NYLF: Pathways to STEM

[Anonymous]

We received in mail an enrollment package for DD from the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Pathways to STEM. In the letter it said that she has been nominated by her teacher last year for this program. Did anyone know anything about this program? It is for the coming summer and its seems to me it is just a summer camp with an impressive title. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

It's an expensive summer camp with a nifty title. Here you go:

http://blog.prepscholar.com/national-youth-leadership-forum

It's a real camp by for profit company. Kids can nominate themselves and there are no admission criteria. If your kid uses a prep center or tutoring program or has been to a for profit STEM camp, it would not shock me if they "nominated" her by selling their address list.

STEM sleepaway camps that are prestigious? Apply for CTY or TIP at Duke. There's sticker shock, but they are excellent. UVA's SEP program is also very good, competitive entry, much less expensive and has STEM options. Virginia STEAM Academy also has a good reputation and is competitive entry, but I have no first hand experience.

STEM sleepway camps that are reasonably priced and very high quality but open admission? My kids have loved VA Space Flight Academy and Chincoteague Bay Marine Field Station Research. They share the same dorms on Chincoteague. I ran across the Marine Field Sastion program when I pick my kid up from Space Flight Academy (which was excellent and she wants to do the advanced week) and she wanted to do the Marine Field Station Camp because it looked like so much fun. She went. It was really cool.

[Anonymous]

Hello - this is an Envision representative. Thank you for providing your feedback and for your inquiries. We are happy to answer any specific questions that you both may have. Our Admissions Advisors can provide specific program highlights as well as payment plan opportunities, if that should interest you as well.

[Anonymous]

Hello - this is an Envision representative. Thank you for providing your feedback and for your inquiries. We are happy to answer any specific questions that you both may have. Our Admissions Advisors can provide specific program highlights as well as payment plan opportunities, if that should interest you as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello - this is an Envision representative. Thank you for providing your feedback and for your inquiries. We are happy to answer any specific questions that you both may have. Our Admissions Advisors can provide specific program highlights as well as payment plan opportunities, if that should interest you as well.

NP here.

Hello Envision representative,
I've looked at the website that has the program highlights.
I'm also familiar with the payment plan that 'already listed on the website.
I've googled reviews.

I like to post questions here to see how these programs benefit our kids who are in this AAP forum.
It's very helpful to hear from parents who have been there, done that. That is not a perspective that I can get from calling Envision's tolll free number or from just looking at a website.
The Envision program is very expensive and as with other parent, we have to weigh the costs and benefits.

I do have one kid who went to CTY, which cost 4K. Kid had to test in to qualify to apply. No nomination, no recommendation letters.
Was it worth it the money? Yes, absolutely. We couldn't find anything else that would compare to it so we're spending another 4K to do it again.

I did have my other kid (non-AAP) who looked at Envision and compared it to 3 other programs.
She picked a different, but very similar program. It all looks very prestigious with the "nomination.'
The nomination is optional. Anyone can apply.
My kid was accepted before the recommendation letter was sent.
I thought that CTY was expensive but this one costs even more. Fingers crossed that she will like it.

[Anonymous]

PP above. If you like CTY and go ouch-- sticker shock, look at UVA SEP. Because it is run through UVA it ends up being state subsidized. My kids the local 3 week CTY day for 3 years, and aged into sleepaway. We just could not justify the cost, and SEP is a nice alternative. It is run on the same idea as CTY and end up being a comparable program. Morning core class, afternoon, whole camp together for "fun learning" and recreation. DS was in Carson at the time, loved it, and ended up there with a whole group of Carson kids. I later found out that Carson links to it somewhere on their web site and processes at ton of apps. He is now at TJ and knows several kids who went before freshman year (he did not). It's the real deal. But cheaper. 2 weeks instead of 3.

The application process is like college, in that you do have to apply by a set date, get a Rec, send test scores and write an essay. All evaluated and competitive entry, so a bit of a PITA. I think the application date has passed this year (my kid has summer school and can't go ). But you might want to look into it for next year.

The big downside is that you rank sessions and classes and wait to see what you are offered, if anything, based on the strength of your app. So, you can't really plan on it until April, when offers are made. Also, the dorms did not have AC when DS went and it was incredibly hot.

And unlike the "Envision Rep," I'm an actual AAP parent. (WTF envision??? Creepy).

[Anonymous]

Thank you again for providing your feedback. Since 1985, Envision has been helping students realize their potential and achieve their dreams. We have empowered more than 800,000 students to discover their passion, explore a career and, hopefully, positively impact the world. If you would like to learn more, we encourage you to visit our website or to read this recent article from The Washington Post, which speaks to our efforts to achieve that positive impact: http://wapo.st/2kVnll1

Anonymous wrote:PP above. If you like CTY and go ouch-- sticker shock, look at UVA SEP. Because it is run through UVA it ends up being state subsidized. My kids the local 3 week CTY day for 3 years, and aged into sleepaway. We just could not justify the cost, and SEP is a nice alternative. It is run on the same idea as CTY and end up being a comparable program. Morning core class, afternoon, whole camp together for "fun learning" and recreation. DS was in Carson at the time, loved it, and ended up there with a whole group of Carson kids. I later found out that Carson links to it somewhere on their web site and processes at ton of apps. He is now at TJ and knows several kids who went before freshman year (he did not). It's the real deal. But cheaper. 2 weeks instead of 3.

The application process is like college, in that you do have to apply by a set date, get a Rec, send test scores and write an essay. All evaluated and competitive entry, so a bit of a PITA. I think the application date has passed this year (my kid has summer school and can't go ). But you might want to look into it for next year.

The big downside is that you rank sessions and classes and wait to see what you are offered, if anything, based on the strength of your app. So, you can't really plan on it until April, when offers are made. Also, the dorms did not have AC when DS went and it was incredibly hot.

And unlike the "Envision Rep," I'm an actual AAP parent. (WTF envision??? Creepy).

[Anonymous]

Thank you. I do understand your perspective. If you should have any questions for us in the future, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello - this is an Envision representative. Thank you for providing your feedback and for your inquiries. We are happy to answer any specific questions that you both may have. Our Admissions Advisors can provide specific program highlights as well as payment plan opportunities, if that should interest you as well.

NP here.

Hello Envision representative,
I've looked at the website that has the program highlights.
I'm also familiar with the payment plan that 'already listed on the website.
I've googled reviews.

I like to post questions here to see how these programs benefit our kids who are in this AAP forum.
It's very helpful to hear from parents who have been there, done that. That is not a perspective that I can get from calling Envision's tolll free number or from just looking at a website.
The Envision program is very expensive and as with other parent, we have to weigh the costs and benefits.

I do have one kid who went to CTY, which cost 4K. Kid had to test in to qualify to apply. No nomination, no recommendation letters.
Was it worth it the money? Yes, absolutely. We couldn't find anything else that would compare to it so we're spending another 4K to do it again.

I did have my other kid (non-AAP) who looked at Envision and compared it to 3 other programs.
She picked a different, but very similar program. It all looks very prestigious with the "nomination.'
The nomination is optional. Anyone can apply.
My kid was accepted before the recommendation letter was sent.
I thought that CTY was expensive but this one costs even more. Fingers crossed that she will like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you again for providing your feedback. Since 1985, Envision has been helping students realize their potential and achieve their dreams. We have empowered more than 800,000 students to discover their passion, explore a career and, hopefully, positively impact the world. If you would like to learn more, we encourage you to visit our website or to read this recent article from The Washington Post, which speaks to our efforts to achieve that positive impact: http://wapo.st/2kVnll1

Very scripted.