Do you need a summer academic program before applying to college?

Students often wonder if they need to participate in a summer program at a college to be competitive for admission at a highly selective colleges. The answer is no you do not need to participate in such a program but for some students it may have some benefit. A recent article in Inside Higher Ed discusses some of the issues related to the participation in college summer programs.

The bottom line to this discussion is that if you have a particular academic interest that can be enhanced by participation in a college summer program then by all means consider participating in such a program. But simply attending a program at a highly selective college will most likely have no effect on your chances of admission.