Carnegie Mellon University Gifted Program

C-MITES Services for Gifted and Talented Students

Jul 12, 2008

The C-MITES gifted center at Carnegie Mellon offers talent searches, gifted summer programs, weekend and day camp gifted enrichment, and GATE professional development.

Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary and Secondary Students (C-MITES) states its mission as “providing challenging classes for academically talented students.” C-MITES meets this goal through gifted elementary student identification and exciting gifted courseswork for both gifted students and their GATE teachers.

Carnegie Mellon C-MITES Services

CMU C-MITES conducts a variety of programs benefiting gifted and talented children. C-MITES services include:

Carnegie Mellon C-MITES Elementary Student Talent Search

CMU C-MITES invites 3rd-6th grade students scoring between the 95th-99th %ile in any section of a nationally-normed achievement to take the EXPLORE test. Students in a school gifted program, in the top 5% of their class, or nominated by their parents can also take EXPLORE.

EXPLORE is a two hour, 8th-grade level multiple choice test covering math, science, English, and reading. Qualifying EXPLORE participants receive preferential admissions to C-MITES summer programs and receive a tuition discount. EXPLORE scores also open doors to many other gifted programs nationwide.

Carnegie Mellon C-MITES Gifted Summer Programs

Gifted summer programs combine rigorous academics, exciting university experiences, and peer socialization. C-MITES offers gifted summer camps at various Pennsylvania locations. C-MITES summer programs target 3rd-8th grade gifted students. The EXPLORE test is not a requirement, but qualifying EXPLORE test results garner priority admissions and reduced tuition costs.

Carnegie Mellon C-MITES Weekend Gifted Enrichment Programs

CMU C-MITES hosts weekend enrichment courses at the Carnegie Mellon University campus in Pittsburgh, PA and Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA. Class enrollment is open to grades K-9 in a gifted program, with 95th-99th %ile achievement test scores, or academic talent evidenced on report cards. Costs are $54-$99, with fee reduction for those qualifying for a school hot lunch program.

Weekend enrichment in math, science, language arts, and computer programming focuses on fun, challenging, hands on learning. Both locations offer tandem parent question and answer sessions on the C-MITES talent search and EXPLORE test.

Carnegie Mellon Steppingstones Day Camps

CMU C-MITES also sponsors one day enrichment classes serving a broader academic population. Enrollment is first-come, first serve for 1st-9th graders interested in topics from Ancient Chinese Secrets to Physics Frenzy. These thought-provoking courses require no minimum achievement test score.

Carnegie Mellon C-MITES GATE Teacher Professional Development

CMU C-MITES organizes gifted and talented education (GATE) workshops for educator professional development. Experts on gifted issues such as underachievement present research-based information to teachers, parents, and other interested professionals. Attending certified teachers qualify for Pennsylvania ACT 48 professional continuing education credits.

C-MITES, CTY, and CTD Comparisons

While C-MITES provides a broad range of rigorous courses challenging academically gifted and talented students, the institute does not offer distance learning, gifted counseling services akin to Johns Hopkins’s CTY, or the specialized leadership skills development found at Northwestern’s CTD.

The copyright of the article Carnegie Mellon University Gifted Program in Challenging Gifted Children is owned by Carla Marie Boulianne. Permission to republish Carnegie Mellon University Gifted Program in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.