College Prep Programs for High School Students

College-prep programs demystify the parts of admissions no class teaches: essays, testing strategy, course planning, and how selective schools actually read a file.

The strongest ones do more than coach — they connect you with counselors and alumni who have already navigated the exact process you are about to enter.

45 verified programs match this page; 25 of the featured listings are completely free; 7 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• Questbridge National College Match — QuestBridge: National college-prep program connecting talented high school seniors with full scholarships to top universities. Boost college applications and secur
• Raise.me Micro-Scholarship Platform — Raise.me: Raise.me is a free platform where high school students earn micro-scholarships from 300+ colleges for everyday achievements: good grades, AP courses,
• Johns Hopkins Pre-College Program — Johns Hopkins University: Pre-college programs at Johns Hopkins University for high school students in Baltimore.
• Duke Summer Academy — Duke University: Pre-college program at Duke University for high school students focusing on stem.
• Columbia University PreCollege Programs — Columbia University: Pre-college program at Columbia University for high school students focusing on real world experience in variety of classes at ivy league.
• KIPP Through College Leadership Program — KIPP Foundation: Leadership development for KIPP network students and alumni. College access support and career development.
• SMASH (Summer Math and Science Honors Academy) — Kapor Center: Free 3-year summer STEM program for underrepresented students; highly selective
• Harvard Pre-College Program — Harvard Summer School: Selective two-week academic immersion with Harvard faculty and peers.
• National Portfolio Day — National Portfolio Day Association: Free portfolio reviews from art school representatives at events nationwide. Essential for art school applicants.
• Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars (CSS) — Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science: Full-scholarship pre-college program in CS for rising seniors from underrepresented groups.
• Yale Young Global Scholars - Application Portal — Yale University: Official application portal for YYGS residential sessions.
• SCAD Rising Star Program — Savannah College of Art and Design: Elevate your art skills in this in-person summer program for high school students. Build your portfolio, gain hands-on experience, and prepare for col
• National Student Leadership Conference — Envision: Discover a transformative summer program for high school students in grades 9-12. Develop leadership skills, explore career paths, and boost college a
• NYU Stern Summer Business Program — NYU Stern School of Business: Immerse yourself in a prestigious summer program at NYU Stern to develop business, finance, and entrepreneurship skills. Boost your college applicatio
• LEDA Scholars — Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America: Transform your college applications with this free leadership program for high school juniors, featuring a summer residency at Princeton and expert wr
• Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) — Carnegie Mellon University: Fully funded summer program for rising high school seniors to explore STEM fields through hands-on learning, skill-building, and college-prep opportun
• QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program — QuestBridge: Empower your college journey with this free leadership program for high-achieving juniors. Gain skills, college prep resources, and scholarship opport
• Notre Dame Summer Scholars — University of Notre Dame Pre-College: Transform your summer with this immersive high school program offering hands-on experience in neuroscience, law, and more. Boost college readiness and
• High School Intern Program (HI-SIP) — UCSF Science & Health Education Partnership: Explore an in-person high school research internship in biomedical science. Build hands-on lab skills, gain mentorship, and strengthen college applica
• Wake Forest University Pre-College Program — Wake Forest University: Pre-college online immersion program at Wake Forest University for students ages 13 and up.
• Veritas AI Program — Veritas AI: AI and machine learning program for high school students in grades 9-12 with project-based learning.
• Vanderbilt STEM Education and Outreach Programs — Vanderbilt University: STEM programs at Vanderbilt University including research, camps, and workshops for middle and high school students.
• Lumiere Education Research Program — Lumiere Education: One-on-one research mentorship with PhD researchers for high school students developing original research projects.
• Landmark College Summer Program — Landmark College: Summer program at Landmark College for students with learning differences, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.
• Elon University Pre-College Program — Elon University: Pre-college summer experience at Elon University for high school students to explore campus life and academics.
• Clarkson University Pre-College Program — Clarkson University: Pre-college program at Clarkson University for high school students focusing on stem (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).
• Boston University Summer Journalism Academy — Boston University: Intensive journalism, writing, and photography summer program at Boston University for rising juniors and seniors.
• Rx Experience — Wilkes University: Virtual pharmacy camp at Wilkes University introducing high school students to pharmaceutical sciences.
• UC Berkeley embaRC Design Academy — UC Berkeley: Architecture and design summer academy at UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design.
• Summer Springboard — Summer Springboard: Pre-college programs at top universities combining academic exploration and college preparation.

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