We don’t use the word “special” around here lightly, but CTY at Johns Hopkins is a truly special learning center for academically gifted students. If you’re an advanced student and you’re looking for your intellectual community, The Center for Talented Youth could be just the place for you to find your people! (Who knew they might be in Maryland?)
Because most people are unfamiliar with what the CTY program at Johns Hopkins is and the opportunities it offers, we’ll explore those details below, including who’s eligible and how to apply.
What is CTY at Johns Hopkins?
On the surface, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth is easy to explain: it’s a collection of resources, summer programs, academic counseling services, and opportunities for academic recognition for advanced students in grades 2-12.
But it’s so much more than this, too!
CTY was founded in 1979 at Johns Hopkins University, and its goal was (and still is) to give accelerated students a place to be with like-minded people who want to be academically challenged and to enjoy the benefits of the center’s research on education for gifted students, and to foster their intellectual growth in a safe space.
And those goals are understandable: if you’re an advanced student who gets really excited about learning, it can be hard to get what you need if the people around you don’t share this excitement. But the programs offered by Johns Hopkins CTY are filled with students who care deeply about their own education (in fact, that’s exactly who these programs cater to). Are you super into macroeconomics? You won’t be the only one! Does astrophysics really get your brain spinning? You’ll find fellow passengers at CTY!
CTY at Johns Hopkins wants to be a community you can feel comfortable in while devoting yourself to some hard-core academic work that feeds your brain and your intellectual spirit!
What is the Johns Hopkins CTY Talent Search?
You can think of the JHU CTY Talent Search as your way into the programs and resources CTY offers its students. In essence, the Talent Search is the application process a student goes through to be accepted into the program, and it basically involves choosing a test that’s above your grade level (more on that later), earning exceptional scores on that test (obviously easier said than done), and then submitting your scores so the educators at CTY can pair you with programs that speak to your academic strengths and interests.
Who’s eligible for CTY’s Talent Search?
First of all, you need to be in grades 2-8 to be eligible for the Talent Search (not to fear 9th-12th graders, there is still a path for you, too!), and then there are some specific testing requirements as well:
A score in at least the 98th percentile on standardized state tests (click here for a list of all accepted tests)
A score in at least in the 98th percentile on national standardized tests such as the PSAT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test), the STB (Spatial Test Battery), or the SCAT (School and College Ability Test)
Demonstration of advanced math and critical reasoning skills (if you don’t have standardized test scores for some reason)
If you’re a high school student, you still must earn qualifying scores on applicable standardized tests (here's the link to CTY's information about this), and you will apply to CTY through the Center’s Diagnostic and Counseling Center, which provides assessment and counseling for advanced high school students.
How do you apply for CTY?
If it isn’t obvious already, you have to take a test or two! But here’s some more specific steps for you.
Steps for applying to CTY:
Once you determine your eligibility, create a CTY account
Choose the test you want to take (you can only submit scores from one test, so it’s important that you take a test that illustrates your interests, highlights the areas in which you are advanced, and correlates with the CTY program you’re interested in)
Get your scores, submit them to CTY, and, if they’re high enough, discuss the programs you’re eligible for with a CTY advisor
Congratulate yourself on being so awesome and getting into this amazing program!
Note that if your score is too low for the program (or you just aren’t happy with it), you can retest once per academic year.
CTY frames the academic year as running from July 1 to June 30. Because of this, when you take your test impacts your eligibility. For example, if you take an SAT in July during the summer after your 6th grade year, CTY will consider you a 7th grader for score requirements.
CTY Summer Programs
JHU CTY offers a variety of summer programs—some residential (so you get to stay on-campus) and some for commuter students (so you get to stay in the comfort of your own home). And they’re not just in Maryland! There are programs in California, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, Hong Kong, and Dublin (and that’s just a partial list)!
The Young Students Program is for grades 2-6 (day programs) and grades 5-6 (residential programs) and includes pretty amazing topics like Inventing, The Ancient World, and the Physics of Engineering.
The Intensive Studies courses are for students in grades 7-12 and offer accelerated, three-week, college-level courses (that’s where the “intensive” part comes in) in things like Number Theory, International Politics, Non-Fiction Writing, and Biomedical Sciences.
The Academic Exploration courses are for students in grades 7-12 and represent the interdisciplinary course offerings from CTY. Students spend three weeks learning and discovering subjects they don’t get in their school curriculum, and the goal is to help students understand and make connections that aren’t hampered by the constraints that can sometimes come with traditional academic disciplines. You might take a course in Paradoxes and Infinities, Ethics, or American Legal History.
And this is just a small sampling of the courses you could take as part of the Center for Talented Youth. There really is something for everyone in this program—if you’re into writing and language, if you’re into science and math, if you’re into climate and the environment, if you’re a creative thinker, if you’re a logical thinker, if you’re all of these, there is something for you at CTY!
Family Academic Programs with CTY
Ok, so the Family Academic Programs with CTY are really cool. As the name suggests, these are opportunities for students and their families to learn together. There are no test scores required, and while the offerings were virtual during the Covid pandemic, it seems plans are in place for these to resume in person. There are day programs (you could learn to cook with a New York chef), overnight programs, and longer travel programs available (to places like the Galapagos! Holy Darwin!). The Family Academic Programs are an amazing way for you to learn alongside your family.
CTY Online
CTY also offers online courses throughout the school year, and one of the things we appreciate about their online offerings is that students can choose the format that best suits their learning styles and their schedules.
There are:
Session-Based courses, which are primarily asynchronous (so you work on your own, with occasional virtual meetings or online discussions with other students). While there are assignment deadlines, students get to work toward that deadline at their own pace. Since many (but not all) of these courses are APs, you also get the chance to complete an AP class over the summer (although it is up to your school if they will accept these for course credit).
Individually-Paced courses are great for students who can really keep themselves on track and who prefer to work entirely at their own pace and entirely on their own. Instructors do provide feedback and some tips on pacing, but there are no meetings with other students.
CTY LIVE courses are just right for students who enjoy being part of an academic community and learning alongside others with the same intellectual interests. The courses are a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning, with weekly meetings with students and a teacher. The course offerings give students the chance to explore topics that aren’t offered in school, like Fantasy Worldbuilding or Backyard Habitats.
Again, CTY offers something for every type of learner with its online courses, so if you love using technology as part of your education, these could be the right choice for you!
CTY Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for the application fee for students who qualify for free or reduced school lunches and are US permanent residents—normally, there’s a $50 application fee for the CTY Talent Search, but this can be lowered to $10 (or partially reduced depending on level of need). You can check here for more on CTY costs and financial aid.
So, what is Johns Hopkins CTY?
It’s a center for learning, and it’s so much more. It’s a community, a place (both physical and metaphorical) for intellectual growth. It’s a collection of courses and programs that challenges advanced students in ways that help them feel energized by and engaged with their learning. It’s a philosophy about the intellectual and social needs of gifted students and how to advocate for those needs. It is, as we said before, special.
Jessica B.
Jessica has a Ph.D in English from the University of Southern California and teaches English at a Los Angeles-area independent school, where she has also been English department chair and a class dean. Sandra Cisneros is her hero, and she loves books, her awesomely-sarcastic family, the beach, cozy sweaters, and more books. Oh, and her sweet pitbull/lab mix named Ruby.
Top values: Curiosity, equity, wonder
