Summer Programs for High Schoolers: A Parent’s Guide The highest combined return on college applications and test scores usually comes from one of two paths: (A) an academically rigorous, hands-on pre-college or selective STEM/arts program for students ready for college-level work, or (B) a local internship, research project, or community-college course paired with structured SAT/ACT/PSAT/AP prep for students who need targeted score gains. Everything else is a variation on those two. Here is a 3-step plan you can act on this week: Step 1 — Pick your primary goal. Score improvement and enrichment depth are both legitimate, but they require different schedules. Decide which matters more before you commit to anything. Step 2 — Check deadlines and costs now. Selective programs like MITES at MIT open applications in fall or early winter. Harvard’s Pre-College Program set its priority financial-aid deadline in early January. If those windows have passed, pivot to rolling-deadline options. Step 3 — Book a diagnostic. Whether your child is targeting a selective program or a local alternative, a free diagnostic consultation with Wonprep gives you a clear baseline and a customized plan befor