Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth?

[chris1gill]

Are there any parents out there who have had a student that has belonged to this group? DS is in the 5th grade and qualifies as a result of his standardized test scores...

Has anyone used their learning or summer programs? Was it helpful? DS is quite bright, I'm particularly interested in anything they can offer us in the math & sciences... his current school is very light on Math, he could easily be doing pre-algebra, but they just haven't introduced it in the class...

Any opinions welcome... What is on their PLUS testing if anyone knows? I think that's what they call it for the 5th graders...

 

[Holly]

My son is just becoming a member now. Last summer, he attended The Summer Institute for the Gifted at Amherst College and their program is fantastic! He may do both programs next summer. We are in the process of joining the Johns Hopkins program and having him take the SAT through them, so I don't have any info to provide.

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks Holly, you have a private message! I'd like to hear more about the Amherst program if you could share....

Any other DIS parents out there? There must be more than two of us!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

My 7th grade son will be taking the SAT in December as a part of the Duke University Talent Search (TIP) if we get him registered in time.

 

[froglady]

My 7th grade son will be taking the SAT in December as a part of the Duke University Talent Search (TIP) if we get him registered in time.

Registration for the Dec testing had to be postmarked by Oct 1st! I thought I had until Nov 1st, so ended up running to the PO Friday to mail DS's off. I opted for the ACT as he is more verbally inclined. (DD took both for college and did better on the ACT; DS scored higher-99% vs 97%- in verbal.)

DD also did this and received National recognition; she didn't participate in any of the summer programs, as she preferred to attend Wildlife Camp. Interestingly, that experience was much more valuable when she spent a semester in a 3rd world country.

 

[froglady]

BTW, the Duke program is for our area; Johns Hopkins for the Northeast; I assume that other areas also have similar programs.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Registration for the Dec testing had to be postmarked by Oct 1st! I thought I had until Nov 1st, so ended up running to the PO Friday to mail DS's off. I opted for the ACT as he is more verbally inclined. (DD took both for college and did better on the ACT; DS scored higher-99% vs 97%- in verbal.)

DD also did this and received National recognition; she didn't participate in any of the summer programs, as she preferred to attend Wildlife Camp. Interestingly, that experience was much more valuable when she spent a semester in a 3rd world country.

I just did online registration and it allowed the Dec SAT. So we'll see what happens. We'll be in WDW in Jan so he'll miss that date. He could do the ACT, but to me it just isn't the challenge the SAT is. Plus he got the letter based on his math score. He's not a verbal whiz.

 

[chris1gill]

Hi Deb & All...

We just received our invite from Hopkins yesterday in the mail... coincidentally, it had to be postmarked by yesterday for our son to take the PLUS through Hopkins... I had to send it in online so he could take that December test... We'll be coming back from Australia the date of that January test, we'll be back, but he will be jetlagged no question...

He qualified with both his math & verbal, but he is definitely more a math wiz, he's not so interested in the verbal skill's even though it is something he is good at...

Well, I guess we'll just see how the PLUS goes, and then do some of the distance/summer learning programs... It looks like Hopkins operates in 19 states.... so not just the Northeast by the looks of it...

 

[froglady]

Hi Deb & All...


Well, I guess we'll just see how the PLUS goes, and then do some of the distance/summer learning programs... It looks like Hopkins operates in 19 states.... so not just the Northeast by the looks of it...

I know that Duke goes as far west as Dallas (my niece & nephew got the letter) but I don't know if there's another program on the west coast. It may be that it's a north/south division, or some other way to divy up the students.

As others have mentioned, the summer programs are very expensive; we don't qualify for any sort of financial aid, so my DD opted for camp instead.

Edited to add that DS has hand deformities, so writing is a problem. Much easier if he takes a test where he only has to darken the ovals.

 

[chris1gill]

Just bumping up to see if there are any DIS families who have taken the Hopkins PLUS test.... wondering about the content and how to prepare a fifth grader for it?? (I can't be the only fifth grade parent!)

 

[luvflorida]

HI,

All three of my kids always qualified to take these tests through the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. They received the letters and information from fifth grade right through eighth grade. It's been quite awhile since they took them in fifth grade, so I don't remember what exactly was on them.

As far as taking the tests, when they younger, (5th and 6th grade), I let them decide whether or not they wanted to take the tests. I really didn't see taking the tests at that grade level to be of any benefit to them. None of the three were ever interested in pursuing any of the summer course offerings. And the thing that bothered me was that they weren't allowed to test in only math or only Language Arts. If you have a child who qualifies to take the test because they scored high in math, they still must take the LA section.

My son excelled in math so he always did very well on the math section, but not as high on the LA part. Oldest daughter scored equally high on both sections, but youngest daughter's strength is in LA, not math.

Once they hit 7th and 8th grade, I did have them take the SAT's, mainly because I figured it would give them a better feel for the tests once they took them later on in high school when their test scores would really matter.

I remember my oldest daughter did exceptionally well on all her Johns Hopkins testing and SATs.

I don't mean to downplay the tests, but I think a lot would depend on the child. If you have a child who really enjoys testing and is interested in taking some of the summer courses, then by all means I would do it. My son always tested extremely high on standardized tests, but he hated taking them. My oldest daughter would have taken tests every day if asked and it wouldn't have bothered her, and she would always do extremely well. Youngest daughter also scores very high on standardized tests, but could take them or leave them.

 

[Deb in IA]

Our DD did the Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP) and took the SAT as a 7th grader.


She has qualified for the Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search this year, and will be taking the ACT in January.

I think it is worthwhile to go ahead and take the tests, if your child qualifies. It can't hurt, and at the very least, they will get experience in taking college entrance exams and may even qualify for additional enrichment programs, based on their test scores.

The fees are fairly reasonable.

 

[vetrik]

I love the Summer Programs through Johns Hopkins. My school did not offer the 5th grade test when I was that age - but I did qualify with the SATs in 7th grade. I went to the summer program at Hamilton College in NY twice - I had such a wonderful time and such great experiences that both of my brothers have gone every year they were eligible, from 5th grade on. My youngest brother is planning to go for the last time this coming summer (he'll be 16 in May). My brothers have been to many different schools for their summer programs (Connecticut College, Dickinson College in PA, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore).

Let me know if you have any specific questions about the summer programs - my family has been going to them for over 10 years now and I rank my 2 summers as one of the top experiences of my life.

 

[momtoce&j]

Hi. First off congratulations for having a son who is gifted.

My DD also received a letter from her guidance counselor last year inviting her to apply to the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Search. She took the SAT's last December and scored high enough and made it into the program. A course catalog arrived and once I looked at the different programs they offered, I knew she would want to participate. Yes, they are very pricey, and we do not qualify for financial aid. DD has always been very interested in the marine sciences. She asked all our family members for money for her b-day to go towards her class. She studied Blue Crabs this past summer at the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore, MD. As part of the course she also spent 10 days out on the Chesapeake Bay on an old buy boat. The experience was needless to say amazing. She learned so much and had such a great time. The best thing though, was the one phone call I received from her just saying how she fit in there and how everyone was just like her. (She was also happy to report that she wasn't the 'biggest nerd' there. Another of her dorm mates had received an 1140 on the SAT's, making her 940 a pittance. ) (Keep in mind these are all 13 year olds.)

If there is anything else I might be able to help you with, please just let me know. I can't say enough good things about this program. I know some others will probably disagree with me, but for my DD this experience was fantastic. Now my only concern is where to find the $ to send her back next summer.

 

[rhanditresmom]

We are another Duke University (TIP) program family! My DS qualified based on his test scores. It was a real boost for his self-esteem, as he did not qualify for our district's Gifted program (unlike the majority of his grade level...hmmmmmm). He is really proud to be a part of the program.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Okay, I've been lurking on this thread, waiting for my letter. My DD took the SCATS in Jan. (fourth grade) and scored 99+/98 percentile for her grade level. The notice outside the gifted teacher's door said you qualified for Johns Hopkins with "only" 95th percentile, and the meetings on it run the middle of October at various places in the region. Should I be expecting a letter from them? I genuinely don't know--it would seem like she qualifies, but the SCATS are used in this region to qualify you for the top gifted program and they compare you against kids 4 grades ahead of you. Frankly, her scores there would not meet the 95th % cut-off. Am I misunderstanding this, or is our mail just slow? I had mentioned to her that next summer, we might look for something more "geeky" than GS camp, so it sounds like this might be her sort of thing, but I dont' want to presume anything. Thanks!

 

[chris1gill]

Okay, I've been lurking on this thread, waiting for my letter. My DD took the SCATS in Jan. (fourth grade) and scored 99+/98 percentile for her grade level. The notice outside the gifted teacher's door said you qualified for Johns Hopkins with "only" 95th percentile, and the meetings on it run the middle of October at various places in the region. Should I be expecting a letter from them? I genuinely don't know--it would seem like she qualifies, but the SCATS are used in this region to qualify you for the top gifted program and they compare you against kids 4 grades ahead of you. Frankly, her scores there would not meet the 95th % cut-off. Am I misunderstanding this, or is our mail just slow? I had mentioned to her that next summer, we might look for something more "geeky" than GS camp, so it sounds like this might be her sort of thing, but I dont' want to presume anything. Thanks!

I'm not familiar with your test, but it's everything 95% and above that will qualify... you should call your guidance department and ask... something may have even gotten lost in the mail! The notice comes from your school itself...

 

[chris1gill]

Hi. First off congratulations for having a son who is gifted.

(She was also happy to report that she wasn't the 'biggest nerd' there. Another of her dorm mates had received an 1140 on the SAT's, making her 940 a pittance. ) (Keep in mind these are all 13 year olds.)

momtoce&j, I just had to LAUGH when you mentioned the 940 as a pittance for a 13 year old... very funny!!!

Thanks for the congratulations, but all the credit goes to DS... he's just wonderful....

I'm so glad to see other DIS'ers who have had experience with the summer programs... I know DS doesn't want to live away for camp right now, but we may have him as a day student, perhaps in Baltimore, we could stay local to the school.... other than that, he does seem a bit interested I guess we will see how he does on the PLUS exam & see where he is at...

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Thanks, chris1gill. I'll contact the gifted teacher at our school. After I thought about it more, I remember from casual conversations with other moms, that one's DD went to a JH day "camp", and I know that girl's scores weren't as high as my DD's (kid's still smart, though--don't mean to sound snotty or anything!). As my DD gets older, her interests are really diverging from what you're going to find at a "regular" camp, so this is defnitely the sort of thing she would go for. And she's another one who would take standardized tests all day long. I just didn't know if I was misunderstanding the criteria--you know how it is, every mom thinks their kids are brilliant and talented!

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks, chris1gill. you know how it is, every mom thinks their kids are brilliant and talented!

Yeh, one thing I have learned, is NOT to tell people how bright your kid is, they don't want to hear it! (did I just say that??)