I’m looking for a summer college or some other kind of camp for what is traditionally called “talented kids” Our Freshman has attened a few that were merit based with reasonable fees. Has anoyone had experience at CITY or other “ITY” programs their kids loved? I’m trying to avoid a pay to play program. This is a goal for the reason of just being around other kids who might learn and experience things in a similar pace. He is looking for a few weeks with peers who are self-motivasted and professors who encourage independence etc… We prefer something domestic and West Coast is possible. I appreciate any help!
My kids did CTY for years and loved it- one went back as staff because “it’s too soon to leave”. High quality academics, superb instructors, well supervised activities and recreational stuff. It is pricey compared with some of the other programs, but if it doesn’t break the bank it’s worth exploring.
For one of my kids it was a lifeline academically. For a different kid it was a lifeline socially- had a rough couple of years in school and getting into a completely different environment with super smart but not competitive kids was just what we needed. The courses are interesting and challenging without being oppressively hard. And the teachers- wow, just inspirational.
We never tried to get course credit back in regular school, and I’ve heard that can be hard depending on how progressive your school is (or if they care about meeting the needs of talented students). But my kids took the kind of classes that a regular curriculum isn’t teaching so it was enrichment/inspirational learning and not an acceleration. But digging up pieces of Pennsylvania on an archaeological dig is not the kind of thing that a typical middle school kid gets to do!!!
We are huge fans. Just a fantastic program which is VERY attuned to the intellectual, social and cultural needs of kids who often get ignored in regular school if they aren’t trouble-makers.
My freshman daughter will be going back to CTY for the 3rd time this summer, and I don’t think I’ve ever met, or read a reply online from, anyone who didn’t love the experience. In addition to the traditional Carlisle, Lancaster, Hopkins, etc. sites, it looks like there are classes in Los Angeles and Seattle.
My DS did the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth program. It was less expensive than the CTY programs. It is mostly instate students but he was out of state. They also have a good international population. Madison is beautiful in the summer.
My daughter did CTY, too. She was not a typically “gifted” kid, just a nice, smart, sort of shy person who found infectious disease fascinating. When she was in 7th grade, she sought out CTY specifically for its “History of Disease” course and arranged to take the qualifying test herself. She loved CTY and went back again to take an epidemiology course two years later, but was not as into some of the social aspects as others were. Still, she had fun, met friends, and was able to dig into a subject (public health) that will probably be her career. I think, for her, the most transformative part of the program was a realignment of how she viewed herself. Recognizing that she could hold her own with students in a program like CTY made her reassess her own self-definition and helped her to realize her potential.
Davidson THINK. My kid did it for 2 summers. Great, intense experience. She still has close friends from it 9 years later.
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Both of my daughters did CTY for as many years as they could. It was an incredible experience for both of them. They found kids that were like them and not like their peer group at school which enabled them to figure out who they were.
My children won merit scholarships to CTY but they were still too pricey for our family.
Did you check if your state has some kind of public option? In PA we have the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences which is held at Carnegie Mellon. It’s a competitive application but only travel costs if accepted. I know a couple of kids that went there last year and loved it.
Florida has something similar, a science camp held at Fl State. It is competitive but fun. It was a mixture of classwork and labs, and weekend excursions.
The page it’s on is sickening but here is a list of some: https://www.transizion.com/best-competitive-summer-programs-for-high-school-students/
Son did WCATY- in Wisconsin, OOS welcome years ago. The benefits were far more than any academics- being with his peers was wonderful.
CTY camps are wildly expensive. Also, the camps can be at a different level than your child. So ask a lot of questions. I really wish CTY would bring the prices back to the atmosphere where people can breathe. Make the courses shorter. Have them a lesser known schools and make it so that more kids can attend. Sending two kids is about 10K. Yep. So kids who are lower income can go 1x on a scholarship and kids who are only children can likely go. So what do you do when you have multiple gifted kids who all want to go? Pay 10 or 15K? hmmm.
" In PA we have the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences which is held at Carnegie Mellon. "
A great program, but only for current Juniors. OP, if you’re in PA, make a note to revisit in 2 years, as I have.
“CTY camps are wildly expensive.” USA Mathcamp, Ross, Promys, SuMAC, MathILy, RISE, Yale Global are all about the same or more - Yale is 20% more, SuMAC is 40% more.
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