I would like to enroll my son in an on-line math curriculum. He is 8 years old and will be going into the third grade. His GAI on the wisc IV is 144 and he earned high honors on both math and verbal on the SCAT exam. I am considering either the CTY or the EPGY curriculum for math acceleration?

Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated.

I do not have a highly informed opinion but I am going with CTY, just because of the infrastructure, the continuity as the child gets older and it seems more acceptable to the school as an alternative to course work.

Ren

Thak you Wren. I am leaning in that direction too but would like to better understand the two programs better.

Is EPGY just for math?

No, EPGY offers various types of programs, including Math, Science, English and some languages. For younger students (k-5) only Math and English is available.

CTY is the most mature program for gifted children out there and I am familiar with it's administration - they are wonderful to work with. The program is, however, more challenging to get into then the EPGY program.

Thanks Rodc,
My DS7 has taken 3 math classes w/CTY and I am going to try one of the reading classes in the fall. It looks really hard and honestly think my DS will struggle. That might not be a bad thing if he can complete the work.
It is A LOT of money!! EPGY is much cheaper though!!

I will admit I like the recognition from John Hopkins but is is worth all that money???

Traceyqns, could you give me a little info about the format of the math courses? is it a computer program, print outs, on-line chat, combination??? How do they provide feedback and grading?

Would appreciate your insight

Hi rodc,

The accelerated math classes are all online. They do get assigned an instructor. They are only there to help if the kid gets stuck. The lessons are kind of quick and some of the harder lessons are not explained great. Like sets. I had to have the instructor really go over these with ME because I had no clue what was going on.

Sometimes they get 1 sheet for HW but the sheet excludes a lot of the lessons. My DS7 has rushed through the courses and a lot has not stuck. He needs way more practice. I will have to create more sheets for him to do for HW for the next course and have him go much slower.

The problem solving class my DS HATED. It has more graphics but he hated it. He never wanted to do it. Those classes you get a bunch of online exams and then one written exam. With the accelerated classes you just get one final.

3 months is quick for the harder classes. So it is expensive.

Oh and in the 2nd grade class I had to have the instructor explain complex and simple polygons and ways etc. Well you see I am not gifted LOL

Hi Tracey.
Thanks so much for the detailed info. Makes me pause with my decision.

If anyone else out there has additoinal thoughts/insight/comments, would appreciated to learn of them.

Again, thank you Tracey. (I am not gifted either)

If Money is an issue, DS7 uses EPGY with a home school group. No instructors, but an easy to follow online program. Cost was $135 for the year. This has worked well for DS7. We are also using CTY for summer school this year for Reading and Writing (Not his streangth) the program has been a good fit and challange for him. Lots of writing. We avoided CTY math due to cost, I heard both programs are similar.

Thank you Edwin. Appreciate your reply. We were too late to register our son for Reading - will need to do that in the future.

Rod

CTY resells EPGY for math K-6th. They are the same basic program, with different instructors. So the homework might differ slightly and the exams may as well. EPGY also has the Open Enrollment program which is minus the tutors, at a much discounted price. (That is the program I run a group for.) The main difference for most people is that CTY and the EPGY individual program will give you certificates of completion if you would need those. I hope that helps some.

Melissa. Thank you for the information - it does help. I would like to keep my son's math skills up during the summer, if not help him to accelerate a bit.

Again, thank you for your comment
Rod