Summer camps - Math and science

[Mozwo]

We are trying to decide summer camps for DS 12. He did CTY camp last year for Physics ( day camp, he was in 6th grade), liked it but was not overjoyed.

 

He loves math, science and programming ( has finished all AOPS introductory courses, some online physics courses). He has qualified for SET and is also enrolled in Duke TIP and NW CTD. His ideal camp would be 2-3 weeks residential ( location does not matter) with mix of rigorous academics and fun. An added bonus would be to prep for AMC 10 and AIME. Our current list includes:

 

Davidson

CTY

Duke

Promys

Mathcamp

RSI

Mathpath

Awesome math

HCSSiM

Stanford residential (EPGY)

Idea Math

Star league  

 

We know some of these camps have age restrictions (Promys has 14 minimum age requirement?)

 

We know that CTY and Duke offer programs beyond math and science but for comparison purposes, we are only looking at their math and science offerings only. Does anyone have experience with multiple of these and can compare them?

Edited December 11, 2015 by Mozwo

[Kathy in Richmond]

We loved MathPath here, but it's four weeks long. At your son's age and ability level, & given that he wants at least some competition prep, I'd take a look at MathZoom's summer camps. They have 2 & 3 week residential options in three different parts of the country. We know multiple kids who have attended & have only heard positive reports.

 

Our kids also spent many summers at Mathcamp, but I'd recommend waiting till high school age for that.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Kathy in Richmond

[Mozwo]

Thanks Kathy. We will look at MathZoom's summer camps as well.

[MBM]

Idea Math is open to students entering grades 6 to 12. My son participated one summer in junior high and loved it. Because ds was sleep walking at night, we chose to stay at a hotel and drop him off and pick him up daily. Idea Math is overseen by Zuming Feng, who has very successfully coached quite a few IMO teams, and others involved in Math Olympiads. The program is challenging and a lot of fun. I'd highly recommend it.

 

It appears they now offer some newer programs that might interest your son.

 

http://www.ideamath.org/onlineprog.htm

http://www.ideamath.org/PencilPaper.html

 

Another *camp* that my son participated in was HCSSiM. It was six weeks long, IIRC. My son went in 9th grade. Everything about it was wonderful: the material, the instructors, the speakers, the students, the location, the activities. David Kelly, the director, and the team of instructors observed each student and guided them as they studied a range of diverse, challenging math concepts. If the material got too to be too much, they helped to bolster their confidence. After students left, Kelly sent each of them a detailed letter discussing his observations about the student's interests and development in the different areas of math which was helpful and illuminating. For my son, HCSSiM sparked a deep linterest in math. He is very grateful to have attended.

 

 

HTH.

[SeaConquest]

We loved MathPath here, but it's four weeks long. At your son's age and ability level, & given that he wants at least some competition prep, I'd take a look at MathZoom's summer camps. They have 2 & 3 week residential options in three different parts of the country. We know multiple kids who have attended & have only heard positive reports.

 

Our kids also spent many summers at Mathcamp, but I'd recommend waiting till high school age for that.

 

As an aside, has anyone taken any of the online courses offered by the people who put together the Math Zoom camps? I have never seen this provider mentioned before?

 

http://www.areteem.org/courses/live-course-schedule

[SeaConquest]

Idea Math is open to students entering grades 6 to 12. My son participated one summer in junior high and loved it. Because ds was sleep walking at night, we chose to stay at a hotel and drop him off and pick him up daily. Idea Math is overseen by Zuming Feng, who has very successfully coached quite a few IMO teams, and others involved in Math Olympiads. The program is challenging and a lot of fun. I'd highly recommend it.

 

It appears they now offer some newer programs that might interest your son.

 

http://www.ideamath.org/onlineprog.htm

http://www.ideamath.org/PencilPaper.html

 

 

The online courses also look interesting. I wonder how they compare to something like AoPS?

[Kathy in Richmond]

As an aside, has anyone taken any of the online courses offered by the people who put together the Math Zoom camps? I have never seen this provider mentioned before?

 

http://www.areteem.org/courses/live-course-schedule

 

MathZoom has offered some school year classes in the past in math and physics, but it looks like they've been expanding rapidly lately. I personally only know of kids who've attended the summer program, but I looked around their site a bit. I found more info by going to the enroll button for the various courses & checking out the teachers who were listed there. It looks like they're using mostly faculty from their summer program to teach during the school year, which would give me confidence that they're starting in a good place. And it looks like they've got some interesting classes from Intro Geometry & programming all the way up to math & physics olympiad level training!

[Mozwo]

It is interesting to see these offerings from MathZoom and Ideamath. I know A star also has similar offerings in the bay area and of course there is awesome math which has a year round program. it would be interesting to hear from someone who has done any of these after/ before doing AOPS. 

[Kathy in Richmond]

Mozwo, I'd try searching the Contests & Programs forum of AoPS for reviews of the different summer programs. You could also post a question over there.

[MBM]

The online courses also look interesting. I wonder how they compare to something like AoPS?

 

Idea Math's online classes didn't exist back when my son would've taken them, but Dr. Feng was able to place the kids well in the summer program. Maybe they have a way to help you figure out where your son would be. ETA: My son thought the material in his class was excellent.

 

It is interesting to see these offerings from MathZoom and Ideamath. I know A star also has similar offerings in the bay area and of course there is awesome math which has a year round program. it would be interesting to hear from someone who has done any of these after/ before doing AOPS. 

 

Awesome Math Year round (AMY) sends out a packet of problems divided into three levels -- easy, medium and tough. My son had finished about what your son has, Mozwo, and when he participated he thought the problems were pretty tough.

Edited December 14, 2015 by MBM

[Mozwo]

 

Awesome Math Year round (AMY) sends out a packet of problems divided into three levels -- easy, medium and tough. My son had finished about what your son has, Mozwo, and when he participated he thought the problems were pretty tough.

 

Thanks for information on AMY. We have the books from their summer programs (105 Algebra programs, 106 geometry problems etc) and they are also divided into introductory and advanced problems). Is your son doing AOPS as well ( intermediate?) concurrently or will be doing that in the future?

 

My DS 12 is pretty solid on AOPS Introductory books and I am thinking of having him do AMY as well (for level of challenge as well as for writing more detailed proofs). Other option is to have him start Intermediate AOPS Algebra in January and do Awesome math camp at Cornell next summer.

[Mozwo]

Mozwo, I'd try searching the Contests & Programs forum of AoPS for reviews of the different summer programs. You could also post a question over there.

That is a great idea. We will use the forums for our research as well!

[MBM]

Thanks for information on AMY. We have the books from their summer programs (105 Algebra programs, 106 geometry problems etc) and they are also divided into introductory and advanced problems). Is your son doing AOPS as well ( intermediate?) concurrently or will be doing that in the future?

 

My DS 12 is pretty solid on AOPS Introductory books and I am thinking of having him do AMY as well (for level of challenge as well as for writing more detailed proofs). Other option is to have him start Intermediate AOPS Algebra in January and do Awesome math camp at Cornell next summer.

 

My son is a freshman in college now majoring in math and econ. :)

 

He really enjoyed AoPS and credits it for making his college classes easier, even Greek Mythology somehow. I'm hoping it'll have the same effect on Latin. LOL. He says that AoPS set him up well for writing proofs. It was probably the best money we spent on his education.

[AnIslandGirl]

To add another option, have you looked into the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) programs? They offer 3 week residential options with the ability to course select depending on the students interests. http://www.giftedstudy.org/or Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers residential summer programs as well. https://www.wpi.edu/academics/k12/overnight.html

[Mozwo]

To add another option, have you looked into the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) programs? They offer 3 week residential options with the ability to course select depending on the students interests. http://www.giftedstudy.org/or Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers residential summer programs as well. https://www.wpi.edu/academics/k12/overnight.html

Thanks for pointing out SIG. We have looked at them in the past and they looked like TIP and CTY style camps? Not sure if I am missing something but that was our feel looking at their website and their offerings.