Parents, if you’re considering spending the money to send your student to an expensive summer program at a prestigious college, and doing so because you hope it will improve his or her chances of admission, please read this Washington Post piece first.
I’m not against a student with the means to attend a summer program at Stanford, Harvard, or any other prestigious college actually doing so. But just as you would with any other investment, please make sure you have realistic expectations of what you can—and cannot—expect in return.