Splash is back, and the number of participating Universities have increased to over 30 from 20 when we first introduced this phenomenal program to the Versed Community a year ago.  Splash, run by Learning Unlimited, is “a weekend extravaganza of classes at a local college or university, where pre-college students are invited to learn about everything and anything from passionate university students.” For a nominal fee of $0-50, middle and high school students can sign up for 1 or 2 full days of weekend classes on college campuses. Splash currently runs at MIT, Stanford University,…

Enrichment courses are an excellent way to assure that your child has the math skills necessary to continue to succeed in school. However with a variety of tutorial programs and online classes available, it can be hard to choose the right option for your student. 

Before enrolling anywhere, it is important for you and your child to understand what their strengths and weaknesses are. This will give you a better idea of the type of enrichment they may benefit from. Keep in mind that not every student masters concepts at the same rate. If your child needs to refresh, review, or…

By Zoe Marquedant

Gifted and Talented programs are opportunities for your child to explore their potential beyond the classroom. Participation may have been suggested by a perceptive teacher, a trusted academic advisor, or perhaps by yourself after careful research. 

What are gifted/talented programs and how can your child benefit from participating in one? 

These programs are often a mix of testing opportunities, online courses, weekend enrichment programs, academic-year programs, service-based trips, summer residential programs, and other events geared towards…

Summer is one of the best times that students can focus on activities in a meaningful way without the pressure of school and extracurricular commitments.  While it is also a good time to schedule test prep and college visits, students applying to selective colleges use this time to explore and further their academic and other interests to a level that would not be possible during the school year.  Selective colleges are looking for students that have shown sustained and committed interest in academic and extracurricular endeavors beyond what is typically offered at schools.  Summer is the…

I recently went to hear Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, speak at a Robin Hood Foundation event in New York City.  He talked about the future of learning and what Khan Academy is doing to broaden equity and access to education and opportunity.  As most of you know, Khan Academy provides free online education on core academic topics and beyond for students in grades K-12.  Khan academy is used by students all over the country to supplement what they are learning in schools and it also partners with schools to provide online classes directly in the classrooms to help students learn at…

By Virginia Young

Back when my oldest child was...well...a child, I had a hard time finding good academic and extracurricular activities for him. I’d find resources online, including lists of programs which looked promising at first but did not appear to be curated. When I did find something that might work, I’d search for reviews of the program but most of the time there weren’t very many or there were none at all. I have several memories of throwing caution to the wind and hoping for the best as I entered my credit card information to register for some of those programs. But to…

Splash programs are a fantastic, inexpensive way to get your child fired up about learning and discovering new passions. The program was started in 2007 by Learning Unlimited, a group that began at MIT, whose mission is two-fold: 1) to create and make accessible educational opportunities for middle school/high school aged children, and 2) to provide teaching and leadership opportunities to college students. 

What is it?

Each Splash program is run by college students who design the curriculum and teach subjects that they are passionate about. The result is a class catalog…