If you’re a middle school student looking to broaden your knowledge and explore topics outside the classroom, consider applying for a summer program. You can dive into practical applications of concepts learned in school, explore subjects further, sample high school curriculum, and connect with like-minded peers! 

Summer programs add great value to your profile: they prepare you for high school and beyond and show college admissions that you are deeply interested in a subject. When selecting a program, it’s important to consider how intensive the program is, the cost, eligibility, selectivity, courses offered, and the program’s unique selling points.

In this blog, we will review the Northwestern University Center for Talent Development (CTD) summer programs for middle school students. We will provide information on the different programs offered, prestige, eligibility, curriculum, and pros and cons, ending with our review of the program! 

What does Northwestern University offer middle school students?

Northwestern CTD offers middle school students online and in-person summer opportunities. These range from fun, introductory courses that introduce topics through engaging games to more intensive courses that offer academic credit upon completion. If you’re a middle school student, you can choose from one-week and three-week in-person camps (residential and day student options available) and an asynchronous online program that runs between nine and 11 weeks. In this blog, we will review the in-person programs.

What are the in-person opportunities available?

CTD offers students in grades 6-12 challenging and intensive STEM, natural sciences, and arts courses. These are conducted in person, and you can choose between a one-week and three-week program. Some program highlights include lectures by Northwestern professors and industry leaders, networking with students visiting from around the world, special seminars on high school prep, and academic credit.  

What can I study at Northwestern?

If you opt for the week-long Enrichment program, you can explore topics like architecture (learn about the major landmarks in Chicago), Python and Java programming, leadership development, cell biology, engineering and basic machine design, Model UN prep, and robotics. Enrichment courses do not offer any credit.

CTD offers two three-week programs to choose from: Advanced Enrichment and Accelerated. Both options are intensive and deep-dive into the high school curriculum and other specific topics (like game theory, fantasy writing, and forensic science). The Accelerated courses offer up to two academic credits.  

Some courses you can study as part of the three-week programs include:

• Persuasion & Debate: Learn the skills behind public speaking, developing arguments, and persuasive writing. This course will teach you the foundations of effective communication, which will help you in high school, college, and life.

• Introduction to Electrical Engineering: You will design and build systems while learning about concepts like electromagnetism, circuits, computer programming, and motor control. Additionally, this course includes a group project component to test and observe different designs.

• Introduction to Journalism: Learn about ethical reporting, news writing, and journalistic standards of balance, objectivity, and accuracy. Familiarize yourself with the tools journalists use to disseminate information. By the end of this course, you will have edited news writing and developed stories through audio, video, and photography. 

• Geometry Honors: Topics covered in this course include formal proofs, logic and deductive reasoning, constructions, congruence and similarity, parallels and perpendiculars, polygons and circles, transformations, and problem-solving. This honors course covers a year’s syllabus and will permit you to opt for advanced classes when you return to school.

• Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors: Here, you will learn about systems,  equations, polynomial arithmetic, complex numbers, solutions of quadratic equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences, series, graphs of polynomial functions, conic sections, and concepts in trigonometry, including trigonometric identities. This course covers a year’s learning in a compressed and accelerated format. 

• Introduction to Game Theory: Learn about the mathematical decisions involved in analyzing games and choosing an optimal solution. You will use the material learned in this course to analyze current events and significant international relations issues. This course ends with a capstone project where you analyze a game you have created.

• Aerospace Engineering: Learn about the basic principles of aerodynamics and the history of flight. This course includes a hands-on project where you create a hypothesis, develop a flying machine, and write lab reports based on your observations and understanding of physics.  

In all, CTD offers 28 unique courses. There are four sessions (two Advanced Enrichment and two Accelerated). Each session has 6-8 courses and you can choose any one session to attend.

What are the important dates?

Each program offering has multiple sessions. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the program begins. Scholarship applications are usually due by the end of April.

For 2024, the week-long Enrichment program has three sessions from July 14-19, July 21-26, and July 28 – August 2. The three-week Advanced Enrichment and Accelerated programs each have two sessions running simultaneously from June 23 – July 12 and July 14 – August 2.

Who is eligible to apply?

The courses CTD offers are quite intensive and have selective admission criteria. To qualify for the week-long and three-week Enrichment courses, you must meet the following criteria:

• Have a 95th percentile or above score on a nationally normed, standardized grade-level achievement test (e.g. MAP, STAR, ACT, SAT, PSAT 8/9, PSAT/NMSQT etc.), or participate in CTD’s above-grade-level assessment

• Have previously completed a CTD course of a similar grade level, or submit an admission portfolio that includes your grade report card, teacher recommendation, and test scores

Eligibility for the three-week Accelerated courses is as follows:

• Meet the qualifying score on CTD’s above-grade-level assessment for the desired subject area (verbal, math, or science)

• Must have previously completed a CTD course of a similar grade level within the past two years

• Submit an application portfolio that includes a teacher recommendation and student report card that demonstrates excellence in the interested subject area

• Must have tested with ASSET Talent Search (applicable only if you are a new student applying from India, UAE, Kuwait, or Singapore)

Additionally, individual courses may have specific admission requirements that you can check here. CTD accepts applications from students globally.

How much does the program cost?

Residential and day camp fees for the week-long courses are $1,650 and $910 respectively. Similarly, fees for the three-week courses are $2,740 and $4,995. Financial aid is available.

Is the program prestigious?

Northwestern CTD summer programs are prestigious and competitive. The admission criteria are quite restrictive, accepting only students with good academic standing, increasing selectivity. However, the programs are expensive (up to $4,995), which can dissuade talented students from applying.

What are the pros and cons of applying to Northwestern CTD summer programs?

Pros:

1. You join a prestigious and selective program

Northwestern CTD programs have stringent admission criteria that accept only students with high grades. This means your peers will include other academically gifted students from across the U.S. and worldwide, enhancing your learning opportunities.

2. You can earn high school credit

Courses part of the three-week Accelerated program let you earn up to two credits! These courses include high school-level learning focusing on a particular subject area (for example, geometry, algebra, creative writing, biology, etc).

3. You can apply if you’re an international student

CTD programs are open to students globally, increasing your opportunities to study at one of the best colleges in the U.S.

Cons: 

1. The program can be quite expensive

You can pay up to $5,000 to attend CTD, which could be unaffordable to many students. Not to mention, you would also have to pay for any flight/train tickets you need to purchase. The high cost involved limits the number of talented students who can apply.

2. You cannot apply for the Accelerated program as an entry-level student

You can enroll in the three-week Accelerated program, which offers academic credit, only if you have previously completed a CTD course at a similar grade level, limiting participation.

Our review — what do we think of the program?

If you’re a middle school student with solid grades looking for an intensive summer program that lets you tackle high school-level coursework, then the CTD summer programs are a sound option worth considering. You get to study in a leading U.S. university, attend lectures by professors, and participate in hands-on projects. You can even earn academic credits! However, a significant drawback is the program’s high tuition, which limits many deserving candidates from applying and affects diversity.

If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI! 

Veritas AI is founded by Harvard graduate students. Through the programs, you get a chance to work 1-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!

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