Your child can go to Duke for 1 month next summer.... would you let them go?

[GarlicGuy]

So, my daughters got an email to apply to go to Duke for 1 month next summer.... They take an actual course and will get Duke accreditation for the class if they pass. My one daughter wants to go to Duke or UNC.

I think it is a FABULOUS idea, especially for the one who wants to possibly go to Duke. Only 500 kids get accepted in the program. I personally believe that if she were to do well, it would almost guarantee a spot at Duke, when she is of college age.... she will be going into 11th grade next fall. But I am not as sure it makes as much sense for my other daughter.... but then again, if she showed she can handle a class at Duke, maybe it opens up doors for any other collerge she wants to attend.

Now here is the "catch"...... It costs NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS - for this single month..... EACH

Worth it or not?

My kids are way smarter than I am.... There are about 600 kids in their grade ( 10th ) and both are ranked in the top 10. I feel like I owe it to them.... but $18K for one month is a whole lot of money.

[Anetulan]

For the price, no way. I don't know how expensive Duke is normally, but at the private school I went to it was about $700 a credit hour, so a three credit course cost $2100, and this is $9000 for the same thing? Your daughters could probably get a similar education for a far better value elsewhere. I guess if they really want to go to Duke and you'd have the money for them to attend than this could be affordable to you, but I'd still be hesitant.

[Blueobelisk]

>Let them go.

You mean would I pay $9000 for a one month class, when normally a semester long 3 credit class costs $3000? No.

AP classes in high school, or even other accreditions you can pay $300 for their high school classes are accepted by some colleges. Sounds like a scam.

[Berengil]

So, my daughters got an email to apply to go to Duke for 1 month next summer.... They take an actual course and will get Duke accreditation for the class if they pass. My one daughter wants to go to Duke or UNC.

I think it is a FABULOUS idea, especially for the one who wants to possibly go to Duke. Only 500 kids get accepted in the program. I personally believe that if she were to do well, it would almost guarantee a spot at Duke, when she is of college age.... she will be going into 11th grade next fall. But I am not as sure it makes as much sense for my other daughter.... but then again, if she showed she can handle a class at Duke, maybe it opens up doors for any other collerge she wants to attend.

Now here is the "catch"...... It costs NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS - for this single month..... EACH

Worth it or not?

My kids are way smarter than I am.... There are about 600 kids in their grade ( 10th ) and both are ranked in the top 10. I feel like I owe it to them.... but $18K for one month is a whole lot of money.

You "owe" them food, shelter, clothing, a doctor when they need it, and that's it. Anything else you provide is your choice.

Also, 9k for 1 month? I'd laugh in someone's face if they made that offer in person.

Duke and UNC are both fairly prestigious schools. Their ambition is admirable, but I'd tell them that you will match whatever money they can earn themselves 100% ( while they work and attend school I mean).

Good luck and congrats on the smart daughters. Wherever they end up, I'm sure that if they are as driven and intelligent as you imply, they'll do well.

[Jonnusthegreat]

9k per month requires a salary of like... $180,000 to sustain.... You have 2 daughters, do you make $360,000 per year? Lol, just go to the Bahamas or something and pocket the extra cash.

[GarlicGuy]

For the price, no way. I don't know how expensive Duke is normally, but at the private school I went to it was about $700 a credit hour, so a three credit course cost $2100, and this is $9000 for the same thing? Your daughters could probably get a similar education for a far better value elsewhere. I guess if they really want to go to Duke and you'd have the money for them to attend than this could be affordable to you, but I'd still be hesitant.

Somewhere around 65K per year, I think.... HOWEVER, that is like MSRP. Most kids pay around $20K according to a magazine article I read.

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9k per month requires a salary of like... $180,000 to sustain.... You have 2 daughters, do you make $360,000 per year? Lol, just go to the Bahamas or something and pocket the extra cash.

We have saved for their education for 17 years now.... and they are only 15. The college should only be about 20K to 25K per year after scholarships.

[Darkeon]

We don't always get what we'd like in life.

Guess your kids will learn that sooner rather than later.

[GarlicGuy]

We don't always get what we'd like in life.

Guess your kids will learn that sooner rather than later.

No, I can do it... question is whether I ultimately think it is worth the cost.

[Deletedaccount1]

Worth it or not?

My kids are way smarter than I am.... There are about 600 kids in their grade ( 10th ) and both are ranked in the top 10. I feel like I owe it to them.... but $18K for one month is a whole lot of money.

You need to do a cost-benefit analysis. Take your kids GPAs, extracurriculars, SAT/ACT scores (or projected SAT/ACT scores) and calculate their odds of getting into Duke and UNC.

In my opinion, there are probably better options to raise their chances of admittance. If they spent that time getting their SAT/ACT scores up to highly competitive levels for example, that would probably help them a lot more in the long run while you get to save $17,880 since SAT textbooks only cost around $60.

[Wyrt]

If only 1 of them wants to go to Duke could you just send the 1? Or would this just cause too much drama?

[Flame6]

Go to a local college and get an AA there. Transfer (as a transfer student with a degree, admittance is WAY WAY easier), and just pay for 2 years of some expensive school.

[Sargerasraider]

So, my daughters got an email to apply to go to Duke for 1 month next summer.... They take an actual course and will get Duke accreditation for the class if they pass. My one daughter wants to go to Duke or UNC.

I think it is a FABULOUS idea, especially for the one who wants to possibly go to Duke. Only 500 kids get accepted in the program. I personally believe that if she were to do well, it would almost guarantee a spot at Duke, when she is of college age.... she will be going into 11th grade next fall. But I am not as sure it makes as much sense for my other daughter.... but then again, if she showed she can handle a class at Duke, maybe it opens up doors for any other collerge she wants to attend.

Now here is the "catch"...... It costs NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS - for this single month..... EACH

Worth it or not?

My kids are way smarter than I am.... There are about 600 kids in their grade ( 10th ) and both are ranked in the top 10. I feel like I owe it to them.... but $18K for one month is a whole lot of money.

These kinds of things are helpful, but do not guarantee future admission, even if she does well. I would recommend looking at it as one possible thing that can be done for the summer, but other extracurriculars may be just as helpful.

Also, there usually is financial aid available for these sorts of things that you can look into.

(Lastly... friends don't let friends go to UNC. GTHC.)

[Bathory]

What does she want to do, is the question.

[Daymanmb]

$9000 for one month is ridiculous. Have anything to cite to show the cost?

[nightmann]

This sounds like an absolute scam. I've had the good fortune of attending an Ivy and have never once heard of someone "securing" a spot based on a school/university summer camp. Take the $18k and put it to better use: SAT/ACT tutoring, unique and interesting extracurricular activities, and things that build character. A month volunteering at a local soup kitchen would look better than a month at some expensive camp. My 2c.

[Daymanmb]

This sounds like an absolute scam. I've had the good fortune of attending an Ivy and have never once heard of someone "securing" a spot based on a school/university summer camp. Take the $18k and put it to better use: SAT/ACT tutoring, unique and interesting extracurricular activities, and things that build character. A month volunteering at a local soup kitchen would look better than a month at some expensive camp. My 2c.

We need a like button.

[GarlicGuy]

If only 1 of them wants to go to Duke could you just send the 1? Or would this just cause too much drama?

Drama isn't the issue..... It is that I think both might benefit. The one who doesn't want to go to Duke is an EXTREME introvert, and I feel like it would help her expand her horizons. But it isn't like she doesn't care about where she wants to go. She has University of Washington on her list and Michigan University on her list.

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This sounds like an absolute scam. I've had the good fortune of attending an Ivy and have never once heard of someone "securing" a spot based on a school/university summer camp. Take the $18k and put it to better use: SAT/ACT tutoring, unique and interesting extracurricular activities, and things that build character. A month volunteering at a local soup kitchen would look better than a month at some expensive camp. My 2c.

http://summersession.duke.edu/high-school-students

And I didn't say THEY said it would matter. I said I thought it would help. So apparently Ivy league schools do not teach reading or you would have comprehended what I wrote.

the email:

Dear Student,

Use your summer to prepare for college, learn from renowned professors, and experience a truly international program. Last Summer over 500 lucky high school students spent the month of July at Duke University taking classes, going on excursions, enjoying great residential activities, and making friends from around the world!

Visit our website to review the 2017 programs dates and details:

If you are currently in Grades 10 or 11, you can take classes with Duke Professors and earn college credit through Summer College.

If you are currently in grades 9 -12, you can enjoy personal enrichment classes with a global perspective through Summer Academy

[Jibberjabber]

im not sure if you would qualify, but are there no scholarships or assistance packages?

[GarlicGuy]

im not sure if you would qualify, but are there no scholarships or assistance packages?

I doubt for this, as it is an optional thing.

[Zodd]

I participated in the Duke TIP as a teen (I believe I was in 9th grade) and the Texas Tech Shake Hands With Your Future (heh) in 4th/5th grade.

At the time I didn't realize the large costs associated with these - I believe it was several thousand dollars, in the mid 90's.

Now, I am thankful for being lucky enough to have both the opportunity to go and parents with both the means to send me and the desire to provide me with experiences outside of what a lot of kids get.

I still think about those programs to this day, 20+ years later. This seems a bit different from the exact program OP described but for anyone with kids that are afforded the opportunity to participate in something like this and who can afford to send them I will say it is something your child will grow exponentially from in regard to the cost outlay, particularly when compared with some of the other more expensive things involved in raising a child.

Edit: Looking at some previous replies, there were no implicit or explicit claims of college credit or acceptance involved with any of these programs. They were simply accelerated learning experiences in an environment that was completely alien to me at the time - a college campus, no parents, little to no rules or supervision, and a very open curriculum that emphasized knowledge and personal growth over some kind of explicit assessment of achievement.