Summer Program 2025
(Grades 5-12)
June 30 - August 1, Monday through Friday.
Join us this summer for fun and educational summer camp classes via Zoom! Our Zoom classes for grades 5-12 are uniquely designed to ignite curiosity and foster academic growth. Choose from Language Arts, math, coding, pre-SAT and SAT/ACT prep, and immersive pre-AP courses. Our standout College Essay workshops are crafted to help you shine on applications.
What sets us apart? Each class is interactive and student-focused, ensuring personalized attention and real-time engagement. Opt for flexible scheduling with bulk discounts.
Join the mailing list and we’ll let you know the minute registration opens.
Email: anna@mindthetest.com
Phone: 302-559-8231
Tentative Course List:
Note: All courses below are online except the in-person writers’ retreats
College Application Essay & Creative Nonfiction: Virtual AND In-Person Writers’ Retreats
The Art of Rhetoric: Get Ready for AP Language
Analyzing Historical Texts: Get Ready for AP US History
Competitive Math Problem-Solving for Grades 5-12
Creative Writing for Grades 5-8
High School Language Arts
The High School Language Arts curriculum deepens students' engagement with English literature and composition. Covering a range of topics from literary analysis to advanced composition techniques, the courses prepare students for college-level English, with a focus on developing analytical skills, persuasive writing, and critical thinking. Classes include detailed studies of classic and contemporary texts, fostering an appreciation for literature and honing students' abilities to articulate complex ideas effectively.
Sample topics:
Literature close reading, day 1: read and discuss
Literature close reading, day 2: read and discuss
Symbolism in literature and media
How to write high school essays: practice outlining and writing compare/contrast essays
You choose! We can work on writing essays, grammar, reading, or your choice.
SAT and ACT Prep
Test preparation is our bread and butter here at Mind the Test, and the summer is the perfect time to prep. The classes are separated into Math and English sections; I recommend registering for both sections, but as with the rest of the summer camp, it is a la carte, so students are able to select whichever classes they would like.
Each class includes a new test each week, followed by a detailed question-and-answer session with expert tutor and CEO of Mind the Test Tutoring, Mrs. Moss.
Grammar: Building SAT/ACT English Skills Weekly Topic:
Noun and Verb Challenge: Tricky Singular and Plurals
Punctuation: Semicolons and Colons.
Comma Challenge
Combining Sentences in Interesting Ways: Relative Clauses and Appositives
Transition Words: Connecting Ideas
Critical Math Skills for SAT and ACT Weekly Topic:
Pre-Algebra
Geometry: Area, Perimeter, and Volume
Statistics: Mean, Median, and Mode
Exponents
Proportions
College Application Essay: Virtual
Get ready to craft your standout college application essay with our focused series, designed to elevate your writing to the next level. Join us for two pivotal sessions:
Day 1: Avoiding the Top 10 College Application Essay Mistakes – Learn what not to do when writing your essay. This session will guide you through common pitfalls and how to steer clear, ensuring your essay showcases your strengths and uniqueness without falling into clichés or common errors.
Day 2: College Essay Brainstorming – Unlock the power of your personal stories and ideas. This workshop focuses on brainstorming techniques that help you find compelling topics and authentic angles for your essay, setting the foundation for a narrative that truly resonates.
Each session runs for one hour, providing you with the insights and strategies to confidently approach your college application essays. Join us and turn your application into a memorable narrative that captures the attention of admissions committees!
In-Person Writers’ Retreats:
College Essay & Creative Nonfiction (Camden County, NJ)
Join us for our first-ever in-person weekend writers’ retreats in Camden County, NJ. Although campers will go home each night, they will get the full retreat experience: lake views, focused writing time, and lots of 1:1 support in an inspiring environment. Both programs will focus on the type of writing required on the college application essay: engaging narratives about real-life experiences.
Grade 12: In the college essay retreat, students will craft their college personal statements.
Grades 8-11: In the creative nonfiction retreat, students will craft a personal statement-style piece, not to submit to colleges but to practice key skills and express themselves in a new way.
The Art of Rhetoric: Get Ready for AP English Language & Composition
(Virtual) Explore the art of persuasion with our "Get Ready for AP Lang" course, perfect not only for students preparing for AP Language but also for anyone interested in mastering the art of rhetoric. This discussion-based class dives into short nonfiction texts, where students will identify key rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos. We'll also explore how language subtly influences opinions and decisions through persuasive techniques and logical fallacies. Whether you're aiming to excel in AP Lang or simply wish to enhance your understanding of rhetorical arts, this course offers valuable insights into the power of effective communication. Join us to sharpen your analytical and persuasive skills in a vibrant learning environment.
Analyzing Historical Texts: Get Ready for AP US History
Our AP US History discussion class is ideal not only for students preparing for the APUSH exam but also for any high schooler interested in a deep dive into US history. This class focuses on enhancing students' abilities to quickly read and synthesize historical readings. Together, we'll explore short primary source passages, discussing their historical context and analyzing elements such as rhetorical devices, persuasive elements, bias, and point of view. This engaging approach helps students develop critical thinking skills applicable to both academic exams and a broader understanding of historical narratives. Join us to engage with history in a dynamic and analytical setting.
Fun with Numbers: Collaborative Competition Math for Grades 5-8
Grades 5-6
Grades 7-8
Transform your child's approach to math with our innovative collaborative math courses! With classes divided up by grade level, this program shifts focus from traditional math learning to collaborative problem-solving using competition-level challenge problems. Each session presents students with intriguing math puzzles that require class collaboration, making learning both fun and intellectually stimulating. This unique setup helps reinforce and build grade-appropriate math skills while fostering a love for math as a deeply engaging and creative discipline. It's an ideal way for kids to develop critical thinking skills and see math problems as exciting challenges to overcome together. Join us and watch your child's math abilities and enthusiasm grow!
Weekly Topics:
Geometry Puzzles
Arithmetic and Calculations
Logic Puzzles
Number Theory
Fractions and Decimals
Probability
Algebraic Thinking
Creative Writing Enrichment for Grades 5-8
Grades 5-6
Grades 7-8
Our fun English Enrichment classes for grades 5-6 and 7-8 focus on developing the writing and grammatical skills needed for later high school and college success through games. Through creative writing games and exercises, students enhance their ability to express their ideas effectively and avoid the dreaded writer’s block, instead learning to love writing.
Every day, students will play writing games around the week’s topic, designed to build their skills and love of writing.
Middle School Close Reading Discussion Club
Join our Middle School Close Reading Discussion Club, a fun and enriching 30-minute session held every week that has become a favorite among students. Each week, we delve into short works, both fiction and nonfiction, to explore and analyze the nuances of language. Students are encouraged to share their favorite parts of each sentence, leading to lively discussions about the impact of word choice, imagery, and sentence structure. This approach not only makes the sessions enjoyable but also enhances critical thinking and analytical skills, preparing students for the complexities of high school ELA. It’s a great way to open young minds to a mature understanding of reading and writing through engaging and insightful conversations.
Introduction to Coding for Grades 5-9
Have fun learning to code while creating your own games, art, and more in this engaging class. The course will be taught by some of the top students at the prestigious University of Chicago. This course is modular, and we will have a different activity each day.
Sample schedule (subject to change):
Scratch: Code Your Own Pong Game
Computer Art
Tuesday, July 9 - Creating Digital Music
Scratch: Code a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Game
Scratch: Code a Fortune Teller/Quiz Game
Intro to Python: Code a Fun Dice-Roll Game
Intro to HTML: Customize Your Own Website