Wealthy Parents Invest Tens of Thousands in Elite Summer Camps for Networking and 'Life Skills'

For affluent families, the summer months often involve significant investments in exclusive sleepaway camps, with annual tuition fees for some programs surpassing $20,000 per child. These high-cost camps are increasingly promoted not just as recreational escapes, but as essential platforms for developing lifelong friendships, valuable life skills, and crucial professional networks.

Rachael Braunschweiger Potash, a lifestyle content creator, exemplifies this trend by sending her two daughters, aged 13 and 15, to Camp Vega in Maine. The investment, including an additional few thousand dollars for a private flight from New York to Maine, amounts to over $40,000 for the seven-week program. Potash views this as a worthwhile expenditure for providing her children with a screen-free summer experience, filled with outdoor activities and opportunities to form connections.

"Money comes and goes, but if you're going to spend your money, summer camp is one of the things you spend it on," Potash told The Post. She also highlighted the potential for influential parent and alumni networks, which can offer future internship and job opportunities for the campers.

While millions of American families wish to send their children to summer camp, the cost remains a significant barrier for many. A recent study indicated that 38% of families cite high costs as a deterrent. The disparity is stark: only 13% of low- and middle-income children attend camp, compared to 45% of children from high-income homes.

Some upscale camps offer specialized programs, such as an AI-powered day camp in the Hamptons reportedly costing $4,500 per week and featuring workshops on topics like omakase and Trojan horses, alongside teaching "life building skills."

Beyond tuition, the expenses for these elite camps extend to high-end gear, specialized shipping services, and elaborate preparations. Parents like Potash outfit their children with clothing and supplies from designer brands, often utilizing dedicated camp outfitters. Spencer Klein, owner of Denny’s & Lester’s, a retailer catering to these needs, noted that parents begin booking appointments in January and often seek last-minute items until their children depart.

Dani Cohen, another parent, spends between $1,500 and $3,000 annually at such outfitters for her three sons, aged 7 to 11, attending Camp Walt Whitman in New Hampshire. This is in addition to the more than $15,000 per child tuition for the seven-week program. Cohen also plans mid-season visits, including booking flights and hotels for "Visiting Day," when campers receive gifts and treats.

Elizabeth Weprin, whose adult daughters attended Raquette Lake Camp in the Adirondacks for eight years, where tuition begins at approximately $17,450 per child, emphasized the long-term benefits. "The crown jewel of these sleepaway camps is the alumni parent network that you can tap into," Weprin stated. She believes these connections have been invaluable to her daughters as they entered the workforce, citing internships and job opportunities facilitated by the network.

However, Weprin also pointed to the profound impact of the friendships formed at camp. "These girls have such a strong love for each other. They may not have gone to the same schools or grown up in the same neighborhoods, but they are there for one another no matter what," she said, highlighting the enduring bonds as the most significant advantage of the expensive summer experience.