# 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 free; 7 can be done online. ## Programs (45 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Questbridge National College Match](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/intel-isef-grand-awards) | QuestBridge | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2026-10-01 | | [Raise.me Micro-Scholarship Platform](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/raiseme-micro-scholarship-platform) | Raise.me | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Johns Hopkins Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/johns-hopkins-pre-college-program) | Johns Hopkins University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-10 | | [Duke Summer Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/duke-summer-academy) | Duke University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-15 | | [Columbia University PreCollege Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/columbia-university-precollege-programs) | Columbia University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-11 | | [KIPP Through College Leadership Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/kipp-through-college-leadership-program) | KIPP Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-28 | | [SMASH (Summer Math and Science Honors Academy)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/smash-summer-math-and-science-honors-academy) | Kapor Center | Free | in_person | Grades 9–11 | 2027-03-01 | | [Harvard Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-pre-college-program) | Harvard Summer School | $5,300 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-11 | | [National Portfolio Day](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-portfolio-day) | National Portfolio Day Association | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2026-10-31 | | [Carnegie Mellon CS Scholars (CSS)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-mellon-cs-scholars-css) | Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-02-01 | | [Yale Young Global Scholars - Application Portal](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yale-young-global-scholars-application-portal) | Yale University | Free | virtual | Grades 10–12 | 2027-01-07 | | [SCAD Rising Star Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/savannah-college-art-design-rising) | Savannah College of Art and Design | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling | | [National Student Leadership Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lead-scholars) | Envision | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [NYU Stern Summer Business Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nyu-stern-summer) | NYU Stern School of Business | $6,500 | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [LEDA Scholars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/leda-scholars) | Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2026-12-10 | | [Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-academy-for-math-and-science-sams) | Carnegie Mellon University | Free | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-02-01 | | [QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/questbridge-college-prep-scholars-program) | QuestBridge | Free | virtual | Grade 11 | 2027-03-24 | | [Notre Dame Summer Scholars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/notre-dame-summer-scholars) | University of Notre Dame Pre-College | $4,800 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-18 | | [High School Intern Program (HI-SIP)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/high-school-intern-program-hi-sip) | UCSF Science & Health Education Partnership | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-08 | | [Wake Forest University Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/wake-forest-pre-college) | Wake Forest University | Free | virtual | Grades 8–12 | Rolling | | [Veritas AI Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/veritas-ai-program) | Veritas AI | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Vanderbilt STEM Education and Outreach Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/vanderbilt-stem-education-outreach) | Vanderbilt University | Free | in_person | Grades 6–12 | Rolling | | [Lumiere Education Research Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lumiere-education-research) | Lumiere Education | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-23 | | [Landmark College Summer Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/landmark-college-summer-program) | Landmark College | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [Elon University Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/elon-university-pre-college) | Elon University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Clarkson University Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/clarkson-university-stem-pre-college) | Clarkson University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-01 | | [Boston University Summer Journalism Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/boston-university-summer-journalism-academy) | Boston University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-04-19 | | [Rx Experience](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/rx-experience) | Wilkes University | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-24 | | [UC Berkeley embaRC Design Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/uc-berkeley-embarc-design-academy) | UC Berkeley | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-01 | | [Summer Springboard](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-springboard) | Summer Springboard | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many college prep programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 45 verified college prep opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these college prep programs free? Yes — 25 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: Lumiere Education Research Program (August 23, 2026); Columbia University PreCollege Programs (September 11, 2026); Questbridge National College Match (October 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do college prep extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in college prep (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Summer Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-programs) - [Pre-College & Residential Summer Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/pre-college) - [Career Exploration Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/career-exploration) - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/college-prep Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,723 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.