iD Tech Camps Review
Both of my kids attended iD Tech Camps this summer at the Stanford University campus. Was it worth it? They both had a wonderful time and learned a lot… but whether it was worth the tuition or not, we need to evaluate it a bit more.
First, the location was undeniably nice. The Stanford University campus is simply beautiful and well-curated. Minus the nuisance of construction, students all met at a giant green lawn at the beginning of the day, and dozens of camp counselors in bright t-shirts welcomed us with iPads to check our kids in.
The classrooms were brightly decorated with their signature neon green. There were “iD” signs and logos everywhere, which made it easy for students to spot their instructors, stations, and classrooms that were clearly designated for iD Tech Camp students.
Picking up the kids was a breeze as the camp had organized a drive-through pick-up so that parents didn’t have to get out of the car. By showing them our “code,” they used walkie talkies and iPads to communicate with instructors waiting inside the building with students to come out to waiting cars. It worked pretty seamlessly except for the construction.
My 10-year-old registered for the “3D Printing Camp with Blender” program. She loved it! It was exactly what we were expecting. She had the freedom to design what she wanted and 3D printed a bunch of cute paraphernalia including a cat, a creeper (from Minecraft), a yarn holder, a mini claw machine, and a star, among other things.
Even on the last day of camp, it was hard to pull her away. She could have probably easily stayed another week to work on more designs! Before this camp, she had zero experience with 3D printing machines and design software so I was pleased when she walked away with some skills. Now we’re looking into investing into a 3D printer ourselves at home for educational purposes. (Will post more on that later!)
My 8-year-old opted for “BattleBots® Camp Junior” program and needless to say, he loved it. We were not able to visit the classrooms until the very last day when they had a Family Showcase. Parents were able to come in and see all their projects as well as meet all the other students’ parents.
The Battlebots event was definitely the highlight of the Family Showcase. All the students were scrambling to fix or continue working on their bots. We had several rounds of friendly competition before the winning team was announced. Even though our team didn’t win, the kids were still happy and playful, continually invested in their bots!
It was pretty exciting to watch the bots battle each other in the center of the room. It was crowded and loud, though, so we kept stepping out to get some air. The Family Showcase was a great way to end the camp and both our kids walked away with a lot of positive things to say about iD Tech Camps. Our 8-year-old immediately asked if he could come back the following summer.
It was also nice to receive “graduation awards” at the end of the week. Instructors said kind words about each student before students received their awards while others from the class politely clapped for each student. It was a bit disorganized, however, because a bunch of students were missing from each class as students and parents were wandering around from class to class. We could have easily missed this graduation ceremony!
Everything was wonderful… exception for the tuition cost. The total amount we were charged was $3,558 for both kids ($1,729 for 3D Printing Camp with Blender and $1,629 for BattleBots Camp Junior) but we somehow received a $450 discount (for early registration) and ended up paying $3,108. Even with the discount, this was extremely expensive, the most expensive summer camp we’ve ever been to! In fact, other camps are 1/3 the cost of this camp.
A couple reasons why the camp was probably more expensive. First, lunch was included for the week. These lunches were pretty fancy and included desserts; the students basically ate what Stanford University students ate on campus, which was much better than normal “summer camp” food. Second, it probably cost a lot to rent facilities on the Stanford University campus. There were tons of computers, laptops, and equipment everywhere, so I’m sure iD Tech Camps had to invest a lot of money upfront.
Still, not many families can afford $3,108 for a one-week summer camp for two children. So, my conclusion is… if you have money to burn (if costs are not an issue for your family), go for it! My kids loved it and I don’t regret the experience. However, if (like for most people), this is an exorbitant amount of money (for again, a one-week summer camp!), I’d skip it. There are lots of wonderful summer camps out there that can fit your budget. They won’t be as fancy as iD Tech Camps, especially at the Stanford University location, but kids can soak up information quickly and learn a ton as long as they have good teachers!