What kinds of gifted and talented programs does CTD offer for PreK–Grade 12 students?

Northwestern's Center for Talent Development (CTD) organizes its PreK–Grade 12 offerings by grade band and by format: in-person and online courses, summer programs, weekend programs, and leadership and service-learning programs. The site also lists assessments, eligibility guidance, tuition and financial aid, and separate resources for educators and schools. Use the grade-band and format structure below to narrow options before checking eligibility and applying.

Program structure by grade band

CTD's main menu groups programs into three grade bands, each with an online track:

This structure lets a family start with the child's grade band, then choose between in-person and online delivery. The site describes CTD as offering "in-person and online academic acceleration and enrichment programs PreK – grade 12," so the same band may include both acceleration and enrichment options — check individual course pages for which applies.

Format differences

Summer programs

Listed as a separate top-level category alongside the grade-band programs. Summer is a distinct session type rather than a grade band, so a family comparing summer against school-year options should look at both the Summer Programs page and the relevant grade-band page.

Online programs

Each grade band has a dedicated online sub-page (PreK–2, 3–8, and 9–12). The site's banner notes that "Winter Online Courses Are Open for Enrollment," indicating online courses run in seasonal sessions.

Weekend programs

Listed as its own category. The site does not detail weekend scheduling in the available excerpt, so confirm dates and locations on the Weekend Programs page.

Leadership and service-learning programs

A separate category from academic courses, aimed at leadership and service experiences rather than subject acceleration.

Eligibility and enrollment path

CTD frames eligibility as a prerequisite for course selection: "Understanding a student's academic potential and current level of achievement is an important step in choosing the best course." The practical sequence is:

1. Review eligibility criteria and program types on the Eligibility page.
2. Select a program and course within the child's grade band and preferred format.
3. Start the application via Apply Now.

Assessments are listed as a separate top-level item and are also offered to schools; for families, an assessment may inform which courses a student qualifies for. The site does not state assessment requirements per program in the available material, so verify on the specific program page.

Cost considerations

Tuition and Fees, Financial Aid, and Scholarships each have their own pages under Courses. The available site content does not list prices, so treat cost as something to confirm on those pages rather than assume.

For educators and schools

CTD also runs a parallel set of offerings: assessment for schools, professional learning, consulting and program review, curriculum resources, and job opportunities. One dated example is the "Intrepid by Design" Summer Talent Development Workshop for educators and youth development specialists, scheduled for June 25, 2026, at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Families looking only for student programs can skip this section.

A practical way to choose

• Young child (PreK–2): start with the PreK–2 band and decide between in-person and online; expect enrichment-oriented options.
• Middle grades (3–8): compare the grade-band page against the online sub-page, then check whether summer or weekend formats fit your schedule.
• High school (9–12): review the 9–12 band and online track for acceleration options, and consider leadership and service-learning if the goal is broader than coursework.
• Any age: confirm eligibility before applying, and check tuition, aid, and scholarship pages for cost.

The site's own framing — "Explore. Discover. Excel." — matches this browse-by-band, then-verify-eligibility approach.