Duke TIPs program?

[pantherlj]

I saw a few of you posted about the Duke TIPs program in the ACT testing thread. My daughter just got invited to join the program. I am trying to figure out if it is worth it or not.

I took the SATs in 7th grade and I don't see how it helped me

It looks like I have to pay to join and then she can attend a one day class every now and then for $150? That's a lot of money for one day - that would be a week of summer camp.

And, I guess it allows her to take the test (ACT or SAT?) again for a fee but what does she get out of that? She already takes the EOGs 4 times a year (3 benchmarks and then the actual test).

There is no way I could afford the summer program for a week they offer.

So, is it worth it? If it matters, I am in the Duke area.

Do the graduate students run the program? Is this a way for them to fund their research?

 

[HamTown]

Unless things have changed, you don't have to do any of the camps/programs. It just identifies that your child has the ability to take the test now and see how they do.

I took the SAT in 7th grade and scored well enough to go to the recognition ceremony at Duke Chapel. Neat experience.

It also will put your child on the mailing list for other programs and some colleges keep the list for recruiting purposes down the line.

 

[Purseval]

It's a monemaking scam pitting the name and prestige of a major school against the vanity of parents who want their kids to succeed. Lots of colleges do it, my son got invited to them all. The only one he went to was for the college he was most likely to attend, Georgia Tech, which he did end up going to, and he didn't go until he was a senior in High School. Don't waste your money. If identifying and encouraging child geniuses was real goal the colleges would do it for free.

 

[jrmasm]

It's a monemaking scam pitting the name and prestige of a major school against the vanity of parents who want their kids to succeed. Lots of colleges do it, my son got invited to them all. The only one he went to was for the college he was most likely to attend, Georgia Tech, which he did end up going to, and he didn't go until he was a senior in High School. Don't waste your money. If identifying and encouraging child geniuses was real goal the colleges would do it for free.

You have no idea what you're talking about.

OP, if she has no interest in the camp, your child might benefit from early exposure to the test. Less anxiety in the future. But if you think she'd enjoy the camps, why not let her test and then see if you qualify for financial aid?

 

[Leajess99]

It's a monemaking scam pitting the name and prestige of a major school against the vanity of parents who want their kids to succeed. Lots of colleges do it, my son got invited to them all. The only one he went to was for the college he was most likely to attend, Georgia Tech, which he did end up going to, and he didn't go until he was a senior in High School. Don't waste your money. If identifying and encouraging child geniuses was real goal the colleges would do it for free.

Seems like you are bitter about something but please don't try to put others down for making the choice to give their children better opportunities. The test results can help educators better understand what areas the kids may need help with or better ways to teach the child.

I know a young lady (a member of the Duke tIP) who scored perfect on the ACT when she took it in 5th or 6th grade and was recognized for it. She now attends a very challenging high school and also has a scholarship thanks to her testing perfect. For my child it is an opportunity to take a higher test and get the practice taking it. State standardized tests do NOT prepare a child adequately especially when they are not testing for advanced level stuff. My daughter already tests at 12.9+ one Math or reading and 11.6 on the other one so taking these tests are beneficial for her.

 

[tommya60]

We live in outside the Duke service area, but DD has done some of the TIP online classes and enrichement. They are very reasonably priced, she LOVED them. Those test scores may open doors in your local area with other programs. They helped us advocate for appropriate education for our daughter. They can help you see areas of weakness that she may be masking--so much easier to have that resolved before she starts high school. For a neighbor's child it helped them realize the child was in over her head--she studied constantly, everyone need to adjust their expectations (the child is so much happier, it was like releasing a pressure valve). The state tests are not all that hard, and the schools do a good job of teaching to the test, this is very different.

Every child is unique, every family is different. You can decide for yourself what works and what doesn't. For my gifted child, out of level testing made a hugh postive impact on her education and her life. Best money I ever spent. You might want to check out the information on HoagiesGifted.com to see if any of it is helpful to you. If you need more information, feel free to pm me.

 

[Debbie7452]

My DD was in this program and while I wouldn't say it's a "scam", she didn't get anything out of it so it wasn't worth OUR money, IMO.

She ended up having a conflict to take the SAT so we paid to get a few newsletters in the mail...

Our high school offers students several chances to test early for the PSAT/SAT starting when they are freshman. This has been really beneficial to get her ready for when it counts for college. She started getting recruited for colleges based on these early tests so you wouldn't miss out on much skipping the Duke thing...

One tip...I urged my DD to sign up for the daily emails from collegeboard.com They have a word of the day and SAT question of the day. She rolled her eyes at this, but started doing them. This year her PSAT went up a lot and she says the questions really helped her. This is free once they establish a free collegeboard account. Hope this helps someone!

 

[blana]

Unless things have changed, you don't have to do any of the camps/programs. It just identifies that your child has the ability to take the test now and see how they do.

I took the SAT in 7th grade and scored well enough to go to the recognition ceremony at Duke Chapel. Neat experience.

It also will put your child on the mailing list for other programs and some colleges keep the list for recruiting purposes down the line.

I was in TIP in 7th, too. My parents were in the camp of "exposure to the SAT is your best chance to learn how to take the test.", so we took it annually from that point on. I WOULD say it helped me. (And going to Duke Chapel for the recognition ceremony was cool.)

 

[muscarello4]

It's a monemaking scam pitting the name and prestige of a major school against the vanity of parents who want their kids to succeed. Lots of colleges do it, my son got invited to them all. The only one he went to was for the college he was most likely to attend, Georgia Tech, which he did end up going to, and he didn't go until he was a senior in High School. Don't waste your money. If identifying and encouraging child geniuses was real goal the colleges would do it for free.

Couldn't agree with you more. It is astounding the number of these programs that are out there. People-to-People is another one. They "invite" kids to join them on trips overseas. (Fact of the matter is, they are a tour group. Nothing more, nothing less.) I was excited when our daughter was "recognized" until I found out the true story.

Unless you are planning on sending your child to Duke for summer camp, it is a serious waste of time and money.

 

[Aristomommy]

The way I look at these things is, that if you have the money, if it appears interesting to your child and it is a reputable organization then I would rather spend money on an experience than "things". We participated in a talent search (not Duke) and DD did well on the test and qualified for a scholarship and classes. She loved the experience and the money we spent for the test was worth it.

DD also did a weekend workshop in creative writing which helped her with her writing skills. If you have a need for the test like asking for acceleration in school curriculum or finding out more about your child's strengths, than the test would be helpful with that.

HTH

 

[AEinstein]

It's a monemaking scam pitting the name and prestige of a major school against the vanity of parents who want their kids to succeed. Lots of colleges do it, my son got invited to them all. The only one he went to was for the college he was most likely to attend, Georgia Tech, which he did end up going to, and he didn't go until he was a senior in High School. Don't waste your money. If identifying and encouraging child geniuses was real goal the colleges would do it for free.

Do people really still fall for this? Purseval could have been more artful (and tactful) but he/she is fundamentally right on point. These programs are run by the schools to make money using the school name. It's hard to admit it if you were a victim of this. Parents need to stop letting their status and FOMO affect their children and their pocketbook. We all know that SAT and ACT scores are not controlling who gets into good undergraduate schools, right? The best schools have virtually abandoned using them and most of the others are heading down that path. I imagine most of the parents still doing these programs are the same ones that have their child start a "charity" and affirmatively do these just to fill up an application. They then end up sending the same child to an overpriced second-tier private school because they can't admit that the child is average and should be in the local public college. They are using you, to the detriment of your retirement and future financial stability. At the minimum, if you must do these things to keep up with your neighbors, please do not encourage others to do it. This disease spreads quickly.

 

[dawnball]

I was tangentially exposed to the Duke TIP summer camp. My husband worked for one of the organizations that provided the educational part of camp and he taught a few sessions.

The prime advantage of TIP summer camp was that everyone who was at it was geeky and nerdy and smart like you were. It was a chance not to be the odd one out, to meet people who got the same intellectual jokes and didn't tease you if you were a little awkward at times.

 

[pryncess527]

Couldn't agree with you more. It is astounding the number of these programs that are out there. People-to-People is another one. They "invite" kids to join them on trips overseas. (Fact of the matter is, they are a tour group. Nothing more, nothing less.) I was excited when our daughter was "recognized" until I found out the true story.

Not all programs are created equal. Just because there are scam programs out there doesn't mean Duke TIP is the "Who's Who of American High School students"

 

[TLuvsD]

Duke TIP has some great enrichment programs, some are home based and very reasonable. You might want to check out Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as well, they have regional programs that are inexpensive (some are free). If your student qualifies, they are happy to answer questions, help with local advocacy, etc.

Every child and every family is different, for some these programs are a HUGE benefit.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Do people really still fall for this? Purseval could have been more artful (and tactful) but he/she is fundamentally right on point. These programs are run by the schools to make money using the school name. It's hard to admit it if you were a victim of this. Parents need to stop letting their status and FOMO affect their children and their pocketbook. We all know that SAT and ACT scores are not controlling who gets into good undergraduate schools, right? The best schools have virtually abandoned using them and most of the others are heading down that path. I imagine most of the parents still doing these programs are the same ones that have their child start a "charity" and affirmatively do these just to fill up an application. They then end up sending the same child to an overpriced second-tier private school because they can't admit that the child is average and should be in the local public college. They are using you, to the detriment of your retirement and future financial stability. At the minimum, if you must do these things to keep up with your neighbors, please do not encourage others to do it. This disease spreads quickly.

This thread is four years old. You register on a Disney board and use your first post for this? Seems odd unless your intent is to Google search and slam the program. I will not even begin to address all the inaccuracies in your (first) post.

Considering the cost of the program is less than $100, I don't think Duke TIP is undermining most budget-boarders financial stability.

Whether it is worth it or not depends on which resources, if any, a family might utilize.

 

[TiffJ]

My son participated in the Duke TIP program for 3 years. He lived on campus for 3 weeks and took very challenging classes. He has made friends from all over the country. It is in NO WAY a scam. It was an excellent program and I don't regret it at all. He blossomed at this program. His first year he was a rising 8th grader and while he had a small group of friends he had not come out of his shell yet. It was amazing the difference going to this program made. It also helped him figure out what he might want to study when he goes to college (he is a Sr. this year)

The first year he was interested in becoming an engineer like his dad. He enjoyed the class but did realize he didn't want to be an engineer. He then took a Criminal Trial Advocacy class that he loved. But he realized law was not his thing (maybe just a minor in it) Last year he took a microeconomics class and has decided he wants to be in the Finance field. There is a test they give to all college students after taking microeconomics and it was given to these kids at the end of the course. My son scored in the 95% of all COLLEGE kids. He was a rising 11th grader at the time.

The classes are taught by top notch people. I cannot say enough good things about this program. Granted-it is not cheap but if you can swing it, definitely worth it!!

 

[ilovebassets]

My son participated in the Duke TIP program for 3 years. He lived on campus for 3 weeks and took very challenging classes. He has made friends from all over the country. It is in NO WAY a scam. It was an excellent program and I don't regret it at all. He blossomed at this program. His first year he was a rising 8th grader and while he had a small group of friends he had not come out of his shell yet. It was amazing the difference going to this program made. It also helped him figure out what he might want to study when he goes to college (he is a Sr. this year)

The first year he was interested in becoming an engineer like his dad. He enjoyed the class but did realize he didn't want to be an engineer. He then took a Criminal Trial Advocacy class that he loved. But he realized law was not his thing (maybe just a minor in it) Last year he took a microeconomics class and has decided he wants to be in the Finance field. There is a test they give to all college students after taking microeconomics and it was given to these kids at the end of the course. My son scored in the 95% of all COLLEGE kids. He was a rising 11th grader at the time.

The classes are taught by top notch people. I cannot say enough good things about this program. Granted-it is not cheap but if you can swing it, definitely worth it!!

I know this is an old thread, but I just had to chime in.

The Duke TIPS program was the one of the original, if not THE original program of its kind. The ones that have followed in years after may still be great, but the Duke one is/was one of a kind. My sister and I both participated in it when we were in middle and high school. I am now 32, she is 36. We both spent three summers at Duke taking different courses (I did evolutionary biolgoy, science of medicine, and physics. She did economics, Spanish, and something else I can't remember.) The academics were great, but the social experiences were by far the most important part. Truly gifted kids can often feel socially isolated, and meeting other smart, fun kids like yourself can be very liberating.

For what it's worth, I am now a physician and my sister is an accountant moving into executive level stuff at a large, national cable company. Yes, it was expensive and my parents did sacrifice to send us (they, well we, are immigrants and certainly not rich). But it was totally worth every penny and I will do the same for my two boys when the time comes.

 

[AEinstein]

This thread is four years old. You register on a Disney board and use your first post for this? Seems odd unless your intent is to Google search and slam the program. I will not even begin to address all the inaccuracies in your (first) post.

Considering the cost of the program is less than $100, I don't think Duke TIP is undermining most budget-boarders financial stability.

Whether it is worth it or not depends on which resources, if any, a family might utilize.

Duke Tip costs https://tip.duke.edu/node/404 I almost fell for it when I got the letter about how smart my son was. Luckily, I asked around and found out the truth. But it wasn't until I got several of them from other schools that I got suspicious. I put that money in his 529 Plan. I hope others will investigate before they let these schools take advantage of them. But it is very hard to see it if you already a victim. So no offense taken.

 

[okeydokey]

I know this thread is super old, but I had to chime in and say that what is above is complete bunk. No victimization here at all. Duke provides a summer academic experience that is three weeks long at a college campus. Do you expect it to be free? All summer camps cost money. Both of my kids are Tipsters. My daughter did the summer program 3 years and it is the best investment I ever made into her education. She grew more in confidence and leadership because of Tip than I could ever have dreamed. I will never regret sending her.

And for those are interested, Duke offers scholarships. My daughter received about 1/3 the cost every year.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Duke Tip costs https://tip.duke.edu/node/404 I almost fell for it when I got the letter about how smart my son was. Luckily, I asked around and found out the truth. But it wasn't until I got several of them from other schools that I got suspicious. I put that money in his 529 Plan. I hope others will investigate before they let these schools take advantage of them. But it is very hard to see it if you already a victim. So no offense taken.

I find it so interesting that you not only registered on a Disney site last year to bump up a four year old thread with your first post, but your second post on this site bumps up my response from over a year ago on the same thread. It would appear that you are trolling simply for Duke Tip threads to bash the program. Not sure what your actual issue is, but the link you supplied refers to the three week summer opportunities for middle and high school students, not the registration fee. The summer studies cost is very much in line with other sleepaway camps of a similar duration. I just registered my seventh grader to take the SAT through Duke Tip for a whopping $75 - it doesn't really deplete her college fund, but thanks for the concern.

And for the record, as far as I know, Duke Tip generally requires a minimum score on end of grade or similar tests. While there are many students who qualify, it is hardly the equivalent of "Who's Who" or people-to-people.