Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion What "elite" math camps are there?

I saw a link to Epsilon Camp
http://www.epsiloncamp.org/
and it got me thinking.

What "elite" math camps are there (for what age/grade ranges)?

I'm thinking about camps that genuinely cater to the top 0.1% (or thereabouts) in math, not just something like the top 5%.

So the general question is, what is the list of such math camps in the USA (or North America)?

More specifically to our situation, our DS7 is somewhere in the top 0.1% in math, but we're not exactly sure where. We'd want him to be with genuine peers. We homeschool and have one stay at home parent (and the other often working at home too) so we certainly don't need "summer camp as child care now that school's out" at all. Also we both have math PhDs and could probably teach DS7 anything he'd see at Epsilon Camp (and maybe the "older camps"). The price of Epsilon Camp is quite a shock. For tuition, room and board (including required accompanting adult) and transport it would be more than $4,000 for only two weeks. We're frugal (we spend about zero on education, have one 12yo car etc.) and generally balk at such an expense, but if it is truly worth it, we can do it.

It would be worth it if it were to be a truly incredible life-altering experience for DS. But would it be? DS, though not shy, and a very nice kid, is a bit socially awkward and has basically never really connected with another child, except his younger siblings, due in part to being so different and not hiding it. Maybe he would find true peers that he could really connect with. That would be the real purpose of going. And to discuss mathematics with a wider group of children and adults outside the family.

Anyone have opinions, or feedback, about Epsilon Camp specifically, or about math summer camps generally?

Another question is about the Epsilon Camp Admission Criteria.
http://www.epsiloncamp.org/who_is_eligible.php
DS easily exceeds the Achievement Test cutoffs by a very wide margin, and would be otherwise ready with the math background (maybe waiting til 2015 to be solid with the Algebra I prerequisite) but he does not have a qualifying IQ score due to certain subtests being markedly lower than the rest. Does anyone know if they are strict with these cutoffs, or do they use some "common sense" when a child clearly easily exceeds all their mathematical requirements, but falls short on parts of an IQ test that really shouldn't matter when it comes to mathematical aptitude.

Also are there any "elite" (top 0.1%) math summer camps, that are not so expensive (and how do you get in)?

When your son is a bit older, you could consider Awesome Math Camp. https://www.awesomemath.org/summer-program/

My eldest kept getting their brochures. We don't know who submitted her name, but we laughed about it as math is her weak point. It is expensive, but it would be a place to meet others like him.

Check out mathzoom.org as well. Expensive, but again, might have kids at his level. There are some free or low cost camps for high school kids, but he wouldn't qualify based on age for a while.

Are there any Math Circles near you? Look at mathcircles.org They might provide a challenge and there would be other math loving kids.

To take MathPath as an example... Your future 11yo could be learning from John Conway and Robin Hartshorne each summer. You're talking about some of the best research mathemticians in their fields... and getting to hang out with other kids like him. Both of these are HUGE benefits if you can afford it.

Now Epsilon is a similar unique experience... but for our DS7 the value proposition isn't as clear. The social benefits are more muted at a younger age. The faculty is very strong but I feel like we can meet his intellectual needs on our own. Though I am researching geometry texts to go with Euclid in the next year or so. Its a hard call... You could always call or email and get their thoughts. A former director and former professor from Epsilon post on the WTM accelerated boards so you could also look at some old threads there and ask for input.

Good Luck.

ETA. Also my impression is most kids are 9 or 10. Some of the strongest kids may be younger, but either way it sounds like you have some time to figure it out.

Is your son a DYS?

I think Epsilon Camp is it for younger kids. My son is applying and I have heard that it is life changing for kids who attend.

The folks who started Epsilon are working on a Delta camp for younger kids (6-7) for next year which could also be an option.

I'm not sure how much a kid with access to two PhD math parents would get out of a math camp. For a kid without such access, mathpath was quite special. I don't know if I would call it life-changing, but it was definitely worth the cost. I do think my child would describe it as the best 4 weeks of life so far -- and just asked, my child would also say it was life-changing.

My sense of these camps is that they aren't for math talented kids, although the kids there are talented in math. They are for kids who LOVE math and who are excited about anything John Conway has to say, who spend free time thinking about mathy things, and who love learning math. I suspect that many kids in the top 0.1% do not fit these criteria and would be disappointed. For the kids who love the math itself, I think these camps can truly amazing.

Epsilon was somethng I've glanced at a bit, but the pricetag is wow. In terms of top .1%, look at Epsilon's reqs for transtable scores: http://www.epsiloncamp.org/who_is_eligible.php

Has your son tried other activities that might be appealing to high-IQ, math-minded children? What about chess, Lego robotics clubs, or even card trading games that meet at comic book stores, etc? It seems to be that with two math PhD parents and the level of achievement and instruction you describe, you might be disappointed in these camps pedagogically, and the price is so high. I'd look for other ways to connect with similar children socially first, if that is a main goal. You might be able to find peers for free. I don't know where you live or how likely it is that there are other children near you in somewhere near the same ballpark, though.

(Keeping in mind that your child doesn't need his friends to be top .1%. Top 1% is probably going to be a pretty good fit compared to what he may have previously encountered, and groups like that sort of autofilter.)

22B, did you investiagte Math Circle? There are 3 in the Bay Area - Stanford, Berkeley and San Jose.
Stanford's is linked here: http://math.stanford.edu/circle/

My ds 10 best week was a Minecraft design camp. He made some good friends.

A close second was a week of playing dungeons and dragons in an old abandon school that was being remodeled. A close 3nd was Magic card week.

I doubt that the 2 weeks of Math Camp even got a mention.