Michigan Summer Camp Locations Summer Camps: University of Michigan Computer Camps

University of Michigan Computer Camps

Camp Overview
Course Availability

Camp Overview
About This U & Maps
Staff Ratio Guarantee
Safety & Peace of Mind
Sample Week
In the News
Testimonials
FAQ

Computer Camps Held at the University of Michigan

iD Tech Camps, Ages 7-17

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

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, guaranteed! Our adult-only staff are tech-savvy undergraduates, graduate students and professionals, passionate about teaching game design, film, computer science and more.

This is our 11th season hosting summer camps at our University of Michigan location. We strike the right balance between off-computer activities (creative games, sports, life skills, etc.) and essential technology education to foster STEM skill development (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Our popular University of Michigan summer day camps and overnight camps are located in Ann Arbor, MI.

We offer a variety of cutting-edge summer camp courses for beginner through advanced learners. Kids and teens learn one course topic per week, specializing in video game design, iPhone® app development, programming, video editing and more – using the best brand name products from Adobe®, Apple®, Autodesk®, Google, Microsoft® and beyond. Come explore the college campus and gain skills that will last long after summer camp ends. Continue to Step 2 for Course Availability, Tuition & Dates.

About the University of Michigan

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 the University of Michigan campus to host our academic summer camps for kids and teens because it is one of only two public institutions consistently ranked among the nation’s top ten universities. The University of Michigan boasts one of the largest health care complexes in the world, the top university library system in the country, and some of the best computer access for students and faculty. Detroit Metropolitan International Airport is located 20 miles east of the University of Michigan, approximately a 35 minute drive away from campus, making it the perfect summer camp location. Come check out our summer camps in Michigan, including our Michigan youth camps and camps for teens in Michigan!

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan was founded in 1817 as one of the first public universities in the nation. The campus, made up of modern and historic buildings, is rich with culture and features many museums. The University is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the nation according to the U.S. News & World Report.

University of Michigan Facts

Nickname: Wolverines
Founded: 1817
Schools and Colleges at University of Michigan: The University offers courses through thirteen undergraduate colleges and schools, with the largest undergraduate units being the College of Engineering, College of Literature, Science and the Arts and the Ross School of Business. For graduate students, the Rackham Graduate School serves as the main administrative unit of graduate studies at the University of Michigan.
Student Population: A large institution, the University of Michigan has 26,083 undergraduate and 14,959 graduate students taking part in 600 academic programs. Each year, a staggering 30,000 applicants try to make their way into the University. Only 5,400 of those students are actually accepted.
Rankings: The University of Michigan is historically (and still is) one of the top academic institutions in the nation (an impressive 70% of UM’s 200 major programs, schools, and departments ranked in the top 10 in the United States). The University has also enrolled 26 Rhodes Scholars, making it a great place for our Michigan youth camps.
Athletics: The Wolverines participate in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision (formally Division I-A) and are Big Ten Conference members, with rival Ohio State Uni
Distinguished Alumni & Personnel: A number of distinguished professionals in the areas of sports, business and entertainment call themselves University of Michigan Wolverines. These include Nobel Prize Winner H.David Politzer; actor James Earl Jones; iPod digital music device creator Tony Fadell; co-founder of Google Larry Page; and President and Chief Operating Officer of JetBlue Dave Barger.
Points of Interest: Leslie Science Center, Nichols Arboretum, Fuller Park Pool, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Kerrytown, Exhibit Museum of Natural History at the University Of Michigan, and the Power Center for the Performing Arts.

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.

8:1 Staff Ratio Guarantee

iD Guarantee - Small Class Sizes

We guarantee ridiculously small class sizes, with a maximum of 8 students per instructor. Why? Because our teaching philosophy is premised on personalization - your path, at your pace. iD's passionate, adult-only instructors guide students through customized curriculum with 1-on-1 teaching. The immersive environment (typically 5, 6, 7 or 8 students - but never more than 8 per instructor) is ideal for fostering creativity. Read more about the 8:1 iD Guarantee.

Adult-Only Instructors

iD Tech Camps recruits energetic, adult-only instructors to teach our technology courses and supervise our students. Our summer staff is passionate about technology. We do not cut corners by employing Counselors-in-Training. We recruit from top colleges and universities to find staff with great credentials in game development, filmmaking, web design, programming, photography, etc.

Personalized Instruction

Most courses are beginner through advanced. Our innovative curriculum is premised on a blended learning strategy. Students receive blended (or hybrid) instruction through use of the brand new iD Game Plan engine along with live 1-on-1 instruction from our team of educators. Our approach allows students to move along at an appropriate, customized pace.

Project-Based Curriculum

We encourage a hands-on, experiential approach to technology; students learn by doing. Each student is provided with a computer and works with the same products that professionals use in their fields. Students complete a project showing off their new technology skills. By focusing on practical skill development of STEM topics (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) 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 the University of Michigan over the years.

“Bubblicious Fisheyes”: Bubblicious Fisheyes recently graduated from New York Film Academy with a MFA in Screenwriting. Her love for technology brought her back to iD Tech Camps, and she is now a multi-year returning instructor. In her off time, she enjoys playing Mario Kart, reading, writing short stories and watching movies.
“Yoshi”: Yoshi has been with iD Tech Camps for many years, teaching at various camp locations including UNC Chapel Hill, University of Miami and Vanderbilt. She loves working with children and building games using Multimedia Fusion. She graduated from Tennessee State University in 2010, and she will be attending law school in the future.
“Dr. Horrible”: Dr. Horrible recently graduated from Bradley University with a degree in Computer Science. He is a returning instructor with iD Tech Camps, having taught at such university locations as Northwestern, Southern Methodist University and Purdue. He brings a wealth of programming experience to the table, as well as the prior experience with teaching. Dr. Horrible loves gaming and camp, and brings a lot of energy to both. He is currently looking to expand his experience and get his foot in the door with a game development company like Valve Software.
“Random”: Random is a computer engineer turned teacher. He received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering in 2006 and afterwards decided to become a teacher. He has worked at tech camps before and loves working with students to help them achieve their goals. Over the past year, Random student taught at a local high school in Ann Arbor where he fostered his enthusiasm for education and helping others. At the same time, he went through a master’s program to gain a degree in secondary education. Random’s interests include computer games, computer programming, game construction, teaching, swimming and watching movies.
“Duck Tape”: Duck Tape is a computer science engineering student at Washington University in St. Louis. He spent 4 summers as a student at iD Tech Camps, and returned as an instructor to pass on the knowledge and enthusiasm for technology that he experienced at camp. During the academic school year, he is a teaching assistant for an introductory Java course at Washington University. He is excited to bring both his camp and teaching experience to current iD Tech Camps students. In his spare time he loves gaming and keeping active.
“Weezingmonkeys”: Weezingmonkeys decided to pursue game design after attending a summer camp at USC for game design and making his first game in GameMaker. He graduated from the University of Advancing Technology in December 2010 with a B.A. in Game Design. Now he is a big console gamer and plays just about every type of game and console you can think of. When he is not gaming or working on editors, he loves to play or watch sports like basketball and football.

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 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
12 pm			Raffle
1 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs, woo hoo!	Showcase Prep
2 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs, woo hoo!
2:30 pm		Techtivities – Ultimate Frisbee? Apples to Apples anyone? Gaming tournaments? We’ve got it all!
3 pm			Family Showcase*
3:30 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs!	Family Showcase*
4 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs!	All campers - Check Out
5 pm		Day Campers - Pick Up & Closing Activities Overnight & Extended Day Campers – Open Lab/Free Time	Ultimate Gaming Weekends – Option available at select locations.
5:30 pm
6 pm	Overnight Campers - Check In	Dinner
6:30 pm	Welcome	Evening Activity - Movie Nights, Local Outings, Gaming Tournaments & more!
7 pm	Dinner	Extended Day Campers – Pick Up
7:30 pm	Evening Activity	Evening Activity – cont’d.
8 pm	Evening Activity
8:30 pm	Drills
9 pm	Chillax
10 pm	PreTeen Lights Out
11 pm	Good Night Teens

Off-Computer Camp Activities

Students spend approximately 5 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 organized sports, 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. *At Stanford, Pre-Teen Family Showcase: 2:30 - 3:30 PM, Teen Family Showcase: 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Hours/ Camp Options

Day Camp - Day Camp runs Monday through Friday, with drop off between 8 - 9:00 am and pick up between 5 - 6:00 pm (3 - 5:00 pm on Fridays, varies by site).
Extended Day - Extended Day Camp runs Monday through Friday, with check-in between 7:30 am and pick up at 7:00 pm (3 - 5:00 pm on Fridays, varies by site).
Overnight Options - Overnight camps are available at most locations for students ages 10 and up. Overnight camp runs Sunday through Friday, with check-in between 5 - 6:00 pm on Sunday and pick-up at 3 - 5:00 pm on Friday (varies by site).
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 Michigan Teens!

Our summer camps in Michigan at the University of Michigan 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

University of Michigan News

WDIV-TV Visits iD Tech Camps held at the University of Michigan!

Aug 2nd, 2012

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

Apr 12th, 2012

As appeared in the Toledo Blade - Today’s summer camps aim at kids’ special interests, needs

Jul 17th, 2011

As appeared in the Detroit News - article about video game summer camps in Ann Arbor

Jul 27th, 2010

Summer Learning - One Week of Programming Camp Can Change Your Life

Feb 19th, 2010

Testimonials From the University of Michigan

What Parents Are Saying

“My son had so much fun…from the first day to the last, he was enthused and excited about the project and the camp. He wants to come back next year and sleep over! Deborah E., parent, University of Michigan

“The camp was a very positive experience for my child, both in encouraging new skills and building his confidence in a fun environment! Matthew B., parent, University of Michigan

“This is my son’s second year at iD Tech Camps. His camp experience helped him gain confidence. He was very excited about coming back again this year and again had a wonderful experience. Nell S., parent, University of Michigan

“My daughter has great inclination and talent for computer programming. At 12, she coded her own website. She was thrilled by and totally immersed herself in the challenge of creating a fun and socially conscious game. I expect her to continue her learning and developing in the future. Valarie T., parent, University of Michigan

“Daily, both of my daughters came home expressing positive sentiment about their day at camp. In fact, the youngest said that if she could program all day long her life would be heavenly. Wow!!! Both my daughters immensely enjoyed the program learning experience. Thank YOU. Valarie T., parent, University of Michigan

What Campers Are Saying

“Being able to make a robot makes this camp the best ever!!!! Ayden W., student, University of Michigan

“Great facilities, caring staff and fun activities. Jason L., student, University of Michigan

“The best things about this camp include great software and awesome, lasting friendships. Nicholas E., student, University of Michigan

“I really liked the staff and how they helped me enjoy camp! Emmet S., student, University of Michigan

“iD Tech Camps provided a great learning experience with great programs…I learned so much, thanks. Hunter K., student, University of Michigan

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 $779 to $999 per weeklong course. There are additional costs for program add-ons including lunch, overnight camp, and weekend stays.

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?
Yes. We have weeklong teen-only courses at iD Tech Camps, plus two-week pre-college Teen Academies. iD Tech Camps is for ages 7-17, and our courses and activities are divided between teen courses and pre-teen courses. In some cases, teens and pre-teens will study in the same lab (but will not be mixed in the same class). Students will be supervised at all times, but we attempt to strike the right balance of independence. Teens enjoy extra privileges appropriate for their environment and maturity levels. Special Teen Scene activities include computer gaming tournaments and Gamingpalooza.

iD also offers specialized iD Teen Academies in the topics of Game Design, Programming, Film and Photography 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.