My DD got an application for the Duke TIP programs through her school. The flyer says she got this based on her TAKS scores. I’m not familiar with this program.
The invite says she can pay to take a practice ACT or SAT (for a fee), and also allow her to get a newsletter, guide to extracurricular programs, etc.
This looks somewhat like one of those "Honor Programs’ anyone can pay for to have thir name on some ‘honors list’.
Is this a legit program that would be useful to her or just another program designed to separate me from a few extra bucks?
Ooooo, I would be really interested in replies. My son just got the same thing from his school. I did some quick research when his mother told me about it but didn’t find much. It does seem to be affiliated with Duke University though.
Duke TIP is real. I don’t know about any offers to sell you practice tests: check with your library, they probably have plenty of books you can study from.
I participated in the Duke TIP in 7th grade, I think. That would have been 1980 or so. So it’s been around a while. IIRC, what it does is identify people who take those kinds of tests well and treats those people like they’re something special so that, ideally, Duke will become their first choice college.*
FWIW, I did miserably, in part because of how frakked up my math skills got in elementary school. I did so badly, Duke never spoke to me again. But I wound up a National Merit Scholar, so you can turn it around.
*This assessment may be biased as a result of my experience.
It is. I’ll spoiler this because I don’t like to shout it out:
I received a two-course college scholarship from the CTY program when I was 12, for scoring 690 on the Math portion of the SAT. I was 10 points away from a larger ride, which apparently only two students got. I peaked too early in life.
As for the one that shares my name, I’m relatively certain it’s legitimate as well.
Duke TIPsters (at least some of them) end up on campus at Duke for an academic summer camp, living in dorms, eating at the cafeteria. It is not ALL academic, it is fun, too. I did a similar camp at Erskine College in SC which was science-based (Research in Science at Erskine, or RISE) and had a blast. This was after ninth grade, I think. But I observed TIPsters in action at Duke during the summer.
A few of my grad school friends used to teach in their summer program, and I got to be a juror when one of their classes had a mock trial. It looked like a blast (for both instructors and students).
Back in the 1980s I participated in both CTY (summer after 7th grade) and TIP (summer after 8th). I had a fantastic time both times. Took two fascinating courses, one of which led directly to what I do sitting here at my desk all day. Also had my first kiss, which was rather traumatic, but never mind.
The only disadvantage of the Duke program was that I found it insanely hot during the summer there, and our dorms didn’t have air conditioning. More motivation to go to the nice cool library.
I don’t know why I said Zephyrhills, I meant Wesley Chapel. One of the main reasons I didn’t oppose her move out there was because of the school. He is in a way better school now than he would have been if she had stayed in Tampa. He was assigned to Webb Middle School in Town & Country which sucks.
That’s a pretty significant difference. I do know some kids zoned for Webb that go the magnet route and seem to have a good school, an IB type place somewhere down Hillsborough.
TIP is the real honest to goodness thing. I did four years in their summer programs and they were the best, by FAR, things I ever did as a kid. In school I was really smart, awkward, lonely - at TIP I was just like everyone else! Seriously, it’s AWESOME. Some of my fondest memories. I took Chinese, Satire in Literature, Psychology Myth and Literature, and Film and Video. I understand that their programs are expanded way past what they had when I was there - lots of exotic locations and stuff. It’s worth every single penny - my parents would agree.
I participated in Duke TIP. Apparently I didn’t do well enough on the SAT to be considered for any of their other programs…I don’t recall anything else being included besides taking the SAT.
I knew two girls from my high school who did it – that’s how they knew each other, one enrolled in my private school and encouraged the other to apply. They talked about their TIP friends all.the.time. My impression is that they really thrived on spending summers around other kids who were into books and politics and such, stuff that isn’t your usual conversation material in junior high. They’re still friends.
I am on the Advisory Board of CTY, the Johns-Hopkins-affiliated program (which is, ahem, much bigger than both TIP, which primarily serves gifted kids in the Southeast, and the program out of Northwestern, which primarily serves kids in the Midwest. CTY has programs on both coasts and internationally. But I digress…). Anyway, yes, TIP is for real. The fee you pay for the SAT or ACT should simply be the standard fee that anyone would pay to take that standardized test; I’m not aware of any of the gifted programs asking you to pay THEM simply to take the test. (You will have to pay, of course, for any programs your child participates in, unless he or she gets a scholarship.) As a former participant in these programs and as one who is still involved with the organization and the kids who are participating now, I can definitely say that Zsofia’s experience is common–many students who feel very left out at regular school treasure their summer program experiences as life-changing.
