Residential summer math program for select 6th-8th grade students

17th annual JSMC: June 3 - 15, 2012

Read more about...

• Eligibility
• Expenses and Financial Aid
• Sample Daily Schedule
• Items of Concern 
• Testimonials

Eligibility

• Students are encouraged to apply early as enrollment is limited to 32 openings.  Admission decisions will not be made until we have recieved all parts of a student's application (online application, teacher recommendation, and school transcript).
• Our average acceptance rate for applicants has been less than 33%.

 The Junior Summer Math Camp Residential Program is designed for students currently in 6th-8th grade.  The students stay in a residence hall at Texas State University during the two weeks, and attend classes every day.  Each group of four students is supervised by a counselor (undergraduate mentor). The residential program includes recreation in the afternoon, supervised study groups in the evenings, and special guest lectures. 

• To be eligible you must:
  • Currently be in the 6th, 7th, or 8th grade and at least 12 years old.  (Note: Rare exceptions to grade level will be made depending on mathematical background and experience.)
  • Submit an Application and Teacher Recommendation to Texas Mathworks before April 30.
  • Submit your school transcript/report card before April 30.

• Admissions decisions will be made around mid-March.
• Students are highly encouraged to submit their complete application materials as early as possible, well before the official deadline.

To Apply

1. Complete the online Junior Summer Math Camp Residential Program Application (including the application essay).
2. Have your math teacher complete and mail to us the Teacher Recommendation form.
3. Send us a copy of your most current grade report/school transcript.
4. Payment is not required until a student is accepted into the program.

Back to Top

Expenses and Financial Aid

Total Cost:  The program costs $995, with scholarships available based on need.

• Includes supplies, workbook, daily snack, and T-shirt.
• Students who seek financial assistance should indicate the amount of need on the application form.
• Students may receive scholarships depending on family income and circumstances.  Scholarships are provided by the Mathworks endowment and other sources.

Back to Top

Sample Daily Schedule

Back to Top

Items of Concern

1. Clothing: Warm weather clothing will be appropriate for most occasions. This includes casual and sports wear, such as shorts, swimsuits, cut-offs, and sneakers or hiking shoes for the weekend excursions. Some people also enjoy wearing a sweater in air-conditioned buildings. Finally, an umbrella or other rain gear may prove helpful in the event of rain.
Note: Please bring non-marking tennis or basketball shoes for use in the Student Recreation Center.

2. Laundry: Laundry facilities are available in the dorm free of charge to dorm residents.  Please use "High Efficiency" or "HE" soap. 
  
3. Rooms: We are staying in a community bath dormitory on campus. Separate floors of the dorm are provided for male and female students. The dorm is air-conditioned, complete with a lounge suitable for relaxing and small-group discussions, a small recreation area, and study rooms on the first floor. Counselors and students will be provided with access cards and room keys. There is a $40 charge for a lost key.

4. Telephone Service: Each dorm room is equipped with a telephone line. Students need to bring their own telephone to plug into the line if they want a phone in their room. We recommend that students bring a calling card (or cell phone). Emergency messages will be received at the Mathworks Office at (512) 245-3439, or the University Police Department (512) 245-2805.

5. Mail Service: Mail to all participants should be addressed:
Participant’s Name
c/o Texas State-Mathworks
601 University Drive, ASB So 110
San Marcos, TX 78666
Mail should not be addressed to the dorm.

6. Personal Items: Students will want to bring toothpaste, toothbrush, bath soap, laundry soap, personal hygiene items, hangers, beach towel, alarm clock, and suntan lotion. Additionally, each student must bring a pillow, twin sheets, a blanket, and towels. All personal items of value should be labeled with the student's name, address, and telephone number. Insurance and records (make, model, serial number) are a recommended precaution as the Math Camp is not liable for loss, theft, or damage to personal belongings.

7. Optional Items: Students might like to bring a guitar or other portable musical instrument, binoculars, laptop, camera, board games, playing cards, Frisbees, and tennis or handball gear. No skateboards, video games, or televisions are permitted.

8. Supervision: Counselors will live in the dorm with the students. Counselors and faculty will be present at all of the program's activities.

9. Rules and Regulations: There will be NO tobacco, alcohol, or drugs used by students while attending the Math Camp. Prompt class attendance and proper behavior will be expected from all students. Students will be allowed to leave campus only with written parental approval in advance, specifying date, time, and destination. Math Camp students will be supervised by camp counselors. Students are expected to follow all campus rules and regulations and to respect university property and facilities. Parents will be billed for any damage caused by their children's negligence. Students not following rules or not participating in classes will be sent home immediately after parents/guardians are notified of their impending arrival.

10. Medical Treatment: An excellent Student Health Center is located near the LBJ Student Center should medical treatment be necessary. If your child requires attention beyond the scope of the Student Health Center or if your child is under 12 years of age, the Central Texas Medical Center is a brief 5-10 minute ride from campus. Students are responsible for the cost of treatment provided by the Student Health Center. Parents must sign the Medical History Forms, which should either be returned with your acceptance letter or returned when you arrive. Note: The Math Camp does not provide any medical insurance.  

11. Religious Services: There are several churches near campus. If you wish for your child to attend services, please let us know and we will make arrangements.

Back to Top

Testimonials

• “This program helped me understand rules that I followed...I liked this experience because I just didn't learn the rules, I understood why.”
•  “Instead of learning the answer, I have learned why that answer is the answer. I was never sure why you got that answer for a problem but now I do.”
• The Math Camp is so much different from class work. [In the math camp] they give us challenging problems so we can show our skills and learn from our mistakes…. It was fun at the summer math camp because in the classroom the work was done by ourselves.”
• Coming up with our own tips and little tricks to find the answer to a problem was a little different. I'm really used to having someone find or do things for me.... I have learned to be responsible and to succeed with my own tricks.”
• “The difference from this camp and sixth grade is that in school we concentrate on different things at a time, and in math camp we concentrate on one thing and learn a lot more on that topic than in school, and we have more time to actually demonstrate it and in class we can't.” 
• “I really appreciate this program because it helps me think more. Before I got into this program, in math problems I just wrote the answer. Now I think about it.”
• This program is really different because it made me understand the why. Sometimes I did so many things in math, but I just didn't know why I was doing that problem."
• Math Camp has completely changed my view of looking at problems.  Before, math was enjoyable, but it always seemed very tedious.  But now I can think of math as a treat, or a game."
• "I enjoyed this camp a lot.  I think I learned a lot of new ways to think about problems.  This camp really focuses on the wayof doing problems, and is really detailed."
• "I really like the problem-solving approach here.  Also, you can interact with others and learn from them by asking how they did problems differently from you."
• This camp has completely changed my view of math.  This program has gone deeper into any problem that any math class I've taken."
• I had a lot of fun while at the same time learning math.  I believe it has greatly improved my math skills."

 Back to Top

External Scholarship Opportunities

The following are scholarship opportunities that provide support to middle school students attending summer programs.  Texas Mathworks does not explicitly endorse any of the following scholarship opportunities.  These are merely provided for your information.

1. Raytheon MathMovesU Scholarships
   
   • $1,000 scholarships for middle school students to attend summer programs
   • 1/18/2012 application deadline
2. Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program
   
   • Scholarship support for gifted middle school students for summer and school-year programs
   • April application deadline