challenging summer math programs in Massachusetts (or NH)

Prep School Admissions Prep School Parents
1

Hi, everyone! Can anyone suggest challenging summer math programs in the Massachusetts area for students entering 8th grade? My child is looking for a challenging/advanced program, and I figure alot of people on this board have experience with such students and programs. :slight_smile: She wants something advanced and not a baby-ish class.

I have googled and heard of some offerings, but don’t know which ones are actually challenging (and also safe/reputable).

If it’s a day program, we are looking for offerings that are preferably in the Andover/ Boston/ southern New Hampshire area. If it’s an overnight program, we would be interested in Massachusetts or New Hampshire.

My daughter asked to attend the summer program at Phillips Andover, even though it is a big commitment (5 weeks, overnight, with classes Monday through Saturday). I just looked at the web site and see that we are months too late to apply. Even if there were still spots available, it would be a big endeavor to quickly pull together the application of teacher recommendations, essays, etc. My daughter has not yet applied to prep schools, so she does not yet have any essays and such underway.

I have heard of programs such as:

  • The Brooks School in North Andover: Offers summer classes, including math classes, but don’t know much about them.
  • Kaleidoscope at the Pike School in Andover: I know nothing about it?
  • Tsongas Industrial History Center in Lowell: Offers some engineering-type camps for ages 10-14, but I think my daughter would be incredibly bored in a class with younger students. (She is 13 but I think she would be comfortable in a class of 13-15 year olds.)
  • UMass Lowell: Offers a summer engineering camp for students entering 10th-12th grade. I know nothing about the program, and my child is only entering 8th grade.
  • Harvard or MIT: My child would be absolutely tickled pink to attend some kind of math camp or class at Harvard or MIT, but I only see programs for high school students.

On a completely separate note, if any of these programs would help her get into prep school, that is an added bonus.

Thanks so very much! Any input is appreciated!

2

Look at Idea Math in NH. Day or residential. Especially if she is interested in competition math. Did she take the AMC8 (maybe AMC10)? Was she involved in Math Counts at her school? There is also Math Zoom a California company but has a MA site and another program at BC - I forget the name of the program but I looked at it before. There may be some others too.

3

AoPS (Art of Problem Solving) has a list of MS math programs.

4

I don’t know if this is something your child might be interested in but there is dual enrollment right into a college course or courses for the summer. UMass Lowell has dual enrollment as well as the community colleges. If you need help in the process then IM me.

5

My brother did Idea Math when he was in 8-10th grade and it is a really great program for a student that wants to deal with very difficult problems and not be babied during the process.

6

Have you ever looked at Russian School of Math. They have math programs over the summer, but are mostly focused on the school year. They can be as advanced as your child needs. My son who attends BS will be taking pre calc over the summer there. It will be extremely challenging. I know that they also have math camps. They have locations all over Mass. We attend the one in Andover.

7

Thanks, everyone. These suggestions are great!