Another RMTS review:
My son was 11 doing the residential option of Session 2 (I couldn't consider staying in a hotel because it's too expensive and I have 3 other kids to engage in summer activities). He LOVED it. He said it was the best thing he's ever done in his life (and we have given him many opportunities...camps, trips, etc.) He took Economics and Cell Biology classes and worked very hard in both and scored second highest in Econ, and also high in cell bio. His favorite was Economics and the small seminar discussions about complex theories and how they apply to things going on today in the world. He had to really apply himself (first time he didn't breeze through) and produced high quality papers/presentations. The teachers were great.
More than the academics, he loved the other students and marveled at how amazingly bright they were (his roommate would derive equations for fun, one girl was the highest score SAT in Nevada)--my son discovered how cool it was to be smart and how he's not alone. In our town he seems to have to play all that down. He loved spending hours playing RISK in the evenings--when are you ever going to have so many players passionate about world domination together so that there are simultaneous matches going on? He would run in the mornings, and enjoy the afternoon activities (lots to choose from). On the weekends they went to Six Flags, the Renaissance Festival, the Mall (and a movie), Fat City Fun Center. He reported that the food was great, the rooms had mini fridges and microwaves, they were allowed to go to with a group to the grocery store to restock snacks and drinks. He was intimidated about having to do his own laundry, but after doing it once, said it was easy. He called home every night and said he missed us but was LOVING it. My son has had overnight camp experience before but not in a college setting with academic classes. He also says he wants to do it again next summer.
He also came back asking to take a distance learning math course (EPGY) which he's currently doing--probably because of his roommate's influence. I really think the residential program has so much more to offer a kid than commuter--my son said the evening activities and dorm ping-pong games were so great, I'd discourage commuter if they're old enough/grade enough for residential. RMTS is also the lowest cost of the talent search summer institutes (except Davidson's THINK) and I like that you can take 2 classes (many of them only allow you to take one).
