Camp Info
| Ages: | 14–18 |
| Type: | Day, Overnight |
| Month: | Summer |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Lodging: | Dorm |
| Academics: | Academics, Liberal Arts, Writing, Learning, Pre-College, SAT Preparation |
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West Los Angeles, CA, USA
The College Admission Prep Camp at UCLA is a pre-college academic program for students entering grades 9 through 12. At this location, it is offered as the full version of the program, which combines three major pieces of the admissions process: SAT preparation, college counseling, and college essay writing. That makes it a strong fit for students who want a single, organized program that tackles several major college-planning tasks at once.
The atmosphere appears focused, ambitious, and more mature than a typical summer camp. Students work closely with instructors and counselors in a setting built around academic goals rather than casual enrichment. SAT prep is a central part of the UCLA program, with extensive instruction and full-length practice exams. At the same time, students receive guidance on building a balanced college list, understanding reach, right-fit, and safe schools, and planning next steps such as recommendations, visits, and interviews.
Essay work is also treated as a core part of the experience, not an afterthought. Students get one-on-one support from writing instructors as they choose topics, develop ideas, and revise responses for actual use in applications. By the end, many students leave with polished essay drafts and a more personalized admissions roadmap.
This program will appeal most to motivated high school students who want structure, academic challenge, and concrete progress. It is especially well-suited to teens who are serious about college planning and ready for a campus-based environment that feels closer to a workshop than a traditional camp.
| Ages: | 14–18 |
| Type: | Day, Overnight |
| Month: | Summer |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Lodging: | Dorm |
| Academics: | Academics, Liberal Arts, Writing, Learning, Pre-College, SAT Preparation |
You won’t be charged yet. The camp will contact you to confirm all terms first.
| Dates | Days | Price | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5 - Jul 18, 2026 | 14 | $5,280 | |
| Jul 5 - Jul 18, 2026 | 14 | $6,205 |
Students can attend the UCLA session either as overnight campers or as extended-day campers. Overnight participants stay in student dormitories on campus, which helps create a more immersive pre-college experience. Most rooms are doubles, so students should generally expect to share with one same-sex roommate. The program notes that it tries to accommodate requests for single or triple rooms when possible, but no specific room setup is guaranteed.
Roommate requests are allowed for students of the same gender if both students submit a mutual request through the parent portal before housing lists are finalized. That can be helpful for friends who want to attend together, though it still depends on the dorm configuration assigned by the campus.
The residential setup is structured and supervised. Dorm floors are separated by sex, and same-sex camp staff live on the floors with students to provide evening supervision and overnight support. The Camp Director and Assistant Director also remain in the dormitory throughout the session. Dorm buildings are described as secure, with key access required for both outer doors and interior entry.
For students who do not stay overnight, the extended-day option still gives them a long day on campus, with academics and recreation continuing into the evening.
Meals are part of the campus experience and are managed by university dining services. Overnight campers receive meals during the program, and high school extended-day campers are scheduled to receive lunch and dinner while staying on campus for the full day. This setup makes the program feel more like real college life and helps students stay on site for classes, practice sessions, and evening activities.
Because food service is provided through the campus dining hall rather than directly by the camp, dietary arrangements work a little differently than they might at a smaller independent camp. Families who need allergy support or special meal accommodations are asked to contact the dining hall manager directly. The program can provide contact information, but any final arrangement is made between the family and the university dining service.
The official information says campuses have often been able to support common allergies and dietary restrictions, which is reassuring, but families with more specific needs should still plan to communicate early.
One practical note: general fee policies state that certain student expenses, such as spending money and optional laundry, are billed separately. Families may also want to confirm meal details for the UCLA extended-day option during registration, since the camp’s general policies and FAQ describe commuter meals somewhat differently.
This program appears to run with a fairly structured supervision model. The organization states that its camps average a 1:12 instructor-to-student ratio over the summer, with some classes reaching 1:18 when led by a particularly strong instructor. It also notes that there is about one adult for every ten students at the program.
Residential supervision is a major part of the safety setup. Staff members generally live in the same dormitory hallways as the students, and same-sex staff are placed on the residential floors for evening supervision and overnight support. The Camp Director and Assistant Director also stay on site in the dorm throughout the camp.
The camp uses frequent check-ins to keep track of students. Roll calls are taken each morning, before meals, and before classes or activities. There are also two separate checks each evening. After room check, students are expected to remain in their rooms except in emergencies or for necessary restroom visits on their floor.
High school students may sometimes walk between dorms, dining halls, and classes without a staff member directly accompanying them, but the overall structure still appears closely managed. The organization also states that every employee receives a background check at initial hire and again annually.
At UCLA, this is the full College Admission Prep Camp program rather than the shorter counseling-only format. That is the biggest thing families should know right away. Students work through SAT prep, personal statement writing, and college counseling in one combined schedule, which makes the experience especially useful for teens who want to make real progress across several parts of the admissions process at once.
SAT preparation is a major part of the UCLA session. Students receive more than 35 hours of SAT instruction and complete three full-length practice exams. The official curriculum emphasizes grammar, advanced math, critical reading, and reasoning-based test strategies rather than shortcut-heavy tricks. For students who want to use summer to focus on testing without the usual school-year distractions, this is one of the strongest practical features of the program.
Writing is another core pillar. Students receive one-on-one help from writing instructors as they choose topics, develop ideas, revise drafts, and shape responses for Common App and supplemental essays. By the end of the program, students are expected to complete two to three polished essay responses.
College counseling rounds out the experience. Students work in small groups and in one-on-one sessions with counselors to build a researched college list that includes reach, right-fit, and safe schools. They also map out next steps related to recommendations, college visits, interviews, and ways to strengthen their admissions profile. Add in campus tours, contact with college students, and evening recreation, and the program feels broader than a simple test-prep course.
