Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth: Apply
How to Apply to Johns Hopkins CTY
For parents of gifted children, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) offers an amazing opportunity to learn beyond the traditional classroom. Explore our full CTY guide for families to understand how CTY works, why it is such a resume-booster for talented students, and how to qualify. You can also explore our list of additional CTY programs.
How can my child enroll for Center for Talented Youth programs?
For 7th and 8th graders, there are two main Johns Hopkins CTY programs they would want to apply for: Online Programs and Summer Programs.
The enrollment process is two-fold. Students must first establish eligibility. Then, they must complete an application.
How can my child establish eligibility for Center for Talented Youth programs?
You can find out the full set of CTY program qualifications for 7th and 8th graders in our guide. Eligibility for CTY is based on a child’s grade, age, and score on a qualifying assessment.
Therefore, the first step to applying to CTY is for your child to register, complete, and report their scores on the SAT, ACT, SCAT, or STB qualifying test, depending on which test you choose to focus on.
SCAT and STB Test Scores
If you want to register for CTY-specific tests such as the SCAT and STB, you must follow a specific process.
First, you will need to sign up for CTY’s Talent Search. CTY describes Talent Search as the “gateway to CTY”. While not required, they highly encourage all students to participate. Talent Search is a way for CTY to be more directly involved in helping you find the right programs for your child.
Fill out an online application here, and create a MyCTY account with a username and password.
CTY will send you information regarding choice of assessments depending upon your child’s grade level. For 7th and 8th graders, those will be SAT, ACT, SCAT, and STB.
Next, sign up for a SCAT test through CTY by following their instructions here or a STB test by following their instructions here.
Once your child is registered for their test date and location, they will complete the test, and their results are automatically reported to CTY.
SAT and ACT Test Scores
The SAT and the ACT, on the other hand, are not CTY-specific tests. These are college admission tests usually taken by upperclassmen in high school getting ready for college applications.
For these tests, students and parents usually register online for the SAT or ACT. However, because of their age, 7th and 8th graders CANNOT register online, even with a parent’s permission or help. They can only register by mail.
There are two ways parents can accomplish this:
#1. Register outside of CTY
To register by mail for the SAT, follow the instructions they’ve laid out on their website here. It will require a special form that you must request from your guidance counselor and contains specific photo requirements.
For the ACT, you must request a registration packet here. They will send you a register-by-mail packet, which you can complete and mail back to ACT.
To report your scores to CTY, you must either mail your official score report once it is sent to you by the SAT or ACT or request on your registration form that it is mailed directly to CTY by using CTY’s reporting code: 5334.
#2. Register through CTY’s Talent Search
For the SAT and ACT, it is not necessary that students sign up for CTY’s Talent Search, since parents and students can independently register and report their SAT/ACT scores. However, CTY still recommends for all students to sign up for Talent Search. This way, CTY can guide parents through all the programs and options that are available for their children.
Plus, only Talent Search students are eligible for High Honor and Grand Honor award ceremonies or the Study of Exceptional Students program, so we highly encourage taking this step.
To register through Talent Search, just like the SCAT and STB tests, parents and students would first need to fill out an application here, and create a MyCTY account. CTY will send the SAT/ACT registration form for you to complete.
Another benefit of signing up through Talent Search is that your SAT/ACT scores will automatically be sent to CTY.
How can my child apply to Center for Talented Youth programs?
Once a student has taken his or her test, earned a qualifying score, and submitted that score to CTY, enrollment can begin for online or summer programs.
Online Program
To apply for an online course, complete the online application here. This application will walk you through how to submit the documentation that verifies your child has met all necessary prerequisites. If you are already part of CTY’s Talent Search, you can instead apply through MyCTY.
Summer Program
To apply for a CTY Summer Program, complete the application here. Note: the application portal is only open during certain times in the fall and winter.
Parents can apply for online programs at anytime, but summer programs have specific deadlines.
The next deadline for Summer program applications is January 25th, 2020. After the deadline, CTY still allows applications; however, you will no longer be considered in the initial course assignment process. As a result, you run the risk of losing your seat in your 1st or 2nd choice courses. Thus, we recommend trying your best to meet the initial deadline.
Students who apply before or on the January deadline will receive notification of their course assignment by email on February 1st, 2020.
When you complete your application, you must select the courses and location sites you are interested in. Select your first choice course and first choice location site. You are not required to list more than one course or one site. However, CTY highly encourages students to list multiple courses and sites as they only have limited seats for each.
Thousands of students apply, so CTY decides which course – if any – you will be assigned based on a complex algorithm that prioritizes students’ choices based on their 1st choice selection, test scores, whether they tested through CTY Talent Search (yet another benefit of participating in Talent Search), whether they’re a first time or returning student, and so forth.
If you only select 1 course choice, and it becomes full, you won’t be assigned any courses. However, if you select several course options, you greatly increase your chances of being selected for a summer class. You can select up to 15 course options.
Next Steps
During the Fall, we offer a special course for current 7th and 8th graders called Johns Hopkins CTY Prep.
This program is uniquely designed to prepare students to earn a CTY Advanced qualifying score on the December SAT for both the Math and Verbal sections.
Registration for Fall 2019 CTY Prep is open, but don’t wait!
Call 855-346-1410 or contact us to register today.
We can’t wait to hear from you!
