The programs do help, but mainly in 2 ways: (1) they give structure and accountability — kids who self-learn coding often drop off after a few months, and (2) the portfolio becomes more organized with a coach reviewing the projects. That said, the actual interview matters a lot too — some kids with impressive portfolios fumbled because they couldn’t explain their projects well.

My honest take: if your child is genuinely interested in STEM, the programs are worth it for the mentorship and portfolio polish. But don’t sign up just because everyone else is doing it — schools can tell the difference between genuine passion and a packaged portfolio.

One thing that helped us at home: we used OmniBox Tutor (tryomnibox.com/tutor) for general STEM questions and homework help. It’s free and the AI explains concepts step by step, which took some pressure off during the DSA preparation period. Wouldn’t replace a proper program but great as a supplement.