Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments CTY vs AOPS

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If I'm not mistaken CTY uses Stanford's EPGY for math and Thinkwell/ Plato for science? It's been a while since I've checked. My guy (8.5yo) qualified for the CTY programs last year through SCAT. When I checked (a few months ago) it cost more than we could afford and the platforms used (EPGY, Thinkwell) were not particularly popular with the my son for math. We'd tried them independently when he was younger. We may use Thinkwell (through Thinkwell or the Homeschool Buyers Coop, not through CTY) for science at the AP levels though.

He started AOPS this year and loves, loves, loves it. It challenges him at just the right level I think. He's in one of the intro classes. I also like the flexibility of using either a class, just the books, or the books and Alcumus for added practice. Anything specific you'd like to know? I'll do my best to answer!

Good luck!

I chose EPGY for my kids, who are still in early elementary school, because until recently AOPS only offered courses for algebra and more advanced math subjects. AOPS is now offering pre-algebra. EPGY is probably easier than AOPS when comparing courses on the same subject. Most EPGY problems are fairly straightforward computations -- for example factor (x^2 + 7x + 12) in algebra. For children in elementary school I think it is reasonable to use EPGY through the beginning algebra course, because it is not that expensive through Open Enrollment (OE). Once EPGY OE offerings are exhausted, their courses become much more expensive, and AOPS may be preferable for keen math students. This is probably what I will do.

In general, EPGY math seems to target students who will use math (engineers, physicists) while AOPS is targeting students who may want to be mathematicians.

Alcumus is a free AOPS resource. It could be supplemented with AOPS books without signing up for an AOPS course.

Hi Imp-- how old is your dd now? what level math?

We have used AOPS, and love it.
They have a generous cancellation window (up to three weeks) so you can decide if the format is going to work for your child. It is taught completely visually.) I have a vague recollection that EPGY has a different format with sound/video...?) That said, it is very engaging and VERY challenging.

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Sorry I don't know much about Aleks to know how it might map to one of the other distance learning programs.

If I were you I would have dd try out Alcumus:

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Alcumus/Introduction.php

You can create an account (which is free) and go to the Alcumus database of questions. Once there, you could set the topic to Algebra and let your daughter try some of them out. That will give you and her a sense for the difficulty level/style of question to determine if your dd is ready to/wants to do more Algebra or move onto something else (Geometry, Counting and Probablility...etc). If she likes the database, you could enroll her in a class and/or buy the associated text book (which we think are really beautifully written).

While you are on the AOPS site, you might want to read the Calculus trap:

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Resources/articles.php?page=calculustrap

Personally, I think it is good advice.

Just my two cents. Oh, and we chose AOPS because it looked like more fun, more challenge, and more interaction with other students, teacher...

Not sure how much help I can be as we haven't used CTY nor the AOPS classes, but DS7.5 has just done ALEKS Algebra I (spending just a couple of weeks on it, to use up a subscription period I'd already paid for after he did the chemistry course, and not really learning anything in it for the first time, but at least it means I've seen all the question types) and he's also used the AOPS Alcumus program and we have the AOPS Algebra book. On this basis, I'd say that the AOPS material is far far less formulaic than ALEKS, so I would consider it worthwhile to do both (if you want a course at all - an alternative more like what we're doing would be to use Olympiad questions etc. at school instead). From what people say about CTY, it sounds as though it is closer to the ALEKS style than to AOPS, and (as a mathematician) I'd consider AOPS a better bet (and not only for mathematicians - IMO, if you need to use maths at all, it's best to understand it thoroughly and that is what AOPS promotes). I second the suggestion to look at Alcumus before committing to signing up for a course; it might well work best in a school context and it has the advantage of being free!

(Bracketed because it may well be what you've decided anyway: YMMV but I don't think I want my DS learning maths new through ALEKS any more at this stage; we may come back in the summer and use the rest of the high school courses as practice/reinforcement/filler of odd gaps, but at this point it's really too boring for introduction of new stuff.)

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Here's an update I wrote fairly recently on how DS's maths is handled (you might find the rest of the thread interesting too if you didn't see it at the time). Since then he's finished the specific textbook and book of problems that I mentioned there. On the problem solving side he's currently using past papers of the UK Mathematics Trust's Junior Mathematics Challenge (some are available from here). On the new material side, he's desperate to learn calculus so that's next on the agenda. The other change since then is that his problem-solving sessions with the head and this other boy have fallen by the wayside; I'm not sure whether that's just because the head has got busy or because they weren't working, but as DS doesn't seem too bothered I haven't made waves about that.

Thanks for the link to the other thread!