<p>I'd appreciate some info about this program. For example, what kind of material do 6-8 graders read typically in this summer program? Is it academically at least a little bit challenging? fun? etc. Thanks.</p>
<p>I’d like to hear about it too.</p>
<p>I attended the Great Books Summer Program twice in High School, and those four weeks that I spent at Amherst were some of the best weeks of my life. The readings are amazingly engaging, and the lecturers/discussion leaders are extremely knowledgeable and accomplished in their fields (some of them are even widely known college professors), but the best thing about GBSP is that it is NOT school. The people running the program do not want it to operate like a CTY program defined by classes, tests, and grades. Everyone is at the program because he or she wants to be there, and the discussions and lectures are interesting, fun, and thought-provoking as opposed to anything like school-work. </p>
<p>In addition, as myword1 explained, the actual discussion/lecture portion of the camp is not the only activity. Both arts and literature electives break up the day, and fun activities at night such as ice-cream socials, a quiz bowl, and guest lecturers make the camp an amazing experience.</p>
<p>The Intermediate Program (grades 6-8) and the Senior Program (HS) typically read the same works - usually short stories and poems, you can find a sample reading list on the website - but they typically attend different lectures. I believe that the topics of the lectures are different, geared more towards the specific age range of the kids. In addition, the two programs are essentially separate (at least at Amherst) with different dorms, different counselors, different lectures, etc. However, each morning and night both programs convene for activities such as voluntary poetry recitations or the aforementioned quiz bowl or ice-cream social.</p>
<p>If you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask! Great Books is a wonderful environment, and really helped me get to where I am today (a freshman at Dartmouth College).</p>
<p>Would you recommend doing one week Great Books or two weeks?</p>
<p>Hey, CTY does not operate like school at all. There are no tests or grades unless you are in a fast paced high school science or math class. CTY humanities courses are entirely discussion and reading based. The programs sound reasonably similar to me aside from the difference in length.</p>
<p>anyone here attending Great Books this summer?</p>