Serious summer camp: students flock to comps specializing in getting into college.

Move over, private college counselors and SAT tutors. High school students have found a new way to get a competitive edge. Enter summer camp. No, it's not the kind where you roast marshmallows and sing songs. Rather, it's where students learn interviewing techniques and improve upon their essay-writing skills and SAT scores, often on a college campus. The programs, run by organizations such as ASA, Brighton Foundation, Musiker Tours, and Education Unlimited, range from 10 days to two weeks and can cost up to $3,000.

But, not everyone believes these camps are worthwhile. "I think these college camps are a growing trend--feeding off the hysteria around college admissions," says Susan Smith, an educational consultant based in Mt. Kisco, NY. "My kids enjoy them, but not one of them has gained anything significant."

David Allen, executive director of Brighton Foundation (www.brightonedge.org), which enrolls about 25 students per session, disagrees. "I'm not sure why these programs are so controversial," he says. "It's not any different than students who spend the summer polishing up their chemistry marks or learning to speak Italian." But, does it take the fun factor out of summer? "I won't say that it's as fun as soccer camp," Allen says. "But it's more fun than studying at home with your parents hovering over you."