Are Arizona State summer classes for high school students worth taking for college applications?

Taking an ASU summer class can help your applications, but usually not because of the ASU name by itself. What matters more is what the class shows: academic initiative, willingness to handle college-level work, and genuine interest in a subject.

If you do well in a real credit-bearing course, especially one connected to your interests or possible major, that can be a meaningful positive. It is stronger if the class is rigorous, produces a transcript or grade, and fits into a clear story about what you care about academically.

What admissions officers generally will not think is, “This student took an ASU summer class, so that alone is impressive.” Summer courses are pretty common. The value comes from context.

It is most worth it if one of these is true: the course is not available at your high school, it lets you explore a likely major, it gives you a chance to earn an A in college-level work, or you actually want the learning experience. It is less worth it if you are doing it mainly for prestige, if the cost is high for your family, or if the class is so generic that it does not add much to your profile.

In many cases, a focused job, research project, community commitment, personal project, or selective local opportunity can help just as much or more than a summer class. So I would choose the ASU option only if the class is affordable, reasonably rigorous, and genuinely useful to your interests.