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. 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!