My daughter did two competitive-entry summer science programs. She loved both of them and they were definitely worth it. She met a lot of kids with similar interests (she is still in touch with them), got to work directly with professors on research in university labs, and had a great time. I don’t know if they helped with college apps – she’s been accepted to two schools but is waiting on the rest. At a minimum, the programs show her interest in science, and she write about the experience in at least one essay.