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My seventh grader has did okay in SAT1 and got 1300 and got a partial scholarship ($1000) to attned a CTY exceptionaly talented kid summer program. I earn a modest income. I was wondering to send him a for summer program (it will cost me $1500 dollars). Is it worth it to join CTY summer program. I was wondering about people's with CTY summer program inputts. In addition he got a free scholarship for a course in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institue. What is the best time to take this free course (He is still in seventh grade). Your advice please. Engish is my second language so pardon my grammatical mistakes.

By amd on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 12:48 pm: Edit

If I were you, I would attend the Rensellaer program without worrying too much about college. Your kid may discover new interests and may enjoy the social and intellectual experience.

By Amomynous on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 10:37 pm: Edit

With a 1300, your 7th grader did better than okay! As one of the few summer programs that actually has selective admissions, CTY has a good reputation but if circumstances make it impossible for you to send your son, don't worry about it. The qualities which got your son this far will probably take him further! I suggest you ask RPI for suggestions regarding the best time to take their free course. Congratulations and good luck!

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 09:53 am: Edit

My son is 14 and is entering 9th grade. He has done two CTY courses.

I did not allow him to do this for him to get a leg up on getting into exclusive colleges. I allowed him to do this so he could study in depth a field in which he was greatly interested. I also wanted him to have the wonderful experience of being around other kids his age with similar interests.

The CTY etc. programs on their own do not boost admission to top colleges. There are thousands of kids who participate in CTY and similar programs, and all of them will not get into places like the Ivies. So if your main reason of sending your kid to such a program would be to somehow try to make sure your child gets a top admission, then in my opinion, you would be wasting your money.

I also think it's important to only send kids to such programs if they really want to go. Don't force kids to go to such programs.

My older son qualified, too, but was not interested in going. He pursued his intellectual passions by learning on his own and by doing paid and unpaid internships. On his own, he excelled in his field of choice.

He was accepted to 2 top 20 colleges, and would have done better if he had studied to get more than a C+ average (in a very rigorous program)

Even though we are not rich, we sacrificed to send our younger son to the talent search programs because he loves formal learning and was eager to go. The talent search programs also provided the best available opportunity for him to get in depth study in the academic areas of his interest.

Another plus from our standpoint was that he got the experience of living away from home, experiencing college campuses, and being in a very intellectual environment 24/7.

By Mommaduke on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 11:11 am: Edit

What are CTY programs?

By Dave Berry on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 04:29 pm: Edit

Check this out, Mommaduke.

By ali on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 12:43 pm: Edit

As CTY student, I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend the CTY program. I'm 14 and have been through 3 summers of CTY and let me tell you, it is THE best thing that has ever happened to me. And I'm not exaggerating, either. The friends I make there, are friends for life. If you would like me to answer some questions about CTY i would be happy to do so.!

By Dadster on Saturday, September 28, 2002 - 06:32 pm: Edit

One thing that's pretty neat about selective summer programs for high school kids is that for many it is the first time they get to hang out with other kids on their intellectual level. At their high school, they may be tagged as nerds or otherwise despised as high achievers. It can be pretty cool to suddenly find a peer group of very bright, motivated, and diverse students.

By Johann (Johann) on Sunday, September 29, 2002 - 02:12 pm: Edit

My younger daughter attended CTY program while she was on her seventh grade two years ago. Howevre if you consider you have to spend two thousand dollars expenses, I feel there must be a better summer programs such UC Berkeley ATDP (Academy Talent Development Program. Courses offered by the ATDP program are much better in comparison to the CTY.

By Dadster on Sunday, September 29, 2002 - 02:31 pm: Edit

Good point, Johann... sometimes programs are subsidized, particularly for in-state students. I don't know if they still do it, but the NSA used to fund summer programs at selected universities for science-oriented HS students that not only were free, but came with a small stipend.

By Victoria Wren on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 10:00 pm: Edit

By all means: send him. My daughter won one of those scholarships ($1000.00) and went to CTY at Stanford and it was very important to her to meet those kids and have that experience. I didn't have a lot of money but that is a pretty signifigant accomplishment. See if you can borrow the money. We live in a rural area and so it was her first exposure to other bright kids. (He must have been #1 in the Nation in his age group. That is very immpressive.) Also, if he got over 700 in a subject area, pls. be sure he checks out the SET program offered through Johns Hopkins at no charge). Check the CTY website for more information.


Congratulations.


Also check out the ERIC site http://ericec.org/gifted/gt-faqs.html.

By Dadster on Thursday, October 17, 2002 - 01:11 pm: Edit

>>We live in a rural area and so it was her first exposure to other bright kids.<<

This can be true in just about any kind of area, depending on the quality of the high school. Connecting with a bright and interesting peer group can be a great, or even life-altering, experience.

By sartre on Monday, October 21, 2002 - 01:59 am: Edit

I would highly reccomend the CTY prgram, irregardless of its value in the college admissions process. I am 16, and I attended the CTY program for 4 years. it was a financial strain on my family, and I eventually got a job during the school year to help pay for it. CTY was one of the greatest experiances of my life, and a real turning point. In a society that turns intelligence into a grounds for ostracism, CTY gives us a chance to be ourselves. It teaches us that being smart is cool, that being intellectual is cool, and that being ourselves is cool. It is a liberating experiance.

By EmRo on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 10:41 pm: Edit

CTY is wonderful. Simply wonderful. I'm a thirteen-year-old who's done the program for two years, as both a younger student ('baby CTY') and a 'Big CTYer'. It's more than getting a boost for college, or being academically challenged. It's about being with people who really understand you, and can really get involved with you. It's a chance to be yourself-- there's plenty of people who don't quite fit in here. CTY is about walking through town on the weekend, giggling in the computer lab as you type up a paper, and acting out "The Antigone" and "The Iliad"-- and never catching how it was educational. CTY is about joking about the 'rinas, dancing in the cafeteria, and making new friends. CTY is much more than an academic experience-- this is a place chock full of that ol' wholesome goodness, with people to talk to and things to do. Hey, you live in a dorm for six weeks with a dozen or so friends. You get to be like siblings. And it must be mentioned-- and all the other CTYers who will see this post will understand-- CTY is about "American Pie".

By TMBGfreak on Sunday, November 10, 2002 - 04:04 pm: Edit

Definitely send your child to CTY--it's worth the money and any sacrifice that might be made--but ONLY IF THEY WANT TO GO. I love CTY, being *another* gushing 13-year-old(thanks EmRo), but if he has things he'd rather do, he won't enjoy it. But if he's interested, by all means, introduce him to the program. At CTY you can wander around
just being yourself and no one cares. There's a little bit of competition--who can act smartest, who got the best scores--but if your son is smart enough to get that SAT score at 12 or 13, he'll be used to worrying about that. On another note, if you send him, do one thing first--make him listen to the song "American Pie" by Don MacLean.

By JSwanz on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 01:28 pm: Edit

I had an awful experience at the CTY program. I took a Law and Politics course at Loyola Marymount and I simply hated it. All the kids there were rich and arrogant. I later found out that these kids had not even taken the SAT to get into the program. Maybe the program in LA is different than in Maryland or other places but I don't recommend the Loyola Marymount program.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 11:08 pm: Edit

My son studied a philosophy (existentialism) course at Loyola Marymount and had a great time. He said the prof was good, the program was well organized, and the kids were nice.

We are definitely not rich, and my son is not arrogant. He's a shy kid who's really nice. He also definitely did qualify for the program based on his SAT scores.

Maybe you were in a different session? He took it last summer during the first session.

By tom on Sunday, November 17, 2002 - 09:54 am: Edit

Once again there are free and cheap programs out there. Alfred University in New York has a great program for soph going into jr yr hs students for science and art for 350 dollars a week. Just one example look around lots of free and cheap programs for the kids
tom

By Megan on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 02:06 pm: Edit

What is the program that allows you to graduate 2 yrs early? I'd appreciate it if I could have some info on it. My email is coolcatz89@hotmail.com

By momof2 on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 09:15 pm: Edit

My daughter participated in Crafting the Essay at Loyola Marymount and loved it! She also participated in two additional years of the Expository Writing Tutorials, and her English teacher says she is an accomplished writer. My older daughter was in Model UN and wasn't sufficiently mature to make good use of it, but still had a fun time.

By Christine on Thursday, December 19, 2002 - 06:10 pm: Edit

I'm almost 16 now and also attended CTY at Dickinson College going into 9th grade. It is much much more of social experience than an educational experience. Make sure you DO chose a unique class and not one that is a preview of a regular high school course. Your child seems very bright, with the amazing score of 1300, so this would be a good chance for him/her to meet similar people. As for when to go, definitely do not go too late. If you start early, I believe you will find that your son/daguther will want to return every year. I only went one summer, but I still keep in contact with some My cousin, on the other hand, didn't enjoy the experience as much.

By Would like to know on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 05:40 am: Edit

tom, you say there there are free programs out there. Can you name a few?

By Ctymomteacher (Ctymomteacher) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 01:48 pm: Edit

I have taught for CTY for over ten years in distance ed as well as teaching at Homewood for two summer sessions, and now I have a son who is about to spend his third summer at CTY. I can see the whole program from both sides, and I can tell you that it changed my son's life! We also hear from our students that it can be the first time they've actually felt "normal" because they've never been in an environment before wherein the kids around them share their level of intellectual intensity. It isn't for everyone. I hate it when I get a writing tutorial student who has been forced to be in the program by a parent. But if your kid wants to go, do all you can to allow it! I speak NOT as a rich person (They don't pay a lot, and this is how I make my living!) and certainly my son isn't arrogant. They learn to live together and be peace-makers as well as learning subject matter. I have no stake in the enrollment numbers since the teachers are all doing, essentially, piecework, so you can trust what I'm saying. CTY transformed my son from an unmotivated, bored kid to an excited intellectual searcher.
CTY teacher AND mom.

By CTY nostalgic on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 08:00 pm: Edit

I am a high school senior who attended CTY for 5 years, and I can easily say it was the best experience of my life. There are so many brilliant young adolescents who feel incredibly out of place, and are even ostracised in their own school because they are surrounded by "normal" kids. CTY was the first time I was able to open up to my friends and act intelligently. It motivated me to become a better student, because I knew that somewhere out there, it would all pay off in the end. I was a nevermore 2 summers ago, yet I still keep in touch with at least 50 of my friends. I am actually applying as an RA this summer, and am really hoping for the job. I hope that it will cure my nostalgia.

As for helping with college admissions, I started CTY as a seventh grader, not even thinking about college. I kept going back for the incredible friends I made and the incredible experience I had. I am going to Cornell University next year, and almost all of my friends from CTY are going to colleges of the like (e.g. Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Duke, Brown, just to mention a few). So yes, I am sure that it helps a ton with college admissions. But the reason you send your child there should be so that they can have the experience of a lifetime.

So this is what I would say, in conclusion. If your child has made it into CTY and wants to go, DEFINITELY send your child there, you WILL NOT regret it. The cost of the program is nothing compared to the experience your child gets from it.

By aa on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 08:07 am: Edit

I am 14 should I also take the SAT ... or will this lower my possibilities for college admission.

By Dadster on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 09:40 am: Edit

An early SAT won't hurt you, aa - some summer programs use early SATs to identify participants. You can always try a practice test at home to get an idea of how you might do before you sign up for the real thing.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 03:39 pm: Edit

if you are in middle school, you might want to take it for practice. middle school scores don't go on your permanent SAT record that colleges get. H.S. SAT scores do go on your permanent record.

Meanwhile, I have seen no evidence that CTY and similar programs help with college admissions. I think that the bright kids who qualify for the programs and like going to them are likely to also be the same type of students who will desire and qualify for elite colleges. Correlation does not imply causation.

By Ctymomteacher (Ctymomteacher) on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 04:36 pm: Edit

No, correlation implies no necessary causation, but if a student who has been feeling dull about school suddenly catches fire (as did my son and as do so many others I've seen)and understands what his potential is, that can't help but change his chances of doing whatever he wants to do academically and otherwise. I don't see the value of narrowing our sights to just what obviously seems to cause people to be accepted at the end of the pre-college experience, especially when acceptance is so unpredictable. The real goal, I believe, should be to show kids what's available and what they are capable of--to help them get excited about what they can do and learn. Limiting what WE are excited about to just what we guess will help get them into a small group of unis is destructive and narrow. I want more for my son--and my students--than that.

CTYmomandteacher

By CTY nostalgic on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 06:06 pm: Edit

If you look at my comment a few posts up, I think I made it quite clear that almost every CTY student goes to an amazing college. I can honestly say myself that I do not think I would be going to Cornell next year if it weren't for CTY. After going to CTY, I realized that these were the kinds of people with whom I wanted to spend my time, and if I wanted to go to an ivy league college with all these types of people, I would have to work hard in high school. It may not necessarily be there mere listing of CTY on your transcript as it is very indirect causes, as CTY mom said.

By jeremy on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 06:20 pm: Edit

i went to cty for 5 years too, and it was such a great experience!! i started after 6th grade, and each time got better and better! i made so many great friends, and there was a LOT of frisbee playing...i highly recommend it

By Ctymomteacher (Ctymomteacher) on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 06:47 pm: Edit

To you ex-CTYers who loved it (as most do): You make me misty-eyed. Because I teach for CTY, I teach in isolation most of the time. That's hard since nobody goes into teaching for the isolation!Knowing for sure that we make such a difference to people like you makes it a lot easier to stay really "into" this work!
Thanks!
CTYmomandteacher

By aa on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 12:05 am: Edit

so if I do an SAT right now during middle school this won't be registered. Even tough I take it several times? I need a further explanation.

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 01:07 am: Edit

no permanent records are kept of SATs taken in middle school. when one applies to college and requests that SAT scores be sent to colleges, all h.s. SAT scores will be sent, including those taken in 9th grade. For the purposes of SAT records, "middle school" refers to grades up to and including 8th grade whether or not your h.s. starts in 9th grade.

By prince on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 10:01 am: Edit

My son did attend the CTY program. For us finance was major concern. Ultimately it was his choice to attned (if money was not an issue.) It was a great social experience for him. He was transformed form a young kid to a full blown gentleman. He found that that kids who attended the CTY were very smart and nice. before he did attend CTY, he took steps so that he can be a low key in school. Now, he has become more comforatble with himself. He ran for school president and won. He is now a leading player in state orchestra. I think it has allowed him to grow socially. More than education it has helped him socially. I think it is priceless.

By aa on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 11:03 am: Edit

thanks a lot northstarmom. my high school does start in 9th grade. I am in 8th grade so I will take advantage of that.

By hesi-dad on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 02:25 pm: Edit

To Prince:

You said that your son got a scholarship of $1,000 to attend the CTY summmer propram. Can you tell me how to apply for such a scholarship? As you know, the cost of the summer program is very expensive.

Thanks a lot!

By CTY nostalgic on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 02:27 pm: Edit

In the back of the booklet you receive to sign up for CTY, there is the list of all the scholarships.

By hesi-dad on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 03:06 pm: Edit

We have not received the booklet yet. My daughter just took the CTY Plus test on computer. The preliminary score is very good. So, we will get the booklet soon. Thank you, CTY nostalgic.

By fillmore on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 04:37 pm: Edit

Our son qualified for CTY. We weren't poor enough to receive aid but not rich enough to consider the cost painless. We thought we'd rather save the money for college tuition. Plus, our son wasn't dying to go to the CTY program.

Well, he was recently accepted Early Action at Harvard. The $3,000 we saved will sure come in handy in August.

By nan on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 11:19 am: Edit

We just got our seventh graders Jan.25 scores back -- 620v, 590m. We're in the midwest. Anyone know how good the talent search summer program is a Northwestern? Thanks for your input.

By CZLAW on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 03:43 pm: Edit

My son, a 7th grader, has qualified for the CYT summer program. I thought he'd be interested in taking a math or science course but the one that grabbed his attention is the Ancient Greek class. Just wondering if anyone here has experience with this class. My son has absolutely adored Greek mythology since he was very young and is thrilled with the idea of learning to read Greek but I'd like to hear from others who've taken this course so he won't be disappointed it. (We've looked at the syllabus but I'd like a first hand view point). Thanks!

By ilovecty on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 07:01 pm: Edit

It wasn't until the summer after my freshman year of college that I discovered the joys of CTY, by way of a RA position. There was nothing that brought me more joy than seeing kids who were very much like myself when I was there age thriving socially and emotionally because they were finally in a place where the slate had been wiped clean.
This isn't to say that all CTY kids are geeks and nerds--far from it! They're bright and spunky and funny.

For those parents who debate the merits of sending their kids to such a program altogether, let me articulate the VALUE of having your kid surrounded by both older adolescents (college students)and adults all the time.

I say this because teenagers these days spend an alarming amount of time on their own, as latch key kids, or in the absence of the company of adults. I know from my own coursework in education that this generation of adolescents spend as little as a few *hours( interacting with adults per WEEK.

Those three weeks that your kid lives in the hallway with an RA who cares about your kid is precious. You as a parent aren't being displaced--not at all! Your teenager needs to be around good role models, with ambition, sensitivity, and sincerity. CTY doesn't end when you take your kid home. Once those kids leave my hallway, I switch from being an RA acting in loco parentis to basically being a mentor--someone who isn't exactly a parent, not exactly a best friend, just someone who sincerely cares and wants to listen.

So please don't get caught up in debating the merits of CTY as a college resume booster--CTY is so much more than that. CTY kids are ambitious--much like the adults they meet while at CTY.

By CTY nostalgic on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 10:35 pm: Edit

To ilovecty, I posted some things above under this username. I was a camper for 5 years and I am going into my freshman year at Cornell next year. I was very interested in getting an RA position this summer. I wanted to know, do you know if they had any RA's who were going into their freshman year in college? Or do they only hire sophomores/juniors in college? I have a lot of experience with CTY, and I actually was asked to do the nevermore speech my last day of CTY (I declined because I knew I would cry in the middle of the speech if I were to do it). As my username indicates, I am nostalgic for CTY, and want to be an RA to help me remember all the great experiences I had, and to help other kids have the best experience that they could possibly have. So am I old enough for the job? Thanks for the input.

By Sillyazn787 (Sillyazn787) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 02:16 pm: Edit

I recommend that your seventh grader should join the CTY summer school program. Who cares how much it cost? Plus, I would let my child go to a good summer school program, if its good for college and their future.And lastly, a SAT score of 1300 is an excellent score, good enough to go to UC schools in California. If I were you, go ahead and spend money for your seventh grader's education, honey.

By Devon MacEachron on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 01:08 pm: Edit

My children have participated in CTY since 2nd grade for my youngest and 4th for my oldest (now in 6th and 8th grades). Both do relatively poorly in school during the school year despite trying hard due to learning disabilties and perhaps a mismatch between what the school rewards (memorization, organization) and their strengths (creativity, abstract reasoning).

CTY has saved their lives. They were both convinced they were stupid (despite very high test scores). We told them they had the kind of smarts that would show more as they moved up in the academic system, but of course they didn't believe us. CTY convinced them otherwise. Both kids have excelled in their summer classes. Teachers at CTY have singled them out at times for particularly strong work. My son, who didn't make it into the top math group at his school, completed prealgebra in 2 weeks with a score of 98%. He felt vindicated.

They've gone from feeling stupid to knowing in their hearts that they are smart and are capable of succeeding. I think without that boost they might have eventually given up in school.

Of course in addition to that benefit, they've enjoyed making friends with other kids that are actually interested in learning and talking about ideas. They've learned some skills and specifics about subject that interest them as well. Last summer one of my children participated in a college level internship program and the teachers said her knowledge of the field was more thorough than most of their college age interns.

As for getting into colleges, I don't think participation in the program will make a huge difference except if it indicates a love of learning or a drive to master a subject of interest. In other words, the prestige of it wouldn't make a huge impact, but the drive of a student who wants to learn more might. Also, since everyone that qualifies tests well, the kids likely do well enough on their SAT's that they're all in the top tiers of college applicants. Take alook at the CTY section under test scores here and you'll see that a qualifying SAT score as a 7th grader usually evolves into a 1450 or above as a senior.

By Olive_Oil (Olive_Oil) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 12:23 am: Edit

I am an eighth grader participating in CTY. I recently took the SAT and scored 1300, enough to qualify for the CTY summer programs. I have mixed feelings about attending, however, and would appreciate any advice.
I love to learn, I excel in school, and I think I could benefit from the program. On the other hand, I highly value the time I spend over the summer away from the classroom, and am not sure whether three weeks is academically too much for me.
So~ what do you think?

By Olive_Oil (Olive_Oil) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 12:45 am: Edit

Also -- what are these $1000 scholarships? Are they merit-based or need-based? How can I apply for them?

By Ctyteacher (Ctyteacher) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 12:50 pm: Edit

Olive oil, I responded to your question on the other section of this forum several days ago, but you have not acknowledged that response, nor have you asked any specfiic questions there. If you really want answers, instead of spreading your questions around the boards without checking whether you have received answers, you would be better off sticking with one thread.
CTYteacher

By Aschoolgirl (Aschoolgirl) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 06:09 pm: Edit

wow CTYTeacher give olive oil a break... perhaps she didn't see your reply...try to be a little more understanding will you... and for your information...spreading questions around boards is a great way of getting answers...you'd think a "cty teacher" would be more patient

By Ctyteacher (Ctyteacher) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 07:14 pm: Edit

FYI, I posted my response to her initial enquiry a week ago. <edited by admin to remove mild flame>

CTYteacher and mom

By Olive_Oil (Olive_Oil) on Saturday, March 01, 2003 - 12:05 am: Edit

Ctyteacher~

I am very sorry for not replying to your other post. You are right that I should check and see whether I have received responses before posting anywhere else. I am new to these forums and am just beginning to understand how they work. Right after I posted on this thread, I checked the other one and saw your response. Sorry about that.

On another note, you have actually helped me more than you realize. I was expecting that CTY would provide opportunity for academic enrichment that is unlike what I go through every day at school. If most CTY teachers are as short-tempered towards an honest mistake as you are, however, I do not think that I could possibly enjoy a CTY course. Thank you, Ctyteacher!

By Artie1 (Artie1) on Sunday, March 02, 2003 - 03:53 pm: Edit

Olive Oil,

I don't know who CtyTeacher is, or why is (s)he responding in this fashion, but it really does not matter. (S)he is by no means representative of the people that teach or work at CTY. She is more likely the antithesis.

My son attended their summer camp for 5 years and has nothing but great experiences to account for his time there.

Your question regarding whether you want to spend 3 weeks of your summer on academics is very relevant and something you need to consider carefully. What I saw in my son's case is an extremely well balanced experience where a solid academic program is complemented with a ton of fun activities (plays, dances, side trips, or simply socializing with other students.) To this date I know he keeps in touch with many of the kids he met at the camp.

Regarding scholarships, I am pretty sure they are strictly need based. All the students that qualify are very bright just like you. It would be difficult to distinguish among them.

I hope this helps, and again I hope the other postings in this group do not stop you and your parents from exploring CTY.

By Olive_Oil (Olive_Oil) on Sunday, March 02, 2003 - 10:13 pm: Edit

Thank you very much Artie1! I am glad to hear that the program is not entirely academic. MOST of what I have read in this forum has convinced me that CTY is definitely worthwhile to consider.

Also, I was wondering if there were any specific courses that you (or anyone else on this forum) would recommend or advise me to stay away from?
None of the courses jump out at me, although many seem interesting.

Thank you for responding!

By Cornellian07 (Cornellian07) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 11:51 pm: Edit

If you're interested in engineering, DEFINITELY TAKE IT!!! It was the best class I have ever taken, and it is the main factor that helped me realize that I wanted to major in engineering in college. Also, I took biology and placed out of it in school, which permitted me to take all four regular sciences, plus AP physics. Or if you want to get ahead in math, try math sequence. If you're more into liberal arts, I have heard psychology is a very fun course. If you have any questions, ask me. I posted above as CTY nostalgic, and I will be happy to answer anything I can.

By Artie1 (Artie1) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 11:39 am: Edit

Olive Oil,

Cornellian07 makes very good suggestions. Again, I am a parent, not the student, but my son's approach was similar to Cornellian07. He took self-paced math the first year and the some science courses that allowed him to move into AP classes in his freshman year. A word of caution, however, on this approach. It is extremely important that you and your parents talk to somebody in your school about this before you pick a course. We are very fortunate to have a school district that worked with us, but this is by no means a given. The CTY brochure mentions this and they are not overemphasizing its importance.

Of course there is a very different approach other students that we know took. They chose courses at CTY that they could not have taken in their school, e.g. Greek mythology. They also benefited tremendously from the experience.

The nice thing about CTY is that either approach - and I am sure others - works equally as well.

Talk to your parents and talk to the school. They will be able to help.

By Artie1 (Artie1) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 11:41 am: Edit

Olive Oil,

Cornellian07 makes very good suggestions. Again, I am a parent, not the student, but my son's approach was similar to Cornellian07. He took self-paced math the first year and the some science courses that allowed him to move into AP classes in his freshman year. A word of caution, however, on this approach. It is extremely important that you and your parents talk to somebody in your school about this before you pick a course. We are very fortunate to have a school district that worked with us, but this is by no means a given. The CTY brochure mentions this and they are not overemphasizing its importance.

Of course there is a very different approach other students that we know took. They chose courses at CTY that they could not have taken in their school, e.g. Greek mythology. They also benefited tremendously from the experience.

The nice thing about CTY is that either approach - and I am sure others - works equally as well.

Talk to your parents and talk to the school. They will be able to help.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 12:48 pm: Edit

My son is interested in the Greek Mythology/Ancient Greek class at CYT -- it will be his first year at CYT. If anyone has any experience or knows of anyone who has taken this class, could you let me know about it? I thought he'd be interested in the science classes but this is what he's decided on and I'm curious to learn more about it before enrolling him.

Carolyn

By Olive_Oil (Olive_Oil) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 01:32 am: Edit

So I got invited to the CTY award ceremony-- what is it and will I be missing anything if I do not attend?

By Drmike (Drmike) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 06:37 pm: Edit

My son is a junior at an ivy, and CTY was a great experience for him. Not in the sense that it increased his chances for admission just by taking the program, but by the internal changes it fostered. It was an opportunity to be in a group of 300+ kids of ability levels equal to his, and in many cases exceeding his. I'll always recall his call home at the first cty program, "Dad, there is a girl here, and she's like, a genius!" The opportunity to share a love of learning and explore new areas was invaluable to him.

After the CTY program, he attended JSA summer school at Georgetown for 2 years. Check out the program at JSA.Org. I can't say enough good things about this. It is geared for high school students, sophomores and juniors, and JSA has programs at various places around the country: Georgetown (DC), Stanford, Princeton, Yale and Northwestern. In addition to the summer school, kids can participate in the junior state program through a chapter in their school. The Georgetown program gives the kids a chance to take an AP course in 3 weeks (taught by a real college professor) and has a speakers program where they get to have meetings and q&a sessions with leaders in government (e.g. one year my son was there they met with 6 cabinet officials). The other sites also offer AP courses and speakers. Well worth a look.

By Hamstarz (Hamstarz) on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 03:28 am: Edit

Hi, I'm currently a junior in high school and since I am bored I will share my experiences at CTY--

I'm going back this summer for my 5th and last ("nevermore") year to take an engineering course at the JHU campus, first session. My first four years were all spent at JHU, with the exception of the summer of 2000 in which the campus was relocated to Goucher due to renovations at the JHU site. I won't talk about the classes much, since as most students who have been to CTY will agree that the most memorable experiences are not the academic ones but the social ones.

Although I love CTY, there is a strange phenomena which exists in that every year seems to get progressively worse (at JHU, anyway). The first year is always the most enjoyable, since you are young and everything is new and whatnot. My first session at CTY is no doubt one of the most enjoyable three weeks I've ever spent in my life. However, my fourth year (Session 1, 2002) was competely horrible. The staff was mediocre and some rules were just outrageous. The students were not allowed to go ANYWHERE on campus without an adult following, and generally treated us like complete morons instead of students at a "gifted" camp. Maybe it was just a psychological thing, I don't know. Of course, the first year students obviously didn't have these same feelings because they did not have anything to compare that session to, and just assumed that all the rules and restrictions were always a part of the camp. For more experienced students who have had a much better time in the past, though, it was quite annoying. Many things that used to happen, such as the entire camp going to the local shopping mall or to the Inner Harbor, have been cut over the years due to safety concerns. CTY, when compared with most other summer programs, is VERY VERY restricted. I went to a camp at UC Berkeley one summer and they did not care at all where we went; we literally went out into the city to go shopping between and after our classes. Nobody got lost, nobody got hurt, nobody got killed. I would have to say that it was quite a refreshing change from CTY's atmosphere, which can get claustrophobic at times.

NOT TO SAY I DON'T STILL ADORE CTY THOUGH, I do, I just wanted to get out my main complaints so others thinking about the program can be aware of them. This is more of a gripe with the structure of the program itself than of the people there--the kids that go there are all really nice. I've heard that other sites such as Lancaster are much more enjoyable (and carry much more CTY "tradition"), but since I've never been there I can't really speak on that.

By Collegeguy (Collegeguy) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 11:47 pm: Edit

HEY HAMSTARZ,

i was at jhu 99, I think that one year when we discvoered that we could get to the girls' dorms through the underground passages, I guess we ruined it for everyone else.

i also went to lancaster, and boy, do those ppl have tradition.

CTY songs:
American Pie (the original version, not Madonna's pathetic redo)
Forever Young by Alphaville

It may not be the most academic experience, but I have memories that I'll cherish for life.