Center for Talented Youth The Benefits of CTY Summer Programs Academic Personal Social >>Picture<<
Academic rigor and challenge; quality instruction .......................................................... 2
Gains in learning ............................................................................................................ 3
Acceleration ................................................................................................................... 4
Positive academic role models ....................................................................................... 5
Skill development .......................................................................................................... 6
Heightened interest in an academic subject ................................................................... 7
Increased academic confidence and setting higher academic goals .............................. 7
College-related benefits ................................................................................................. 8
Becoming friends with other bright students ................................................................. 9
Sense of belonging, social-support network, social adeptness, and confidence ............ 9
Increased maturity and independence ............................................................................ 10
More open-mindedness .................................................................................................. 10
Life-long knowledge and self-discovery ........................................................................ 11
Gains in learning ............................................................................................................ 12
Acceleration ................................................................................................................... 13
Increased SAT scores ..................................................................................................... 13
College-related benefits ................................................................................................. 13
Greater impact of benefits .............................................................................................. 14
ACADEMIC BENEFITS 2
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL BENEFITS 9
BENEFITS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS 12
Overlap of benefits diagram ........................................................................................... 15
Multiplicity of benefits chart .......................................................................................... 17
OVERLAP AND MULTIPLICITY OF BENEFITS 15
REFERENCES 18
OVERVIEW
Each summer, thousands of students in grades 2-12 attend CTY's Summer Programs offered at colleges
and universities throughout the United States and abroad. The programs are three weeks long, and
students take only one of the rigorous courses at a time. This intense immersion in a subject has proven
to be both challenging and stimulating for students of high ability. In addition to their course work,
students enjoy a rich experience outside the classroom that includes activities ranging from sports to arts
and crafts to special events (e.g., student talent shows, dances, or socials).
Courses span a range of fields in the arts and sciences, including mathematics, biology, chemistry,
physics, language, philosophy, history and writing. Courses also include the disciplines of engineering
and computer science. All courses are challenging and taught well above grade level. Teachers
emphasize active learning and encourage students to use knowledge in independent and creative ways.
CTY classrooms are characterized by
high expectations for student performance,
low student/instructor ratios,
faculty who are well versed in their fields,
motivated students,
active student participation, and
flexible instruction.
Summer Program courses are extensively evaluated, and student outcomes have been the focus of
numerous research studies over the years. In a number of these studies, Summer Program participants
have been compared to similar-ability students who have not participated in CTY's Summer Programs so
that the added value of participation can be documented.
Students and families routinely contact CTY about the benefits they have experienced as a result of
program participation. In addition, an active Alumni Association provides CTY with an on-going long-
term perspective on program benefits and outcomes.
With the help of a grant from the U. S. Department of Education, CTY's Research Department was able
to identify, collate, organize, integrate, and analyze over 30 years of research findings, evaluation data,
alumni surveys, interviews, and unsolicited letters/e-mails from students and families regarding the
benefits and outcomes of participation in CTY's Summer Programs. This document summarizes the
findings that emerged. A technical report that provides extensive background for the project, statistical
data, accompanied by charts and graphs, is available. At the end of this document is a list of all
resources, technical reports, and published research papers that were used to inform this project.
BENEFITS OF CTY SUMMER PROGRAMS
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Parents report opportunities for challenge as one of the
major factors in having their child attend CTY. At the
end of CTY's Summer Programs, all students are asked
to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of the
program. Year after year, students strongly agree that:
“the course was challenging for me,” “the instructor's
overall effectiveness as a teacher was excellent,” and
“the instructional assistant's overall effectiveness was
excellent.” In follow-up surveys, parents also express
high satisfaction with the level of academic rigor and
quality of instruction.
When CTY alumni are asked about their experience in
CTY's Summer Programs, sometimes many years later,
they say that the Summer Programs exposed them to
rigorous and challenging courses and quality instruction
not available in their school. This is a consistent
finding across studies and over time. Even the highest
ability students attending CTY programs indicate the
importance of academic rigor and challenge provided
by CTY summer courses.
“I thought the instructors were dynamic. They were encouraging but also were some of the first mentors I had that really challenged me.” “The coursework in which I participated as a CTY student has been comparable to work I've done as a college student.”
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The CTY Summer Program experience exposes bright students to academic rigor and challenge, as well as quality instruction that may not be found at students' regular schools.
ACADEMIC BENEFITS
Achievement gains (i.e., increases in content knowledge and
academic skills) are a very important and well-documented part
of CTY's Summer Programs. To measure this gain, students are
given an assessment at the beginning and at the end of the three-
week course. The scores from this pre- and post-assessment are
compared to determine how much students learn over the length
of the course.
Bright students vary in interests and exposure to academic
content. Therefore, pre-assessment scores may vary widely
within a class and provide important diagnostic information.
Armed with this diagnostic information, instructors can tailor the
course to meet the needs of the range of students within their
class.
The following graph shows average pre-assessment and post-
assessment scores for students, by type of course. Across
courses, the average pre-assessment score is about 30 percent
and the average post-assessment score is about 80 percent. Parents often describe the substantial gains
made by their children: “Our daughter covered more in three weeks than is expected of her for [the]
entire school year” and “the [CTY] course covered everything you would learn in a typical college
course.”
3
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40
60
80
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Per
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ofIt
ems
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rect
Humanities Science Math Computer Science
Average Pre-Assessment and Post-Assessment Scores
by Course Type
Pre-assessment Post-assessment
ACADEMIC BENEFITS
Summer Program participants make substantial gains in learning challenging material during the three-week course.
“It took me only two weeks to complete an entire year's worth of math. I was able to learn at my own pace and subsequently was more challenged than at my high school.”
“I still remember much of what I learned and I'm in my last year of college now.”
Many students and their parents indicate that they attend CTY's
Summer Programs in order to move ahead to higher-level
courses in school. For students interested in accelerating, CTY
recommends that students and their parents meet with school
administrators (before and after taking a CTY course) to discuss
possible acceleration options. Most of the students who take
CTY courses that are similar to traditional high school math and
science courses do advance to higher-level courses in their
schools. This finding is relatively stable over 14 years.
Of students who received placement into a higher-level math or
science course in their home school, almost all felt as well
prepared, if not better prepared, for the higher-level course than their classmates.
When compared to bright students who did not attend a CTY summer course, CTY students report
taking more advanced-level courses in high school at an earlier time (e.g., take AB and BC Calculus thbefore 12 grade) and report enrolling in more college courses while attending high school. CTY
students also report taking more Advanced Placement (AP) courses than equally bright students who do
not attend CTY's Summer Programs. CTY research has found that as the number of CTY courses taken
increases, so does the number of AP courses. Opportunities to take more advanced-level courses earlier
(i.e., acceleration) is an important added value of CTY program participation.
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Ave
rage
Num
ber
ofA
PC
ours
es
0 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7+
Number of CTY Summer Courses
Average Number of AP Courses by Number of CTY Summer Courses
ACADEMIC BENEFITS
After taking a CTY summer course, many CTY students report acceleration in their school's curriculum.
“I received credit for several classes and was able to jump ahead in school (e.g., taking Calculus and AP Computer Science) in my first year of high school).”
At the end of courses, the majority of CTY students
agree that “at least one faculty or staff person at CTY
had a strong positive influence” on their intellectual or
personal development. The majority of CTY alumni
also report this strong positive influence. The staff
member most identified as a positive influence is the
instructor. Teaching assistants and resident assistants
are also mentioned.
Positive role models also include other students. In
the words of a CTY participant, “CTY was single-
handedly the most influential experience in my life in
terms of the people I met and how that shaped and
formed my future interactions with friends and others.”
Another student said, “I loved being around other high-
potential and highly motivated students and have made
friends I have kept in touch with for the past 12 years
since the program.”
“My instructors were routinely extremely capable and obviously loved knowledge. This trait was fairly inspirational to me as a child. In addition, several of my instructors…boosted my confidence.”
“[CTY] inspired me [because of the] positive role-models among staff members.”
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ACADEMIC BENEFITS
Most CTY students report that the summer experience provided exposure to positive academic role models.
Students indicate that the CTY summer experience
improved their thinking skills, study skills, and time
management skills. The importance of increased
academic skills during the program was reported by
even the highest ability students.
CTY parents also report the development of these skills
in their children and rate these skills as a highly
important benefit of program participation.
“The writing and analytical skills that [CTY] developed in me at a young age formed the foundation for my career as a lawyer.”
“The academic background and study habits I acquired at CTY supported me through [my] MIT degree.”
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ACADEMIC BENEFITS
Challenging CTY summer courses yield skill development in the areas of thinking, studying, and time management.
Consistently over the years, Summer Program
participants report heightened interest in the subject at
the end of their summer course. CTY courses present
new concepts and real-world applications that pique
students' curiosity. Many years after attending Summer
Programs, some students say that their interest in a
subject increased so much that they changed the
direction of their academic and career plans.
“I think this is when my passion for the study of international relations was further shaped and developed.”
“My participation led to the cementing of my choice to enter engineering as a profession.”
CTY Summer Program participants report that their experience with CTY increased their academic confidence and encouraged them to set higher academic goals.
A majority of recent program participants, as well as
alumni who participated many years ago, report that
CTY's Summer Programs gave them more confidence
in themselves. Students and their parents note that the
experience in CTY programs helped students to be
more confident of their academic abilities, set higher
academic goals, and see more possibilities for their
future. For many students, the Summer Program
experience is the first time they were challenged to
push themselves to their intellectual limit. As a result,
students report that they were surprised and proud to
learn the full extent of what they were capable of
learning and understanding.
“Being involved with the program gave me confidence and drove me to do well in school. It convinced me that I had the ability to succeed in life.”
“Participating in CTY has instilled me with the confidence to seek out challenges.”
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ACADEMIC BENEFITS
CTY summer courses further heighten students' interest in an academic subject.
The majority of CTY students report that their summer
experience gave them a taste of the college experience. Many
students report that living on a college campus helped them to
prepare for college.
CTY alumni report that their CTY experience increased their
motivation to attend college and helped them prepare a stronger
college application (e.g., evidence of taking rigorous
coursework, improved writing skills to write college essays),
thus increasing their chances of acceptance.
When CTY program participants (who had completed high
school) were compared to equally able non-participants, a higher
percentage of CTY program participants attended colleges
classified as Most Competitive, the highest rating given by
Barron's Profile of American Colleges. This finding was most
striking for students from groups that are typically underrepresented in gifted programs. College-related
benefits appear to be an added value related to CTY Summer Program participation.
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ACADEMIC BENEFITS
The CTY summer experience yields college-related benefits, such as increased motivation to attend college and preparation for college.
“The classes were informative and helped me to be prepared and know what colleges were looking for.”
“[CTY] opened many doors for acceptances to college.”
CTY provides students with a well-rounded experience
focused on both academics and positive social
interaction. Students routinely report that the
friendships they make at CTY are close and long-
lasting. Students tell us that despite long distances,
they have remained very close with the friends they
made at CTY, sometimes for many years after their
summer experience. Consistently over the years, most
CTY students say that meeting and making friends with
other students who have similar interests and
intellectual abilities is as important as the academic
benefits of CTY participation.
“While I know I grew academically, it was the social growth that mattered more to me. Several of my friends that I met at CTY are still close friends.”
“Through CTY, I developed a network of talented, highly motivated friends.”
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SOCIAL AND PERSONAL BENEFITS
Becoming friends with other bright students is an important benefit for the majority of CTY program participants.
Students often report that at CTY, they felt a sense of belonging, found a social-support network, and became more socially adept and confident.
Over the years, many students have reported that CTY
was the first place they felt a sense of belonging and
support from peers. Finding others like themselves
made being bright and different feel normal. For some
of these students (particularly students from groups that
are typically underrepresented in programs for the
gifted), the social-support network they experienced at
CTY resulted in enhanced pride in their academic
abilities and achievements. With the support of other
students like themselves, they realized that it was
acceptable, indeed desirable, to be a bright, high-
achieving student.
Students and their parents report that the students'
opportunity to be with intellectual peers was an
important, if not a deciding, factor in their decision to
attend CTY programs. Students describe the Summer
Programs as a place for them to grow socially and to
interact with peers without fear of judgment. Students
tell us that at CTY they felt truly accepted. This sense
of belonging and acceptance, in conjunction with
increased self-confidence, allowed them to branch out
socially.
“CTY was my home away from home - a place where I felt comfortable and welcome and looked forward to going to each summer.”
“I was not stigmatized for being smart and I felt I could 'be myself' in a way that I didn't feel in high school. It gave me a lot of hope for college and future years-- that I wouldn't always feel like a misfit.”
“I am a strong and independent thinker with an outgoing personality and I feel that CTY helped to give me the confidence I needed to become that kind of person.”
Students report that their experience with CTY's Summer Programs helped them become more open-minded because of the diversity of intellectual peers and ideas, as well as intellectual challenge they experienced.
A large majority of CTY participants and their parents report that the CTY summer experience helped
students gain maturity and independence. For many students, their summer at CTY is often their first
experience living away from home for a significant amount of time. Even though they are well
supervised, the three-week course may be their first chance to practice independence and autonomy.
Many years after their CTY summer, alumni report that maturity and independence were important
benefits of their Summer Program participation.
“I have a sense of independence brought about [by] an increase in personal responsibility that has lasted since I attended.”
“Although my CTY experience was only three weeks, I gained so much both academically and socially. Also, it really initiated a lot of personal growth in terms of my maturity.”
According to students (and their parents), Summer Programs helped to broaden their minds. Many
reported their increased open-mindedness was a product of the diversity of the individuals they met
during their three weeks, noting that this prepared them for the social environment they would encounter
in college. Others reported that their perspective was broadened by the teachers and ideas they
encountered, as well as the intellectual challenge of the courses.
“I believe that it helped me to become more outspoken and encouraged me to make connections outside of my high school area and hometown. It gave me more of an enlarged mindset about the size of the world I participate in.”
“It's broadened my perspective in the sense that it introduced me to new and different sorts of people.”
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SOCIAL AND PERSONAL BENEFITS
Increased maturity and independence are reported by many CTY program participants.
When describing the benefits of Summer Programs,
former CTY students refer to long-term knowledge
ranging from content knowledge to self-knowledge.
For example, many former students refer to learning
something that changed their thinking or view of the
world. They also describe a self-awareness that
occurred as a result of being in an intellectually
challenging environment with other bright students.
“It helped me to find my personality at an age when it is very difficult to be different from others.” “CTY encouraged the lifelong pursuit of knowledge.”
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SOCIAL AND PERSONAL BENEFITS
CTY participants personal benefits pertaining to life-long knowledge and self-discovery.
report
Underrepresented students who attend CTY's Summer Programs make similar gains in learning as other CTY students.
Each year, CTY provides Summer Programs
scholarships to hundreds of low-income students who
are members of typically underrepresented groups in
programs for gifted and talented students. CTY is
particularly interested in the social experience and
academic performance of these students in its Summer
Programs. Moreover, CTY has been committed to
studying the effect of the Summer Program experience
when these students return to their home schools and
over time.
“It was amazing that in almost a year at school I learned about the same amount as I would in 3 weeks at CTY.” “I gained knowledge not available at my own school.”
To measure learning in courses, Summer Program
instructors administer an assessment at the beginning
and end of the three-week course. A consistent finding
over the years is that students from underrepresented
populations show comparable achievement gains to the
larger group of CTY students. In fact, the majority of
underrepresented students make achievement gains that
are equal to or greater than their classmates. Post-
assessment scores document that underrepresented
students leave the summer courses having mastered a
comparable percentage of material relative to their
classmates.
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BENEFITS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS
Each year since 2000, CTY has selected a group of
students from underrepresented populations who
attend Summer Programs to follow from middle
school through the end of high school. A
comparable group of equally bright peers who are
program eligible and who do not attend Summer
Programs are also followed.
Across years and groups (cohorts), a number of
differences have consistently emerged between
Summer Program participants and non-participants.
Specifically, Summer Program participants
are more likely to be accelerated in their home
schools and/or to participate in supplemental
academic coursework,
take more honors and Advanced Placement courses in their home schools,
show a greater increase in their SAT scores from middle to high school, and
are more likely to attend highly competitive colleges and universities in greater numbers.
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BENEFITS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS
Compared to equally bright peers, underrepresented students report the added value of Summer Program participation in terms of acceleration, increased SAT scores, and college-related benefits.
Like CTY students in general, students from
underrepresented populations report a wide range of
academic, social, and personal benefits of CTY's
Summer Programs. However, the impact of some of
these benefits appear to be more pervasive (i.e.,
reported by more students and parents) for
underrepresented students than for the larger group of
CTY participants. As the graph shows, the specific
benefits more widely endorsed by students from
underrepresented populations include open-
mindedness, exposure to other students from diverse
backgrounds, setting higher academic goals, and
preparation for college, with the difference increasing
from left to right on the corresponding graph.
“Every year I go away, I meet new people from diverse backgrounds that help me gain a sense of support because we're all on the same journey for higher education and to better ourselves.”
“It's made me much more open-minded as far as career opportunities in the future.”
Open-Mind = Helped me to become more open-mindedDiversity = Exposed me to others from diverse backgroundsGoal Setting = Helped me set higher academic goalsCollege Prep = Helped me to prepare for college
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80
100
Per
cen
t
Open-mind Diversity Goal Setting College
Preparation
Percent Indicating Very True or Mostly True
Underrepresented Students CTY Students as a Whole
BENEFITS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS
Some benefits appear to have a greater impact on underrepresented CTY program participants than on CTY program participants as a whole.
Recent students, alumni (over many years), and parents report program participation benefits that fall
into three major domains: academic, social, and personal. As shown in the diagram, the largest
percentage of CTY students (68%) report academic benefits (whether in isolation or in combination
with other types of benefits). About one-half of CTY students report social benefits and a slightly lower
percentage report personal benefits.
A striking and important finding is that most students (52%) report more than one benefit, that is, an
overlap of benefits.
Overlap of Benefits
“I met some of the most interesting people at CTY and have fond lifelong memories. It was also an intellectually rigorous experience and I really respected and appreciated my instructors.” “It has made me more socially adjusted. It was nice to feel normal and accepted for a summer, since I felt so awkward in middle school…. The classes I took at CTY were some of the most challenging classes I took for my age.”
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Overlap of Benefits
Academic
SocialPersonal
24%
15%10%
15%
16%13%
8%
68%
54%46%
OVERLAP AND MULTIPLICITY OF BENEFITS
Students and their parents report benefits that often overlap across the academic, social, and personal domains. Within each domain, multiple benefits are reported.
Within each domain, academic, social, and personal, there are multiple benefits reported. When
describing the benefits of Summer Programs, students often list several benefits within any one domain.
The following chart graphically presents the wide array of benefits discussed in the earlier sections of
this report. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather a list of the benefits frequently reported across
studies and groups of people.
Overlap of Benefits
“Because of my participation in CTY, I have been better prepared for classes during high school and in college and have been able to understand music on a more detailed level than some of my peers… I was introduced to [a] myriad [of] new things which has enhanced both my academic and social life since that summer.”
“These programs gave me a sense of confidence at a young age that helped my personal and academic independence and the knowledge that I could tackle any challenge sent my way.”
Multiplicity of Benefits
“The writing classes that I took the first two summers definitely improved my writing skills. Throughout the program I gained confidence about my intelligence and [this new-found confidence] helped [me] figure out what I wanted some of my life goals to be.” “Socially CTY launched me into high school with a great deal more confidence. I was far more successful at making friends there … I became in my own way 'popular' in high school. That wouldn't have been possible without what CTY taught me.”
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OVERLAP AND MULTIPLICITY OF BENEFITS
Benefits of CTY Summer Programs
Academic Benefits
Academic rigor and challenge
Quality instruction
Gains in learning
Acceleration
Positive academic role models
Skill development
College-related benefits
Heightened students' interest
Academic confidence
Setting higher academic goals
Social Benefits
Friends with other bright students
Sense of belonging
Social-support network
Social adeptness and confidence
Maturity and independence
More open-mindedness
Life-long knowledge and self-discovery
Personal Benefits
Findings are based on 30 years of data from research studies, program evaluations, surveys (parent, student, and alumni), student interviews, and unsolicited letters/e-mails. (www.cty.jhu.edu/research)
Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth
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REFERENCES
*Ablard, K.E. (2001-2007). Achievement Gains in Summer Programs: Pre- and Post-Assessment Project Summary Report (Internal Evaluation Reports Nos. 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Ablard, K.E. (2005). Credit and Placement for CTY Math and Science Courses: Trends Over Time (Technical Report No. 32). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Ablard Mickenberg, K.E. (2006). The Value of Pre-Post Assessment for Improving Instruction and Learning: Five Years of Research (Technical Report No. 35). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Ablard Mickenberg, K.E. (2007). Why Do Students Elect to Attend or to Not Attend CTY Summer Programs? (Technical Report No. 36). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Ablard, K., Mills, C., & Corazza, L. (1992). Credit and Placement: Math & Science (Technical Report No. 7). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Ablard, K., Mills, C., & Duvall, R. (1994). Acceleration of CTY Math and Science Students (Technical Report No. 10). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Barnett, L. (1991a). CTY advocacy and intervention in New Jersey: Observations and comments regarding the development of academic talent. (Tech. Rep. 103A). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Barnett, L. & Durden, W. (1993). Education patterns of academically talented youth. Gifted Child Quarterly, 37(4), 161-168.
*Brody, L. & Muratori, M. (2007). Davidson/Stanley Merit Scholarship (DSMS) Program 2007 Activities Report. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Kasahara, E. (2008). CTY Summer Program Satisfaction Survey. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Kolitch, E. R. & Brody, L.E. (1992). Mathematics acceleration of highly talented students: An evaluation. Gifted Child Quarterly, 36(2), 78-85.
Lohrfink, K. (2007). Goldman Sachs Scholars Program evidence of success. Baltimore, MD: JHU, CTY.
Lohrfink, K. (2008). The Next Generation Venture Fund (NGVF) evaluation report. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Lynch, S. (1990). Credit and placement issues for the academically talented following summer studies in science and mathematics. Gifted Child Quarterly, 34(1), 27-30.
*Mickenberg, K. & Wood, J. (2008). Achievement Gains in Summer Programs: Pre- and Post-Assessment Project Summary Report (Internal Evaluation Report No. 25). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Mickenberg, K. & Wood, J. (2009). Alumni Program Satisfaction and Benefits of CTY Summer Programs (Technical Report No. 29). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Mickenberg, K. & Wood, J. (2009). Short-Term Benefits of CTY Summer Programs (Technical Report No. 30). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
Mills, C. & Ablard, K. (1993). Credit and placement for academically talented students following special summer courses in math and science. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 17(1), 4-25.
Mills, C., Ablard, K. & Lynch, S. (1992). Academically talented students' preparation for advanced-level coursework after an individually-paced precalculus class. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 16, 3-17.
*Mills, C. & Hoffmann, J. Student Perceptions Study (Internal Report No. 13). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
*Student Program Evaluation (Internal Reports 2004-2008).
*Taylor, C. & Ablard, K. (1999). Student Evaluations of Academic Programs: CTY/OS and CAA (Internal Report No. 4B). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth.
*Internal Evaluation documents are not for public distribution.
REFERENCES