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9- to 11-Week Courses

Accelerated Summer Online (ASO)

Grades 6 - 12

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Applications Open

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Online

Asynchronous, Flexibly Paced

Flexible Enrollment Period

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Summer

5/29/2024 - 8/15/2024

Enrollment dates: 5/29/2024, 6/12/2024

 

Tuition

  • 1 Credit Honors: $795
  • 2 Credit Honors: $1,325
  • 1 Credit AP®: $805
  • 2 Credit AP®: $1,335

Financial aid available for qualified students.

Tuition increases by $25 after the Early Bird Deadline of May 22. See the Fees information below for details.

Spend Your Summer Getting Ahead

CTD’s Online ASO program is an excellent option for highly motivated students seeking summer opportunities for acceleration. Courses at the Honors and Advanced Placement (AP®) levels are available within the ASO program.

Why Choose Online ASO Courses?

ASO courses provide summer opportunities that allow students to accelerate course work and have a more balanced school year. Curriculum is designed for the online classroom with the bright learner in mind.

Benefits Include:

  • Courses specifically designed to compact 1 or 2 credits of curriculum effectively and efficiently
  • Summer scheduling flexibility that allows students to take hard-to-schedule electives
  • 1 and 2 credit courses with potential for high school credit and further course acceleration
  • Preparation for success on AP® exams (AP® courses only)

In addition to ASO courses, CTD offers a diverse range of online program options; view a full list here.

 

Application Process

Please note: Students should apply to programs and select courses based on the grade they will enter in fall of 2024.

With the launch of our new application system, our processes have changed and are more streamlined for your convenience.

From the Home page on your MyCTD account go to Courses.  If you do not yet have a MyCTD account, you can create one by clicking on MyCTD account from the upper right corner of our website. Please make sure to put your student or students into your account and make sure to select a STUDENT for each application.

You may use the filter to search for classes OR type in the class you wish to apply for in the search field.

Select the Apply Now button in the upper right corner of the course description card.

Select the student for whom you wish to create an application.

If your student’s school is not found with the search tool, please choose Other and provide your student’s school information in the space provided.

Please read through and sign the necessary release page.  The policies link at the top of the page includes the withdrawal and refund policies applicants agree to.  We ask that you make sure to review the policies for the program you are applying to carefully.

You may then choose to create a new application or proceed to the payments page.

On the payments page, select New Course Payment.

The Applications for Payment screen will allow you to make payment for the class AND shows the enrollment status of your application(s).  If the status is Under Review, no further action should be needed.  If the status reads Additional Information Needed, you will need to provide either qualifying test scores OR your student’s most recent report card/transcript and the name and email of their classroom teacher or the teacher whose class most closely relates to the course for which you are applying.

Please note, we have recently migrated to a new system and there may be some errors in our database. If you feel that your student’s Enrollment Status should read Under Review based on previous CTD classes, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu .

If you would like to apply for need based financial aid, please make sure to read through our financial aid page to assess if you may qualify: https://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/financial-aid  If you indicate you are applying for financial aid you will receive the FACTS financial aid application in a follow-up email.  Your application to the course cannot be reviewed without a COMPLETED FACTS application in the FACTS system.

On the payment screen, please select the application or applications you wish to pay for.  Unless applying for financial aid, CTD requires full payment at the time of application for most programs. If your student is not accepted, or the class is cancelled, you will receive a full refund.

Once you have made payment you will be directed back to your dashboard.  Please select TO APPLICATION.

You may choose to complete your application at this time OR you may come back to it. Please keep in mind, paying for and submitting and application DOES NOT hold a spot for your student.  Classes are filled in the order that completed, qualifying applications are received.

COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION

You will receive a confirmation email upon submission of your payment. The email contains a link to more specific directions regarding how to complete your application, should additional information be needed.

To complete your student’s application with qualifying TEST SCORES, click on Upload Test Scores.  You may also use this button to upload a copy of your student’s grades if necessary to show proof of prerequisites.

To complete your student’s application with a TEACHER RECOMMENDATION and GRADES please provide the name and email address of your recommending teacher.  If you do not have the grades ready at the same time you will be able to return to provide them later by following the prompts in your MyCTD account.

If you have any prerequisites that are not documented on your report card or transcript, you will have the opportunity to upload them separately.

We kindly request that you do not upload the same documents multiple times.  Please also allow our team up to 7 business days to process any documents provided for your application.

Important Dates

The enrollment dates for the ASO session are May 29 and June 12. To get the maximum time in the course, we recommend submitting completed applications by May 25. Students with completed applications by May 24 will have course access on May 29. Applications must be submitted and completed by June 7 in order to begin the course on June 15, the last possible start date for the session. The end date for all ASO students is August 15.

Eligibility

To qualify for Indigo Tier Accelerated Summer Option Courses, students must be going into grade 6 through 12 and must also provide one of the following:

  • Qualifying score on an (Above-Grade-Level Assessment) in the required qualifying subject area (Verbal, Math, or Science) for the desired course. Student may use PSATTM 8/9, ACT® or SAT® results taken in grades 6, 7, 8, or 9. Qualifying test scores are available in the course descriptions accessible via the Explore Courses tool.
  • Students going into grade 11 or 12 may use on-level ACT or SAT test results. Qualifying test scores are available in the course descriptions accessible via the Explore Courses tool.
  • Successful past completion of a CTD course, with the same qualifying subject area (Verbal, Math, or Science)  at the Indigo Tier within the past two years.
  • Submission of a portfolio application, consisting of a teacher recommendation and the student’s most recent transcript or report card demonstrating that the student is performing exceptionally well in the qualifying subject area. 
  • Students from India, UAE, Kuwait or Singapore who have tested with ASSET Talent Search may be able to apply as new students with qualifying test scores.

Prerequisites and Graded Writing Sample

Many courses require additional prerequisites for admission. Any prerequisites are included in the course description. Any student applying to a course with a prerequisite must submit documentation showing the prerequisite has been met unless CTD already has such information from previous applications, or if the prerequisite has been met via a CTD course.

Graded writing samples are required for most English/Language Arts classes and several advanced humanities courses. Evidence that the writing sample has been assessed for academic purposes can be provided on the writing sample itself or by submitting an accompanying rubric or other feedback that is clearly tied to the writing sample. Providing an ungraded writing sample will result in a delay of the application being deemed complete and may cause an applicant to miss out on a class that fills to capacity.

See Eligibility for more details.

English Language Proficiency

Because courses are taught in English, test scores are used to assess proficiency and assist in course placement. TOEFL (or TOEFL Jr. for grades 4-8) or IELTS scores are required for students applying with an admission portfolio for whom English is not the first language and who do not have PSAT, I-Excel, SAT, ACT, ASSET, or PreACT scores.

Requests for Grade Advancement/Acceleration

CTD course content is advanced or grade-level accelerated, as reflected in course descriptions and the standard admission requirements. Though course content is advanced, students can engage with intellectual peers who are also age- or grade-level peers. Therefore, most students should apply for courses aligned to the grade-level in which they are currently enrolled. Still, for some students demonstrating a need for an even higher level of instruction than CTD’s advanced and accelerated courses already provide, further acceleration may be an option. Visit the Requesting an Accelerated Placement web page for more information about the process, timeline, and required materials.

Fees, Withdrawals, and Financial Aid

Tuition

Early application tuition discount
  • 1 Credit Honors: $795
  • 2 Credit Honors: $1,325
  • 1 Credit AP®: $805
  • 2 Credit AP®: $1,335
Tuition for applications submitted after Early Bird Deadline
  • 1 Credit Honors: $820
  • 2 Credit Honors: $1,350
  • 1 Credit AP®: $830
  • 2 Credit AP®: $1,360

Withdrawals

Financial Aid

CTD offers need-based financial aid awarded as requests are received. Families are encouraged to apply early because the amount of aid available is limited. Please see the Financial Aid page for details. 

  • The deadline to complete a financial aid application for Accelerated Summer Options programs is two weeks before the session's June 1 start date. However, our financial aid may be fully dispersed before the deadline.
  • You will receive the FACTS application link in your application confirmation email once the $60 dollar tuition deposit is paid and the application is submitted.
  • It is imperative that you complete the financial aid application as soon as possible as it may take FACTS up to ten days to process your information.
  • If you previously completed a FACTS application for the 2022-2023 academic year for CTD, you must still attach the 2023-2024 FACTS application to your FACTS account. You will be able to link your FACTS account to this new FACTS information. You may need to update financial information.
  • If you experience difficulties with the FACTS process please call the FACTS helpline at 866/412-4637.
Course Environment

The summer session runs 9-11 weeks in length, depending on the student’s enrollment date in the course. Students in ASO courses should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week (for 1-credit courses) or 20-25 hours per week (for 2-credit courses) engaged in rigorous, independent course work, guided by an instructor.

Students have flexibility in terms of when they complete course work, and instructors provide individualized feedback to help students stay on track with course material. Because of the intensive nature of ASO courses, families of ASO students are encouraged to keep vacation, camp, and other summer activities in mind as they select courses.

A pacing guide provided at the start of each course should be reviewed by students and families, and families should help ensure sufficient time for course work within a student’s summer schedule.

Students who have the most success in ASO courses are active, independent learners who take initiative, have strong communication and organization skills, and have a desire to learn in an online platform. A student’s ability to work at an accelerated pace, manage their time, meet deadlines, and adjust their efforts accordingly is imperative.

Course Access and Orientation

Schoology, the learning management system used by CTD, is a user-friendly platform designed specifically for K-12 online learners, and is COPPA compliant.

Students will receive login information to Schoology via e-mail 12-24 hours before the course start date.

With their login information, students will receive information about a live, online orientation for all new Online Program students. (Returning students are also welcome to repeat the orientation.) The orientation will be recorded for students to view at a later time, if desired.

Access to course material, including instructor contact information, syllabi, and assignments, begins on the course start date.

Course Textbooks

The course acceptance notification email will contain a link to CTD’s online bookstore, where students can find textbook requirements for their course.

Textbooks can be purchased from CTD’s online bookstore, or from another vendor of choice. The use of a textbook varies by course, and not all online courses require one, though most online honors and AP® courses do require textbooks.

Textbook and supply costs (i.e. lab kits, if applicable) are not included in course fees.

Course Pacing and Extensions

Course Pacing

The summer session runs 9-11 weeks in length, depending on the student’s enrollment date in the course.

Students in ASO courses should expect to spend 10-12 hours per week (for 1-credit courses) or 20-25 hours per week (for 2-credit courses) engaged in rigorous, independent course work, guided by an instructor.

A pacing guide provided at the start of each course should be reviewed by students and families, and families should help ensure sufficient time for course work within a student’s summer schedule.

Extensions

Students in Fall and Winter Online Honors or Online AP® classes may request up to three, 1-month extensions from their instructor. Online Summer (ASO) students can request up to two extensions. All extension requests are considered on an individual basis. To qualify for an extension, students need to have made significant progress towards completion of course work. (At a minimum, students need to have finished more than half of the course work to submit a request for extension.) Additionally, a student must have demonstrated the desire and capacity to complete the course in order for an extension request to be approved.

Course extensions begin on the course end date, and are consecutive, and are not able to be delayed. A $100 fee is assessed for each month of an extension.

Requests for course extensions should be directed to the course instructor in writing and must be approved by the course instructor and CTD.

Credit, Evaluations, and Transcripts

Credit

For each successfully completed semester (with a grade of C- or better), students will receive one high school credit through CTD.

As an accredited institution, CTD issues credits to students successfully completing Online Honors, Online ASO, and Online AP® courses. However, acceptance of credit from CTD is a local school decision. Students interested in pursuing credit should discuss their school’s policy concerning credit from outside institutions with an academic counselor or school administrator before applying.

Evaluations

Due to the compacted nature of the program, evaluations are not available for Online ASO courses.

Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts can be generated via MyCTD (go to the student's profile in MyCTD and click the button for an unofficial transcript at the top of the page) upon completion of the course and final approval of the student’s evaluation. We encourage students to download their own transcript and ask that schools be flexible given current circumstances.

If an official transcript is required, please contact CTD’s Admissions and Advising office to request an official transcript be emailed to the student’s school. Additional official transcripts can be requested via the Official Transcript Request Form.

Technical Requirements

All course work and communication (including instructor contact information, the course syllabus, and assignments) take place within the Schoology course site. Schoology can be accessed on a desktop or laptop computer, or with the Schoology mobile app for iOS or Android tablets and phones. While tablets may be sufficient for most course work, some web tools and/or websites may require the use of a computer.

Students need access to a stable internet connection and updated web browser.

Participation in “live” course activities or multimedia recordings may require a computer web camera, microphone or headset.

Frequently Asked Questions

See Frequently Asked Questions about Online Program courses.

Contact Us

“I loved the fact that my course was more independent and free-flowing. I could work a week ahead, go to a camp or something I might have, and come back and still be on time.” – Online ASO Student

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