<p>I took two college level classes at Brown for the seven week pre-college program. While I do recommend the program for a variety of reasons, I’m not sure that it will be a gigantic help when applying to Brown and other elite schools. I think the most important thing to do, if you do decide to do the program, is REALLY make an effort to develop a relationship will your teachers. If the teacher sees that you’re performing well in class, interested in the material and learning, and taking advantage of the college environment, he’ll probably write you an impressive letter of recommendation for college apps. A Brown teacher’s letter will really reinforce your capabilities and desires as a student. Whether it will make or break your application, I don’t know. But like anything else you do, it really comes down to how much energy and investment you put into it. I must say though, that if the program were influential in your application, it’d be better to do a credit program, not a mini-course. There’s definitely a BIG difference between the two.</p>