THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER SCIENCE TRAINING PROGRAMS (SSTP) FOR HIGH ABILITY SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WAS INVESTIGATED. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED IN A STUDY 3 YEARS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM TO COMPARE THE SUBSEQUENT ACADEMIC PROGRESS, CAREER CHOICES, AND SCIENCE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF SSTP PARTICIPANTS WITH THOSE OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE WESTINGHOUSE SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH (STS) AND A GROUP OF PEERS SELECTED BY TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. SSTP PARTICIPANTS, WHO HAD RATHER FIRM CAREER PLANS PRIOR TO PARTICIPATION, REPORTED THE PROGRAM EITHER MADE NO CHANGE OR REFINED AND INTENSIFIED THEIR PLANS FOR A SCIENCE CAREER. THE MAJORITY REPORTED BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF THE SSTP ON THEIR SUBSEQUENT HIGH SCHOOL WORK. MANY REPORTED IMPROVED WORK HABITS AND INCREASED INTEREST IN SCIENCE. ABOUT 68 PERCENT OF THE SSTP PARTICIPANTS LISTED SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS CAREERS AS THEIR FIRST CHOICE. A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF THE SSTP PARTICIPANTS SELECTED SCIENCE MAJORS IN COLLEGE AND RECEIVED SUPERIOR COLLEGE GRADES THAN DID THOSE INCLUDED IN THE STS AND THE PEER GROUP. INFORMATION RELATED TO TYPES OF SSTP AND THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION IS ALSO INCLUDED. (AG)