Top Reasons To Love the CTD Summer Program
From our survey of Summer Program 2004 students and parents

You get a taste of campus life.

• “My son had a blast. This was his first experience away from home, and we were not sure how he would handle it. He changed so much in 3 weeks. He became unbelievably responsible (financially, laundry, getting himself up and ready, decision making). He developed several new friendships, one in particular from another country who he has continued to keep in touch with. He grew up a lot and learned many life lessons.”
• “He especially enjoyed the dorm experience. His roommate and new friends helped to shape the whole experience as one he won't soon forget - and in fact --wants to recreate next summer.”

You get to study exciting topics that you just can't study at most schools.

• “The classes that my children chose allowed them to expand their understanding of the world around them beyond the classroom and to pursue interests that they could not explore in school.”

The teachers are talented and motivational.

• “One thing I will never forget was the way our teacher taught us to write. On each quiz, we were given a prompt that required a response one paragraph in length. He reminded us that in that one paragraph, we needed to establish our position, provide ample supporting details and finish with a concluding thought that summed up the argument, all the while using original language that was concise and precise. My first paragraph took me a half hour to complete because the idea of thinking before writing was so foreign to me. With such innovative techniques in only three short weeks, I was able to learn more about the craft of reading and writing than in an entire year of freshman English in high school.”
• “[My son] was in a great mood for the 3 weeks because he was so challenged and excited about what he was learning. He loved his teacher. The teacher was passionate about the subject, knew it well and really made the class fun.”

You develop lasting friendships with like-minded (smart) peers.

• “[My daughter] found friends with similar interests who she would describe as being 'on the same wavelength as I am.' She has been keeping in contact with friends she made this year and last year at CTD.”
• “My child enjoyed spending the entire day and some evenings with children having similar talents and interests. Although she was a commuter, she enjoyed the feeling of independence in being gone all day and walking around campus with friends.”

It is lots of fun!

• “Weekends going to Wrigley Field to see a Cubs game, shopping down on the Magnificent Mile, going to the John G. Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, or the Museum of Science and Industry were always a blast! And then on some afternoons
  or evenings there was always the beach or a dance or some other informal
  activity planned.”
• “My child really enjoyed the fact that even though this was class/academic camp, that there was a lot of other things to do as well.”

You grow your academic talents.

• “When I saw [my daughter's] writing when she came home, I realized she was focusing on each essay now in a new way. She went to her sophomore year, which was filled with academic challenges that I thought might undo her, with complete confidence that she could do this. She is focusing more on enriching academic selections, and I have learned to let her take a lead in this. She is taking a course on Greek and Latin terms this semester. She really wants to take a class on film appreciation, in addition to her high school work, at the local community college.”
• “My child was challenged in a way that had never happened before. This was a great way to learn that pushing oneself really pays off.”

Summer Program information for 2006 now available at www.ctd.northwestern.edu/summer