<p>Hi! I am going into 9th grade next year, and I have the choice of going to CTY this summer. However, I also have the choice of going to a non-academic but related to one of my interests (and perhaps my career choice) summer program, or staying at home and volunteering (3-4 places) during the summer. Due to the fact that my scores were processed late, I got to CTY late, and can't get my first choice class (although the others I would take look very interesting). Also, I tend to be quite stressed already, and summer is when I relax. I'm not sure if the added pressure of CTY (among other things) would be the best choice for me the summer before a big transition. I have heard wonderful things about the program though, and think it would be great to meet new friends and learn new things. Yet (babyish as this may sound) I have only ever been away from home for 1 1/2 weeks, and am kind of nervous for leaving for 3 weeks. My other camp choice is non-educational, purely fun camp that caters directly to my interests and that I am sure I would enjoy very much. It is only five days long. Cost is a factor in both of these--my family cannot afford very expensive programs every summer, so this may be the only parents-paying summer trip I get to go on. The cost for the non-academic camp is less, but my parents said they would be willing to pay for CTY, and I would have to pay half of the other one. Staying at home and volunteering would cost nothing and leave money for a program in another summer, but both camps sound fun, and I would like to have a memorable, enjoyable summer. Sorry for the rambling, I'm rather tired. I think my question boils down to this--CTY (long, more expensive a lot of work--is it worth it?), non-educational summer camp (fun, caters to my interest, I pay half, more like a vacation than a learning experience), or stay at home and volunteer (volunteering at places I enjoy, although not as fun as camp might be, be able to relax more, free)?</p>
<p>CTY, in my experience, is really relaxed and not particularly stressful. However, I never took a "fast paced high school chem/physics" class, just fun math ones like math logic (which if you are considering and they don't change the curricula is very very cool cause its mostly abstract algebra and other fun little things). If you go you will make a lot of friends and have a lot of fun. I don't know many people who didn't have a lot of fun there, and I knew most of the people at the sessions I went to. As for it being 3 weeks long, thats really not a big deal. I went to cty before 7th grade and thought 3 weeks would be long then, but it turned out to be pretty fun and just about right. </p>
<p>To be honest, though, CTY isn't the best summer program if you are only going to get one pay-your-way-in to go to, especially in terms of prestige. While that can be said of most pay-your-way-ins, the decision should be based on what will be more fun (and, if cty will be worth not going to future, perhaps better pay-your-way-ins).</p>
<p>But a 3 week program or a 1 week program will not fill your summer up, so go for the volunteering at least on the side. </p>
<p>Hope that helped. Good luck.</p>
<p>Okay so i wasnt smart enough to get into CTy, i got into CAA im in 9th grade, and it was teh greatest expirience of my life! i loved it! im going back this year! (message me w/ questions)</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses so far. Here is a list of more specific questions about CTY: What course did you take and where? How much work/studying was it? Did you have time for fun? Were the rooms/food/teachers/other students nice? Did you have any time to relax? What are some of the transitions? Did you ever get to go off campus? Did you learn anything? How prestigous is it really to colleges (i.e if both this program and the other "fun" program I were considering were equal in everything else, which would colleges value more for me to have done with my summer?) How much time out of your summer does it take up? What are some of the activites they had? What were some of the best parts? How nice are the people there? The $3000+ it costs is a lot to my family, which could be put to use too do something good for the entire family--would it be worth it with that? I am afraid to go (even to the less expensive camp) and know that I went on a trip with money that coul dhave let the whole family go on one. Was it worth it for you?
Also, my best friend is coming for a large portion of the summer, and that plus our 2 week vacation will take up a lot of time. Should I do a 3 week course? I am afraid of going into high school without having had this one last amazingly fun summer, too--I know I could get it at the non-academic camp, but could I get it at CTY?
Thanks for all your help!</p>
<p>My D did CTY at the Carlisle (Dickinson College) location--the "Crafting the Essay" class. On the plus side, she got a lot out of the class and feels that it really gave her a headstart in her English class. Also, she was with a great group of kids and made a lot of friends there, at least a few of whom she keeps in touch. On the negative side, she felt that it was somewhat overly supervised(she's in HS, and the level of supervision--in her opinion--was more geared toward middle school-aged kids)and she wasn't too crazy about the room that she stayed in or the food there. That having been said, as far as D's concerned, the above-mentioned positive aspects of CTY far outweigh the negatives. In fact, D's planning to do CTY again this summer, although at a different location. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Jesus that is a lot of questions.</p>
<p>I took, history of mathematics (this was for the younger program for only entering 6th and 7th graders), math logic and cryptography. Probably cryptography was my least favorite, but I really, really loved the other two (especially math logic). Other classes that my friends liked were: Philosophy of the Mind, Existentialism, and Ethics. I recall people really not liking astronomy and great revolutions (sorry thats all I can remember). Work-wise, it is mostly restricted to class time. I don't recall ever having homework, (other than a presentation at the end, but that was worked on in class usually). You certainly have time for fun and relaxation (they have scheduled activity time that are usually fun/a good place to make friends or hang out). Most people made friends with a lot of different and diverse people. Even the least social could just hangout with others in their class/floor.</p>
<p>I never went off campus but this differs with location. The previous poster is right: there is a lot of supervision, but as long as you aren't doing anything against the rules you should be fine. In terms of campuses, I went to Siena for friends, but if I've heard great things about skidmore (like going to the mall on weekends, much nicer campus/living arrangements etc.). </p>
<p>It's a 3 week program, thats how much time it "takes up". I certainly learned a lot. The counselors invent new activities every day (with "long" term activities that last a week) varying from a diplomacy game to frisbee golf to improv. The best part for me was probably just the people and the friends I made. But I've heard pretty bad things about cty in terms of prestige (like all CTY shows colleges is that your family has money, so if it doesn't and this is all that matters, don't do it). If you do it, do it to have a lot of fun and learn interesting things that aren't included in regular high school curricula. If you can't afford it/ think that you will want to go to an expensive summer thing later, then don't do it.</p>
<p>I'm going to ask my daughter to respond more "in depth" as she's the one who has attended in the past. Classes include: some Drama course (baby CTY); Fast Paced Biology; Genetics; Genomics and Advanced Topics in Chemistry. She's been at Carlisle (least favorite), Lancaster and JHU (Baltimore). She double-sessioned last summer with Genomics and Advanced Chem. Yes, $3000 is a lot but as a parent I was happy to pay it as my daughter had a wonderful time. She met great people, there was no academic stress, no "homework", lots of great activities, food varied (but it's not about the food) and the housing was so-so but it was the best time of her life so far. I don't think you'd regret going one bit and don't be concerned about the stress- people don't sit around and compare SAT scores if that's what you're worried about. I know they went off campus at LAN and JHU for dinner and fun but the RAs were so great it didn't seem like they were supervised.</p>