Does anyone know if there are restrictions on programs you can participate in? We are just now learning about all the offerings, like Davidson, Johns Hopkins CYT, SIG, etc. Can you belong to more than one? Since we've not been accepted to any yet, I just don't want to apply to a bunch, if becoming a member of one group prohibits joining others. Obviously, I see it as the more the merrier. But, I wasn't sure what these various groups thought. Anyone know?

There is not a limit. Some families join the programs which are available in their region. Some members of groups with more stringent entrance criteria may regard groups with less stringent criteria less favorably.

- Davidson DYS
- Johns Hopkins CTY
- Summer Institute for Gifted SIG
- Northwestern CTD
- PG Retreat
- American Mensa - Gifted Youth - Young Mensans

Is that list from hardest to easiest? Is there a place to find such a thing? Is DYS the hardest?

DYS is more of supports. The others are academic classes

The list is not in any intentional order. It begins with those you mentioned (with links added for convenience). Then a few more which have been mentioned from time to time on the forum. It is not an exhaustive list.

Each may offer a different type of in-person experience, and these may change over time.

Lists for "High IQ Societies" may be found by web searches, but these are, I believe, geared for adults, not necessarily for gifted children.

There is also Duke TIP TIP

Yes!
Excellent addition to the list, thanks madeinuk.

So from everyone's personal experience, is there one particular enrichment program that is known for being better/best than others? Or do they all have their own +/-?

Any of the groups may be wonderful, depending upon unique factors such as:
- parent/child expectations
- child strengths/interests
- location/timing of events
- leadership
- mix of other kids/participants

As with any other group, children & families may experience
- pecking order
- cliques
- competition/jealousy

Each gifted child may have a unique experience of various groups along their journey, and may be comfortable with a different definition of appropriate "fit."

The CTY summer residential programs have been fantastic for my DD, and they've been nearly universally well-regarded here on the forums and elsewhere. My local Mensa chapter, on the other hand, was a group of pretentious twits (IMHO). I tried it twice and stopped. That may be chapter-specific.

I've sure every program has strengths and weaknesses, and supporters and detractors. Problem is - I'm sure very few, if any, have experienced more than a handful of them.

Keep in mind there are many, many programs that are topic-specific and/or geographically specialized. My DD loved CTY, but if I wanted to send her somewhere for math specifically, it would be Awesomemath or PROMYS or one of the specialized programs.

Also look locally. DD is in a fantastic AMRL math program run by the Carnegie-Mellon math grad students. It's very local/unknown - only about 30 students 6th-12th grade - and was under our noses for years before we heard about it. Do some hunting and you may find the same.

Here's a starting list - Summer Programs

I wouldn't bother with high IQ societies, mentioned above. I was a member of TNS (Triple Nine Society) and OATH (One in a Thousand) in the past - there are interesting discussion groups, but not really anything related to enrichment or development of non-adults.

I've never run into any restrictions other then money and time.

PROMYS is a great way to be exposed to math concepts that aren't ordinarily taught in school (e.g. quadratic reciprocity, Pick's theorem, Minkowski's theorem, Hensel's lemma) and to the art of proof-writing. IMO the seminar in abstract algebra is a wonderful complement to a lot of the number theory material.