Just dropped off DS at Duke TIP at Davidson. Beautiful campus! DS is very excited.

I hope he enjoys it! When his session is over, please let us know which course he took and what he enjoyed most about it.

We hope to send the kids to JHU or Duke next summer, but session dates are a major consideration for our kids. Our dd and ds are also attending a 3 week university program which starts 12 July, but they didn�t realize at the time of registration that it would conflict with swim team. We are looking for the latest possible program dates for next summer (ideally ending middle of August) so as not to interfere with their summer athletic pursuits which usually culminate with the conference event in mid to late July.

He went to 1st session 6/14-7/4. The second session is later (7/12-8/1) but the latest I know is jhu cty 2nd session with 7/19-8/7

Northwestern also has a session ending 8/7 this year. I am just hoping that they might fall a week later next year. I haven�t tracked previous years so I don�t know if this is the set schedule. If so, I suspect we will narrow down our consideration to either JHU or Northwestern based on the least conflict with swim team. We are lucky to have many day class opportunities in our (relative) area which they can do with swim team:)

I went to TIP as a child and I can honestly say that it was one of the best experiences of my childhood. The campus is great, the professors and teachers are wonderful, and the activities are a lot of fun. I remember it as the first place I was able to make decisions by myself about what I was doing day to day, the first place I made real friends, and the place where the classes I took were challenging for the first time in my life.

I really hope that your son enjoys it.:)

My son reports that his class at Davidson is much harder & faster paced than last yr's jhu cty. He also says the food is much better. Last yr he was in grades 7-10 program, this yr just 7th & 8th graders, so he really likes that too (he's not the youngest and more & more that's important to him).

Do you all drop off or has anyone tried staying in the area for the duration? I can work anywhere, might be too chicken to drop off at one of these programs!

What class is he taking, cym?
DD11 will probably do the davidson program next year, if she qualifies - which, based on her explore tests, I hope she will...

Hi Twomoose,

He's taking Introduction to Laboratory Sciences. They do 4 labs a day. Recently Dna/rna, but it's bio, chem, and physics. He loves hands-on science.

Elizabethmom

I escort for the drop off so I can make the bed, get him settled, buy some drinks & candy for dorm room, check it all out together--then leave. He'll fly back as an unaccompanied minor (they transport to airport and there's an airline fee unless flying Southwest which doesn't service Charlotte).

P.S. I encourage you to let them experience dorm life

Anyone here who has sent or is sending their 5-year old to a SIG day camp? If so, where? Also, any experiences (any age) with the Manhattanville Campus?

Am totally new to the whole gifted world and am reeling!

Song,

I am sorry to say I have nothing to add to your topic. But as the parent of a just turned-5-year-old, I wanted to welcome you. You say you are "reeling." Feel like sharing any more? I think we can all relate!

Anyway, welcome! And you might try posting this topic under a different forum (learning environments or general discussion). People who have something to add to the subject may be missing it here in the "middle school" forum.

:'(. Thats the class DD13 wanted to go to, same session, same location. To think they could've met!

That's so sad, Bassetlover. DS says there are too few girls in the class & also--gulp--he's learned more in a wk than in the whole previous yr. Wish they could have met

Yep, I always want her to meet up with other kids like that, but we went to the grand ceremony, so at least she's met a few.

Hi Song,

I haven't done an SIG day program simply because there are no campuses near me. Their programs look great. I would only worry about a 5 yr old's stamina to make the most of a costly program.

We've never had the commuter program choices--only residential. The youngest we ever did was the one week Univ of Denver summer program for 4th-6th graders (Rocky Mt Talent Search/CITY) when my DS was 9 yrs old. Now we're trying the 5th/6th grade program through Jhu cty for my 10 yr old that is 3 wks long.

Good luck with what you decide. I think the summer institutes have been so important for my kids that I highly recommend them.

My older dd did that same Discovery Program at DU when she was 9 as well (Marine biology course). She's wanting to try out the Marine Lab in North Carolina in the next few years if possible. Budget is going to be a concern with that one, though, since we'd have to fly her there (and an adult to get her from Charlotte out to the coast) as well as paying tuition.