Camp Overview

About This U & Maps

Staff Ratio Guarantee

Safety & Peace of Mind

Sample Week

In the News

Testimonials

FAQ

Computer Camps Held at Lake Forest College

iD Tech Camps (Ages 7-17), iD Gaming Academy (Ages 13-18) and iD Programming Academy (Ages 13-18)

Ignite your internalDrive and do something BIG this summer! iD Tech Camps is a family company – and our company is a unique place. Some call it magical. We’re the World’s #1 Tech Camp – consistently ranked a Top Workplace. One of our big secrets? Ridiculously small ratios. Small ratios mean personalized instruction – just 8 students per instructor or fewer – or you get a free week of camp, guaranteed! Our adult-only staff are tech-savvy undergraduates, graduate students and professionals, passionate about teaching game design, film, computer science and more.

At Lake Forest College, we offer three distinct programs: iD Tech Camps, iD Gaming Academy and iD Programming Academy.

 

iD Tech Camps, Ages 7-17

WEEKLONG | CO-ED | DAY CAMPS | OVERNIGHT CAMPS
COURSE TOPICS: VIDEO GAME DESIGN, PROGRAMMING, APPS, WEB DESIGN & MORE

This is our 11th season hosting summer camps at Lake Forest College. We strike the right balance between off-computer activities (creative games, sports, life skills, etc.) and essential cutting-edge technology education to foster STEM skill development (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Our popular Lake Forest College summer day camps and overnight camps are located in beautiful Lake Forest, IL.

We cover cool topics from video game design to iPhone® app development, Flash® animation, programming, video editing, web design, robotics and more. Most courses are for beginner to advanced learners. Learn the best brand name products from Adobe®, Apple®, Autodesk®, Google, Microsoft® and more.

Continue to Step 2 (iD Tech Camps) for Course Availability, Tuition & Dates or jump to the iD Gaming Academy or iD Programming Academy.

Additionally at Lake Forest College

iD Gaming Academy, Ages 13-18

TWO-WEEKS | CO-ED | OVERNIGHT ONLY | TEEN-ONLY | INTENSIVE PRE-COLLEGE EXPERIENCE IN VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT

The iD Gaming Academy offers a 2–week intensive program in the dynamic worlds of game development, game programming, level design and 3D modeling. Academy courses are geared for beginner to advanced teens ages 13-18. Use industry-standard applications like Autodesk® Maya®, Adobe® Photoshop®, XNA® for the Xbox 360®, Unreal® Development Kit (UDK), and the Unity game development tool as part of our video game camp for teens. Ready to learn from top faculty, creating your own game development portfolio? You'll also tour a major game development studio.

iD Programming Academy, Ages 13-18

TWO-WEEKS | CO-ED | OVERNIGHT ONLY | TEEN-ONLY | INTENSIVE PRE-COLLEGE EXPERIENCE IN COMPUTER PROGRAMMING & APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

The iD Programming Academy offers 2–week sessions of intensive study in computer science programming. Gain a deep understanding of application development–and a broader knowledge of how programming can be applied to the real world. The iD Programming Academy is perfect for students with previous programming experience who are looking to take their code to a whole different level.

About Lake Forest College

NOTE: Looking for our exact location on campus? You must first be enrolled; you can then access that information through My Account. Not yet enrolled? Go to Step 2 to enroll. The maps included here are for general information only.

Many students use their summer camp experience with iD Tech Camps to explore colleges that they’re interested in attending in the future. Learn on campus, eat in the dining halls and ages 10+ can even stay overnight (at most campuses).

We have chosen Lake Forest College to host our summer kids camps and teen camps in Illinois because it rests in one of the most beautiful suburbs on Chicago’s North Shore. The pristine and quiet 107-acre campus sits just a few blocks from Lake Michigan and is a short walk from quaint downtown Lake Forest. With its range of architectural styles and spacious park-like landscaping, Lake Forest College has access to a variety of resources for recreation, entertainment, culture, and enrichment in the surrounding communities and nearby Chicago, making it the perfect day camp and overnight camp location.

O’Hare International Airport and Midway are both 45-60 minutes away from the Lake Forest campus. Amtrak trains arrive in Chicago at Union Station. To reach Lake Forest from Chicago you will need to get to the Ogilvie Transportation Center where the METRA commuter train boards. The Ogilvie Transportation Center is located three long blocks north of Union Station at 500 West Madison Street, at the intersection of Madison and Canal Streets. There are two commuter lines that run to Lake Forest, so be sure to board the Metra Union Pacific North Line. The train runs to and from Chicago 30 times a day.

Lake Forest College

LFC is ranked in the top 100 liberal arts colleges by the U.S. News & World Report. It also ranks as one of the Best Midwestern Colleges and Best Values in the country.

Lake Forest College Facts

Nickname: Foresters
Founded: 1857
Student Population: About 1,400 students attend Lake Forest, and a large percentage of them live on campus (86%). The Princeton Review says “Life at Lake Forest is generally laid-back, with a pace set by the quiet, high-end suburb in which the school is located.” The student radio station (WMXM), rugby club, Greek organizations and the e.team (organizes on-campus entertainment) are among the most active of the 100 student groups on campus.
Rankings: The Princeton Review places Lake Forest College on its list of 361 Best Colleges to attend. Also, as of 2009, Lake Forest appears on the lists of Best Midwestern Colleges and the Best Value Colleges. In addition, it ranks 12th in the country for “Students Happy with Financial Aid.” In terms of the top liberal arts colleges in the country, Lake Forest College was ranked 94th by US News & World Report, making it the perfect location for our Illinois summer camps.
Athletics: Lake Forest participates at the Division III level and has been a member of the Midwest Conference since 1974. The college gives student athletes the opportunity to participate in 17 intercollegiate sports (9 women’s and 8 men’s). Most notably, the Lake Forest handball team has won an astounding 30 national championships and has been recognized nationally.
Distinguished Alumni & Personnel: Among Lake Forest graduates are some who are recognized nationally, including: three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Herbert Block; G4 host and comedy writer Blair Butler; bestselling fantasy author Jacqueline Carey; producer of the movie Grease and Tony Award winner Allan Carr; reporter at WNYW-FOX 5 New York and winner of three Emmy Awards Andrea Day; Chairman and CEO of Charles River Laboratories, Inc., and 2003 Forbes Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year James C. Foster.
Point of Interest: These Illinois summer camps are near the Center for Chicago Programs, which was established as part of Lake Forest’s mission to make Chicago more accessible to students. The center (sponsored in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation) provides the college community with event discounts and organizes city gatherings.

Meals

All meals are included with our overnight and extended day programs. Day campers have the option of purchasing the lunch plan or bringing a sack lunch. The lunch plan is recommended, but not mandatory. If the lunch plan is purchased, lunch is provided Monday-Friday. Many university dining facilities do not permit outside food to be brought into the dining hall; students bringing bag lunches may eat outside of the dining hall with their classmates and instructors.

Maps/Carpool

See maps and driving directions in My Account for detailed directions on how to get to our exact location on campus. Want to Carpool? Go green and save some green when you carpool to camp! Sign up for our Carpool app in My Account to see the other families in your area that are interested in carpooling.

Staff Ratio Guarantee

iD Guarantee

Students learn in small classes for a personalized experience. How small? Classes typically have 5, 6, 7, or 8 students – but never more than 8 per instructor. That's the iD Guarantee - if we ever go over an 8:1 ratio, you get a free week of camp!

Adult-Only Instructors

iD Tech Camps recruits energetic, experienced instructors to teach our technology courses and supervise our students. Our summer staff is adult-only, with no Counselors-in-Training.

Personalized Instruction

Courses are personalized to students' abilities, and therefore suitable for beginner to advanced levels in most cases. Because of the ridiculously small ratios (max 8:1 or a free week with the iD Guarantee), instructors have time to consistently work with students 1-on-1 and adjust curriculum to their interests and experience level.

Project-Based Curriculum

We encourage a hands-on approach to technology; students learn by doing. Each student is provided with a computer and learns to work with the same products that professionals use in their fields. Students complete a project showing off their new technology skills by the end of each weeklong session they attend. By focusing on practical applications of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills, iD prepares students to take their new tech knowledge back into the real world.

Staff at this Location

Meet some of the amazing instructors that have taught at Lake Forest College over the years.

• “Sunny”: Sunny is a returning instructor with iD Tech Camps, originally from Gurnee, Illinois.  She is finishing up her fifth year at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois studying elementary education.  After she graduates, she is planning on either traveling for a couple of months or joining the Peace Corps.  In her free time, she enjoys cooking, biking, and playing the didgeridoo.
• “Seal”: Originally from the far northwestern suburbs, Seal now happily lives in the heart of Chicago. He is a junior at DePaul University and enjoys his computer game development classes. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he plans on making the best of every opportunity to experience as many of life’s wonders as he can. His hobbies are playing guitar, going for walks and, of course, video games.
• Ed: Ed is from the nearby town of Deerfield. He is currently a senior at Illinois Wesleyan University, where he studies Mathematics and Computer Science. He is excited to teach students STEM skills and looks forward to making sure that everyone has an awesome time.
• Mark: Mark attended iD Tech Camps as a student, and looks forward to giving futures campers the same amazing experience that he had.  He is a junior at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, currently pursuing a major in Computer Science. He hopes to go into video game design after he finishes school and has expertise in C++ and Java programming, 3D game design and robotics.

Safety & Peace of Mind

Risk Management

Adult staff and instructors supervise all activities. iD has a policy of never using Counselors-in-Training (CITs).

American Camp Association^® Accreditation

iD Tech Camps is accredited by the ACA at multiple locations, meaning we have met over 300 health and safety requirements. All camps follow ACA guidelines.

Background Checks

We conduct criminal background checks, sexual offender background checks, multiple reference checks and identification checks on all summer staff.

CPR & First Aid

All camps have Directors and Staff that are CPR and First Aid Certified.

Sample Week

A typical day varies depending on session and location, but it might look something like this:

	SUNDAY	MONDAY - THURSDAY	FRIDAY
7:30 am		Extended Day Campers – Check In Overnight & Extended Day Campers - Breakfast
8:30 am		Day Campers - Drop Off & Arrival Activities
9 am		Welcome & Opening Activity	Finesse Projects to Gold Version
9:30 am		Instruction – Jump on the computers!
10 am
11 am			Friday Activity
12 pm		Lunch – Overnight and Extended Day Campers eat in the campus dining hall.  Day Campers can choose to bring a bag lunch or purchase the meal plan.	Picnic Lunch
			Raffle
1 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs, woo hoo!	Showcase Prep
2 pm			Family Showcase
2:30 pm		Techtivities – Ultimate Frisbee?  Apples to Apples anyone?  Gaming tournaments?  We’ve got it all!
			All campers - Check Out
3:30 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs!	Ultimate Gaming Weekends – Option available at select locations.
5 pm		Day Campers - Pick Up & Closing Activities Overnight & Extended Day Campers – Open Lab/Free Time
5:30 pm	Overnight Campers - Check In
6 pm	Welcome	Dinner
6:30 pm	Dinner	Evening Activity - Movie Nights, Local Outings, Gaming Tournaments & more!
7 pm		Extended Day Campers – Pick Up
7:30 pm	Evening Activity	Evening Activity – cont’d.
8 pm
8:30 pm	Drills
9 pm	Chillax
10 pm	PreTeen Lights Out
11 pm	Lights Out!

Off-Computer Camp Activities

Students typically spend 5-6 hours on the computer each day. iD Tech Camps is careful to balance technology and fun - giving students Tech-Reation time. When they're not on the computer, students participate in fun summer activities like talent shows, play board games, compete in sports, take part in gaming tournaments and more.

Family Showcase

Every Friday afternoon, we invite parents and friends to come and experience iD Tech Camps. See the labs where students learn, explore campus, meet our staff, applaud students' course projects and attend the personalized diploma ceremony.

Hours/ Camp Options

Day Camp - Day Camp runs Monday through Friday, with drop off between 8:30 - 9 am and pick up between 5 - 5:30 pm (3:30 pm on Fridays).
Extended Day - Extended Day Camp runs Monday through Friday, with drop off at 7:30 am and pick up at 7 pm (3:30 pm on Fridays).
Overnight Options - Overnight camps are available at most locations for students ages 10 and up. Overnight camp runs Sunday through Friday, with drop off at 6 pm on Sunday and pick up at 3:30 pm on Friday.
Ultimate Gaming Weekends - Stay the weekend and game with us. UGW is fully supervised and includes housing, meals and supervision. It is available at the end of an Overnight Camp week or as a bridge between two consecutive weeks of Overnight Camp. Not available at all locations.

Attention Illinois Teens!

Our summer camps in Illinois at Lake Forest College just got even cooler for our teen students. We have specialized teen activities including free time to hang out, movie nights, extra project time, and as always, plenty of gaming. Check out our other cool teen-only programs like the iD Gaming Academy, iD Programming Academy, iD Visual Arts Academy and Ultimate Gaming Weekends (offered at select locations).

iD in the News

Lake Forest College News

Watch iD Tech Camps on NBC's Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda!

Apr 12th, 2012

Summer Camps in Illinois News - As Appeared in Chicago Parent

Feb 23rd, 2012

As appeared in the Suburban Journals - What I did on my summer vacation: create video games

Jul 11th, 2011

WLFI -TV Channel 18 visits our Purdue Summer Camp in Indiana

Jun 22nd, 2011

As appeared in The Pioneer Press - article about teen summer programs in IL

Aug 5th, 2010

Testimonials From Lake Forest College

What Parents Are Saying

“All the instructors seemed to “get” Chris, and were patient in the right ways while getting the best work from him as well. This is definitely a camp he’s enjoyed – and I’m sure we’ll be back. Vanessa M., parent, Lake Forest College

“We appreciate iD Tech Camps’ ability to fulfill the special interests of our children while allowing them the opportunity to feel they “belong” to an elite group of fellow programmer/gamers! Thank you! Michelle M., parent, Lake Forest College

“Our son, one of the youngest accepted, was wowed by the entire experience and he excelled tremendously in his first short week! Thanks! Debb D., parent, Lake Forest College

“I drive 120 miles a day for my son to attend iD Tech Camps. It’s our 3rd year… he loves it, and I couldn’t ask for more. Needless to say iD TECH CAMPS IS WORTH THE TRIP. We’ll be back next year. Diana B., parent, Lake Forest College

“Flexible, positive, helpful and fun instructors and director. Taj R., parent, Lake Forest College

What Campers Are Saying

“I’ve been attending iD since the summer of 2005. That makes this year my seventh year. I’ve gone for about 14 weeks in all. I’ve taken almost every class offered, some more than once. Want to know why I come back year after year? It’s the people. The counselors are awesome and really know their stuff. It’s easy for them to teach me advanced things. I wish I could come back next year as a camper, but sadly, I will turn eighteen in October. Instead I want to come back as a counselor myself. That’s how much I love being here. Laura D., student, Lake Forest College

“iD Tech Camps is a great place to go for the summer…you make new friends, learn a lot and have fun, which is what summer is all about. Daniel S., student, Lake Forest College

“This camp introduced me into the world of strict computing and will help me when I pursue computer science in the future. Carlos R., student, Lake Forest College

“Best camp ever. I have learned how to do Flash animation! Roman G., student, Lake Forest College

“Amazing. I was looking forward to this all summer and it didn’t disappoint. Adam P., student, Lake Forest College

Frequently Asked Questions

What courses are offered at this location?
Go to Step 2.

When does camp start?
See Step 2 for the dates of our weeklong university summer computer camps.

How much does camp cost?
The cost of tuition varies depending on the course, location and camp option that you choose. Basic Day Camp ranges from $749 to $1,049 per weeklong course. There are additional costs for program add-ons.

How can I save on tuition?
There are many ways for you to save!

• Register early to take advantage of our seasonal promotions.
• Refer-a-Friend and you and your friend both save $50.
• Sign up for multiple weeks to save $50 off each additional week.
• Register multiple siblings and save $50 for each sibling.

Do you offer financial aid?
iD Tech Camps is proud to offer tuition assistance for families who qualify. Application deadlines are announced each year in the Spring.

What is your cancellation policy?
Balance payments, less the non-refundable deposit, are refundable up until 3 weeks prior to the start of the confirmed camp week/session. No refunds will be issued for cancellations or withdrawals within 3 weeks of the start of confirmed camp weeks/sessions. All cancellations must be made online in My Account or submitted in writing to the internalDrive Inc. office no later than 3 weeks prior to the start of camp. For more details, please see our Terms & Conditions.

Does my child need to have a high computer IQ?
No, our courses are for beginner to advanced students. Because of our small ratios, instructors can work with students 1-on-1 and personalize the curriculum for each student's level.

Should my child bring a personal laptop to camp?
No, students do not need to bring laptops to camp. We provide a computer for each student to use for the week. All materials necessary for the course will be provided.

Do you have any teen programs?
iD Tech Camps has a Teen Scene that provides older students with a more independent experience on campus. Teens enjoy extra privileges appropriate for their environment and maturity levels, and although we maintain standard supervision ratios, teens will feel a sense of freedom. Special Teen Scene activities include computer gaming tournaments and Gamingpalooza.

iD also offers specialized iD Teen Academies in Gaming, Programming and Visual Arts at select locations across the country. These teen camps are intensive, two-week courses with tours of nearby industry hot spots and bi-weekly portfolio building workshops. See our iD Teen Academies page for more information.

How do I register? How do I contact you?
To register, find availability at the location you desire, and you'll be guided through the process. Registering online is the fastest way to get into camp. Or, you can phone us at 1-888-709-TECH (8324) or 1-408-871-2227. You can also email us at info@internalDrive.com. And, if you'd like a brochure sent to you, please click the brochure link.

Course Tuition (Program options are found on the next step)