Spotting predatory programs and 'pay-to-play' scams

Fees in the thousands with no need-based aid mentioned anywhere. Real research programs almost always have aid, even if they're bad at advertising it.

Vague language about 'exposure to' or 'certificate in' a field, without naming specific mentors, labs, or measurable outcomes.

Acceptance rates that are technically true but misleading — 'selective' programs that admit everyone who can pay.

Aggressive email marketing, especially after a single form fill. Real programs recruit through schools and networks, not sales funnels.

Named mentors with public, verifiable research or professional records. You can find their papers, their labs, their portfolios.

Alumni you can actually talk to — not testimonial quotes on the site. A program that offers to connect you with a past participant is confident in what it did for them.

Clear, published aid policies. A sliding scale. A stated commitment to funding travel or fee waivers.

The program mentions what students actually produce — papers, code, exhibitions, presentations — with examples.

1. Would this be worth doing at half the cost? If not, you're paying for the brand, not the work.

2. Can I name the specific person I would be working with, and see their work? If no, don't send money.

3. If I removed this from my application, would the rest still be strong? If yes, you don't need to buy it.

It's not a wasted summer. Take the notebook, take the mentor, take the friends. Make the most of the parts that are real. Nothing you learn is ever fully wasted.

But don't let a program's marketing become part of how you describe yourself. Talk about what you actually did, not the name on the certificate.