CTY program at Johns Hopkins University

[IrvineRes]

We just received an application from my son's school for CTY program at Johns Hopkins University.  It's an application to be tested to determine eligibility for the program.  CTY translates as Center for Talented Youth and they offer summer programs as well as on-line courses for advanced students.
Before we go through the hoops of testing, etc. I just wanted to know if any of you had an experience with the program.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

If it is free then your son is truly gifted.

 

[steven]

My daughter has been a member of this for about 3 years.  I think it's very good for her, but pretty expensive.  She has completed two online literature/writing courses and we have attended many of the day programs.

Last month we went to San Diego Fleet Science Center for a seminar on Mars.  We heard a lecture from a university professor, built solar powered rovers, and ran a simulated mission.  It was really well done and got her all excited about Mars. 

I have talked to other parents who have raved about the summer camps and trips.  But my daughter is not old enough for these yet.

 

[IrvineRes]

If it is free then your son is truly gifted.

It's not really free... You have to pay for the application first, then for testing.  If the child gets into the program I'm sure there will be fees applied for these as well.

 

[IrvineRes]

My daughter has been a member of this for about 3 years.  I think it's very good for her, but pretty expensive.  She has completed two online literature/writing courses and we have attended many of the day programs.

Last month we went to San Diego Fleet Science Center for a seminar on Mars.  We heard a lecture from a university professor, built solar powered rovers, and ran a simulated mission.  It was really well done and got her all excited about Mars. 

I have talked to other parents who have raved about the summer camps and trips.  But my daughter is not old enough for these yet.

Thank you for the sharing your experience!  I've heard mixed reviews with some people raving about the programs and others who said it was not worth the effort.
How old was your daughter when she started the program?

 

[steven]

My daughter was 7 when she tested into CTY. 

By the way, UCI also has a program (http://www.giftedstudents.uci.edu/).  She attended the Saturday classes for a few years.  It doesn't have as much variety as CTY and doesn't have the distance learning option.  But most of the kids are local, so there's more opportunity to make friends.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

Wake up parents. College students are off for the summer. This is a great time to make $$$$$$$ off from you. My dogs receive similar mails from top universities too. I used their names regularly including Princeton Review registration. The schools are not interested in your children's intellect just your $$$$.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

Over the years many referred to CTY programs a scam and especially John Hopkins. google it yourself " scam CTY John Hopkins"

 

[steven]

Over the years many referred to CTY programs a scam and especially John Hopkins. google it yourself " scam CTY John Hopkins"

I googled it.  This is the first hit I got: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/31838-cty-programs.html

Here are quotes from the first five responses:
"it has been a great experience for her. She's learned a lot, and had fun doing it."
"Far better and much more positive than any other summer camp experience, and nowhere near the competitive and stressful situation you seem worried about."
"My S did CTY summer programs in science and asbolutely loved them. "
"Both my kids did CTY for years until they aged out; was a fantastic experience along every dimension."
"It really was a wonderful experience"

Not much of a scam if they're leaving the victims this satisfied.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/129641-all-these-summer-programs-scams.html

Now read this from the same site.

Heroine, cigarettes and alcohols also kept the customers very satisfied too. Are they healthy?
If you want to throw money down the drain CTY is great. The colleges rob you for room and board. You could have achieve the same thing by sending your kids down the street to Oxford learning center where you only have to pay tuition and not room and board.

What do I know nothing is logical in unicornland.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

Are you saying Irvine Schools are not doing a good job educating your kids and you have to send them to other summer schools outside of Irvine?

 

[steven]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/129641-all-these-summer-programs-scams.html

Now read this from the same site.

Are you sure we're talking about the same thing? 

"People to People, LeadAmerica, Presidential Classroom, etc. are all bs. Please, don't waste $2000 on them, get a job or intern somewhere."

I have never heard of any of these programs.  Are they connected to the Johns Hopkins CTY?

In my direct experience, the Johns Hopkins CTY program was very good for my kid.  She took two online classes and learned a lot about literary analysis and writing.  I read every word she wrote and every word of the feedback that the teachers sent to her.  It was really excellent.  Then I took her to a CTY science seminar and she was so excited by what she learned that now she begs to go back for another. 

Does it really make sense to compare this experience to heroin, cigarettes and alcohol?

Are you saying Irvine Schools are not doing a good job educating your kids and you have to send them to other summer schools outside of Irvine?

We tried an Irvine school for one year and they did a terrible job educating my kid.  They failed to teach her much of anything and didn't seem to care.  I'm very glad there are alternatives out there for kids who need them.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

If you did not send you kid there for room and board, and thousand of dollars spent then an online course sounds like a legit deal. I am glad your kid benefitted from the experience. Did the online course cost you over $1,000?

An Irvine school did a terrible job that can't be.

 

[MovingOnUp]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/129641-all-these-summer-programs-scams.html

Now read this from the same site.

Are you sure we're talking about the same thing? 

"People to People, LeadAmerica, Presidential Classroom, etc. are all bs. Please, don't waste $2000 on them, get a job or intern somewhere."

I have never heard of any of these programs.  Are they connected to the Johns Hopkins CTY?

In my direct experience, the Johns Hopkins CTY program was very good for my kid.  She took two online classes and learned a lot about literary analysis and writing.  I read every word she wrote and every word of the feedback that the teachers sent to her.  It was really excellent.  Then I took her to a CTY science seminar and she was so excited by what she learned that now she begs to go back for another. 

Does it really make sense to compare this experience to heroin, cigarettes and alcohol?

Are you saying Irvine Schools are not doing a good job educating your kids and you have to send them to other summer schools outside of Irvine?

We tried an Irvine school for one year and they did a terrible job educating my kid.  They failed to teach her much of anything and didn't seem to care.  I'm very glad there are alternatives out there for kids who need them.

A teachers job is to introduce the material, it's your job to reinforce. Kids who made it to Harvard/Yale/Princeton/Stanford all probably or will sit in that teachers class one day. Wonder how they did it w/o leaving? There are bad people in every field. With the attitude you have, your child will blame others for shortcomings. Prepare yourself now for this conversation:

You: Why did you get a bad grade in this class?
Your child: Cause my teacher sucks.

The end. 

A fine lesson you're teaching.

 

[steven]

If you did not send you kid there for room and board, and thousand of dollars spent then an online course sounds like a legit deal. I am glad your kid benefitted from the experience. Did the online course cost you over $1,000?

It was around $600.  Kind of a lot.  But the kid is happy to be working on challenging materials and learning a lot.  How do you place a value on that?

An Irvine school did a terrible job that can't be.

I guess I'm not supposed to say anything in order to support the real estate values.

 

[steven]

A teachers job is to introduce the material, it's your job to reinforce.

What is my job when the teacher and principal will only provide material that my child has already mastered?  I took her to an expert in the field of education who recommended she be given a more challenging curriculum.  When the school rejected this finding, I got a second opinion from another expert.  When the school rejected this as well, I found another school which was willing to meet her needs. 

Every kid has the right to learn.  When the kid is begging for a challenging education and the school consciously refuses to provide it, that school is incompetent.  Even if it's in Irvine.

Prepare yourself now for this conversation:

You: Why did you get a bad grade in this class?
Your child: Cause my teacher sucks.

The end. 

A fine lesson you're teaching.

You are making the assumption that I or my kid care about grades.  Not true at all.  The kid is insatiably curious and driven to follow her passions.  She's begging for a more difficult curriculum.  Why do we even need grades?

And I believe it is a fine lesson: 'You have the right to a challenging education.  You have a right to reach your potential.  Some adults and organizations promise more than they can deliver.  If something is not right for you, make a change.'

 

[MovingOnUp]

A teachers job is to introduce the material, it's your job to reinforce.

What is my job when the teacher and principal will only provide material that my child has already mastered?  I took her to an expert in the field of education who recommended she be given a more challenging curriculum.  When the school rejected this finding, I got a second opinion from another expert.  When the school rejected this as well, I found another school which was willing to meet her needs. 

Every kid has the right to learn.  When the kid is begging for a challenging education and the school consciously refuses to provide it, that school is incompetent.  Even if it's in Irvine.

Prepare yourself now for this conversation:

You: Why did you get a bad grade in this class?
Your child: Cause my teacher sucks.

The end. 

A fine lesson you're teaching.

You are making the assumption that I or my kid care about grades.  Not true at all.  The kid is insatiably curious and driven to follow her passions.  She's begging for a more difficult curriculum.  Why do we even need grades?

And I believe it is a fine lesson: 'You have the right to a challenging education.  You have a right to reach your potential.  Some adults and organizations promise more than they can deliver.  If something is not right for you, make a change.'

Point wasn't the grades. Point was if there ever was a problem, your child will blame the teacher. Plus I doubt you wouldn't care if she brought home all F's.

I'd like to rebuttle your points, but would involve getting into a serious conversation w/ long explanations, so I will pass from continuing on.

Wonder if you'll be just as supportive about her curiousity and passion when it turns to boys.

 

[IrvineRes]

A teachers job is to introduce the material, it's your job to reinforce.

What is my job when the teacher and principal will only provide material that my child has already mastered?  I took her to an expert in the field of education who recommended she be given a more challenging curriculum.  When the school rejected this finding, I got a second opinion from another expert.  When the school rejected this as well, I found another school which was willing to meet her needs. 

Every kid has the right to learn.  When the kid is begging for a challenging education and the school consciously refuses to provide it, that school is incompetent.  Even if it's in Irvine.

Prepare yourself now for this conversation:

You: Why did you get a bad grade in this class?
Your child: Cause my teacher sucks.

The end. 

A fine lesson you're teaching.

You are making the assumption that I or my kid care about grades.  Not true at all.  The kid is insatiably curious and driven to follow her passions.  She's begging for a more difficult curriculum.  Why do we even need grades?

And I believe it is a fine lesson: 'You have the right to a challenging education.  You have a right to reach your potential.  Some adults and organizations promise more than they can deliver.  If something is not right for you, make a change.'

Point wasn't the grades. Point was if there ever was a problem, your child will blame the teacher. Plus I doubt you wouldn't care if she brought home all F's.

I'd like to rebuttle your points, but would involve getting into a serious conversation w/ long explanations, so I will pass from continuing on.

Wonder if you'll be just as supportive about her curiousity and passion when it turns to boys.

Why all this bitterness???

 

[irvinehomeowner]

How does this happen, I thought you needed to attend IUSD and pay at least $350/sq ft to ensure acceptance into top ranked universities?  Can someone please explain?

I don't recall anyone saying that.

In fact, I think IndieDev said that the only thing IUSD guarantees is getting into lower tier colleges.

 

[irvinehomeshopper]

$600 is money well spent. I apologize for mistaken John Hopkins with other money grabbing CTY institutions that charge several thousand dollars or more. Many parents send children to tutor outside of schools to supplement Irvine's school shortcoming. Commercial tutoring = 5x (# of gas stations). It is a huge lucrative business.

If you did not send you kid there for room and board, and thousand of dollars spent then an online course sounds like a legit deal. I am glad your kid benefitted from the experience. Did the online course cost you over $1,000?

It was around $600.  Kind of a lot.  But the kid is happy to be working on challenging materials and learning a lot.  How do you place a value on that?

An Irvine school did a terrible job that can't be.

I guess I'm not supposed to say anything in order to support the real estate values.