For Students

Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth offers accelerated courses for advanced and high-achieving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Courses are designed for academically talented and motivated learners. PTY strives to offer courses led by Vanderbilt faculty, graduate students, and content experts that focus on the following:

• Exposure to a variety of accelerated content areas in which students have documented potential and interest
• Efficacy in one’s ability to perform rigorous tasks in a content area and develop social-emotional habits of a scholar
• Expertise and in-depth learning in an area of interest and talent

On-campus programs are hosted on Saturdays during the academic year and on weekdays during the summer months. Virtual program dates and times vary.

Click on the program in the table to learn more.

Virtual Programs		On-Campus Academic Year Programs		On-Campus Summer Programs
PTY Online Academy Grades 3-12 Summer and Academic Year		Saturday Academy at Vanderbilt for the Young Grades K-6		Summer Academy at Vanderbilt for the Young Rising Grades 1-6
	PTY Online Academy is an online learning opportunity for 3rd through 12th grade students that offers synchronous and asynchronous experiences for the advanced student in your life. Select from a variety of classes that meet at different times to fit your student's schedule. Options available for after school, on the weekends, or during the summer. The next PTY Online Academy session has yet to be announced. Please check back for future program announcements.		The Saturday Academy provides a dynamic, fast-paced curriculum experience to qualifying advanced students in grades K-6. Content experts and master teachers trained in gifted education implement an accelerated curriculum for all SAVY courses. This program meets for three consecutive Saturdays in the fall and spring of each academic year.		Summer SAVY offers qualifying gifted students entering grades 1-6 a fast-paced, accelerated curriculum taught by content experts. Summer SAVY is a weekday program in which parents can choose a variety of courses from six different one-week session options. Students sign up for one SAVY class per session to explore a topic in depth. Students may enroll in multiple sessions.
Mentor Immersion: A Virtual Research Experience at PTY Grades 10-12 Summer and Academic Year		Weekend Academy at Vanderbilt University Grades 7-12		Career Connections at SAVY Rising Grade 7-8
	PTY’s mentorship program is a unique experience offering in-depth exposure in a field of interest and the potential for a culminating product to be created with expert feedback. During the academic year, the Mentor Immersion virtual program runs for six months and is offered specifically for 10th through 12th grade students. During the summer, the Mentor Immersion virtual program is condensed into a three-month experience offering the same amount of content on an abbreviated timeline.		A Saturday intensive that provides qualifying students with an in-depth look at contemporary careers in math, science, engineering, and humanities. Held for one full Saturday each fall and spring, WAVU incorporates accelerated laboratory courses led by professionals in their field providing an opportunity for in-depth career exploration along with support and resources for families.		Career Connections at SAVY is a program within Summer SAVY specifically designed for students who have recently completed 6th or 7th grade. Career Connections immerses students in a topic of study as they experience the application of advanced content in a unique field. Career Connections allows students to experience how expert knowledge and skills are applied in different fields, industries, and/or research.
Rising Expert: Mini Mentor Immersion Rising Grades 7-9 Fall				Vanderbilt Summer Academy Rising Grades 7-12
	PTY’s Rising Experts: Mini Mentor Immersion virtual program is a new offering during the summer providing a unique experience designed specifically for rising 8th and 9th grade students. This program pairs up to 8 students with a mentor/content expert in a field and offers students early exposure to the content, related career path information, and the opportunity to complete a small project associated with the field.				Students in this enriching residential program get a taste of life on a college campus. They engage in accelerated coursework taught by Vanderbilt faculty and scholars while living in a vibrant social community of intellectual peers. VSA convenes each June and July in one or two week sessions for qualifying gifted and high ability students, and a variety of different subject offerings are available each session.