious.

The other pre-college programs can be fantastic learning experiences, a lot of fun for students, and a great chance to be independent. Back in the day, my pre-college summer program was a chance to do everything unsupervised teens do and a lot of it. I don't know if a couple thousand dollars spent on a summer program would be better than scooping ice cream at Baskin-Robbins, but it sure beats sitting at home playing video games. But, they just don't provide a bump for college admissions. They are money makers targeted to students from families with enough money to pay (though some discounts/scholarships/financial aid are available). Believe them when they say they have absolutely no connection/influence with the college admissions office.

My DD participated in the Vanderbilt Summer Academy and it was competitive to get in:
https://pty.vanderbilt.edu/pty/students/vsa/

I will say that my daughter was turned off by an admissions session they held during the program where they kept saying acceptance into the summer program did NOT mean students would get preference for college admissions. She wasn't thinking that but it actually made her dislike the school and cross them off her list because they were a bit rude about it. That being said, she loved the whole program and her course, which was with a faculty member in the department of her intended major. DD was a good candidate for admissions so I'm a little sad that the admissions team felt the need to hit the point home so hard - it had the opposite effect for her and she never applied.

Anonymous wrote:New Poster addressing OP. My DC took a Summer at Brown Course between junior and senior year and it was a very valuable and enjoyable experiemce. DC did a three week class in existential philosophy taught by chair of the department. The reading load was heavy, but there was not much stress because it was not an official course to go on a transcript. DC made fast friends with bright kids with similar interests - not many high schoolers today consider philosophy as a major. Four years later, he is still in touch with a couple of them. The teacher treated the kids like college students -- challenging them in class. The TAs graded their papers like Those of college students. The experience was good for us as parents - we saw D.C. Liked the environment. It built up D.C.'s confidence that ivy lesgue level work was within DC's reach. D.C. decided to apply early at a different ivy he preferred to Brown. OP, I say go for it.

This sounds amazing and so worthwhile. Thanks for posting (I'm not the OP but I am very interested in positive stories like this one!)

New Poster addressing OP. My DC took a Summer at Brown Course between junior and senior year and it was a very valuable and enjoyable experiemce. DC did a three week class in existential philosophy taught by chair of the department. The reading load was heavy, but there was not much stress because it was not an official course to go on a transcript. DC made fast friends with bright kids with similar interests - not many high schoolers today consider philosophy as a major. Four years later, he is still in touch with a couple of them. The teacher treated the kids like college students -- challenging them in class. The TAs graded their papers like Those of college students. The experience was good for us as parents - we saw D.C. Liked the environment. It built up D.C.'s confidence that ivy lesgue level work was within DC's reach. D.C. decided to apply early at a different ivy he preferred to Brown. OP, I say go for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is a rising 10th grader and has 6 college credits and a 4.0 average on a college transcript from the last two summers. It will definitely go on her ap. Certainly an indication that she can handle a college course. Better than an interesting job or an outward bound trek though..no but that is what my kid was interested in doing.

I thought the college credits were only given out to actual high schoolers, from summer after 9th on?

Colleges generally won't consider anything that happens before 9th grade.,

Well the credits are on a UMd transcript. They are real.

PP can you tell us which courses? I am looking at the music week for one of my kids and the politics / international relations for the other kid. Thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is a rising 10th grader and has 6 college credits and a 4.0 average on a college transcript from the last two summers. It will definitely go on her ap. Certainly an indication that she can handle a college course. Better than an interesting job or an outward bound trek though..no but that is what my kid was interested in doing.

I thought the college credits were only given out to actual high schoolers, from summer after 9th on?

Colleges generally won't consider anything that happens before 9th grade.,

Well the credits are on a UMd transcript. They are real.

So they were given to her as a "rising 9th grader" and therefore considered an HS student? That would make sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is a rising 10th grader and has 6 college credits and a 4.0 average on a college transcript from the last two summers. It will definitely go on her ap. Certainly an indication that she can handle a college course. Better than an interesting job or an outward bound trek though..no but that is what my kid was interested in doing.

I thought the college credits were only given out to actual high schoolers, from summer after 9th on?

Colleges generally won't consider anything that happens before 9th grade.,

Well the credits are on a UMd transcript. They are real.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is a rising 10th grader and has 6 college credits and a 4.0 average on a college transcript from the last two summers. It will definitely go on her ap. Certainly an indication that she can handle a college course. Better than an interesting job or an outward bound trek though..no but that is what my kid was interested in doing.

I thought the college credits were only given out to actual high schoolers, from summer after 9th on?

Colleges generally won't consider anything that happens before 9th grade.,

I would venture to say that a truly prestigious program like Telluride or NSLI-Y would carry more weight than a costly summer non credit-granting pre-college program

Anonymous wrote:My child is a rising 10th grader and has 6 college credits and a 4.0 average on a college transcript from the last two summers. It will definitely go on her ap. Certainly an indication that she can handle a college course. Better than an interesting job or an outward bound trek though..no but that is what my kid was interested in doing.

I thought the college credits were only given out to actual high schoolers, from summer after 9th on?

My child is a rising 10th grader and has 6 college credits and a 4.0 average on a college transcript from the last two summers. It will definitely go on her ap. Certainly an indication that she can handle a college course. Better than an interesting job or an outward bound trek though..no but that is what my kid was interested in doing.

Pre college programs are great. Universities use them to recruit top students, and parents use them to keep their kids occupied during the summer. Its win win.