Registration for Summer Challenge 2024 will begin on February 4th at 4:00 PM. Students must currently be 5th or 6th graders. Because classes fill quickly, students are allowed to indicate their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices during registration. However, students are only accepted into one class. Applicants need to complete the online application and submit appropriate documentation to qualify for admission to the program. Applications are only considered complete after documentation has been submitted.

Pathways to Qualify for a Challenge Course (only ONE is required):

  • Enrollment in an identified gifted/highly capable program that specifically serves highly capable students. Acceptable documentation is a letter of placement or report card in a gifted program or school.
  • Qualification to participate in a nationally recognized talent search (Johns Hopkins CTY, Davidson Institute, etc.)
  • Participation in the Rainier Scholars program
  • Spring 2023 Smarter Balanced (SBAC) scores or other standardized test (ITBS, SSAT, SCAT, CoGAT, ERB/ISEE) scores in the 80th percentile or above in at least one subject area. Minimum SBAC scores will be posted closer to the registration date. However, for your reference, the minimum SBAC scores for tests taken during 2023 are as follows:
    • 4th Grade test:  ELA 2560, OR Math 2560
    • 5th Grade test:  ELA 2604, OR Math 2592
  • MAP scores in the 99th percentile in any one subject
  • Recommendation from a teacher who can speak to the student’s ability to succeed in the program. Applicants will be prompted to provide a name and email address during registration. The teacher recommendation form is automatically emailed to the instructor.
  • Previous enrollment in our Summer Challenge or Saturday Enrichment Program

Documentation must be uploaded to your account. It can be in the form of a screenshot, photo, PDF, or jpeg.

To meet projected enrollment demands, we sometimes offer multiple sections of classes. Please note that if you register for a class that has multiple sections (designated Section A or Section B), if there is no space left in the section you are requesting, we will automatically put you in the other section of the same class. The core content is the same across sections, although teachers may approach it differently based on their areas of expertise.

Applications are accepted on a rolling, first-come-first-served basis for your first choice. Complete applications are processed first. Waiting lists are created for classes that fill. Classes that are under-enrolled may be canceled.

Appeal Process

If a student was not accepted into the program and would like to appeal that decision, parents have a week to submit an appeal. If you wish to appeal, please log into your account, where there is a link to an appeal form. Once the appeal has been completed and submitted, and the required documents uploaded to your account, the admissions team will reconsider your application and, if necessary, forward the appeal to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, which has the final word on all appeals.