Camp Overview

About This U & Maps

Staff Ratio Guarantee

Safety & Peace of Mind

Sample Week

In the News

Testimonials

FAQ

Computer Camps Held at Vassar College

iD Tech Camps (Ages 7-17) and iD Gaming 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 Vassar College, we offer two distinct programs: iD Tech Camps and iD Gaming 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 13th season hosting our summer camps held at Vassar 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 Vassar College summer day camps and overnight camps are located in Poughkeepsie, NY.

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. Ultimate Gaming Weekends serve as a bridge for overnight students attending multiple weeks.

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

Additionally at Vassar 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.

About Vassar 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).

Our New York summer camp students enjoy the full iD Tech Camps experience with our day camps and overnight camps in the beautiful Hudson Valley at Vassar College. The historic campus has buildings dating back to 1861 and is surrounded by 1,000 wooded acres. Vassar is just a few hours away from Boston and New York City, located in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York is only 35 minutes from Poughkeepsie. With our Ultimate Gaming Weekend program, Vassar College is an excellent option for our teen students considering multiple weeks of summer camp in the Northeast.

Vassar College

Vassar College is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country and is rated one of the Top Liberal Arts Colleges in U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges.” Vassar was also voted “Best College of the Year” in TIME Magazine/The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges.

Vassar College Facts

Nickname: Brewers
Founded: 1861
Student Population: Approximately 2,400 students currently attend Vassar College. About 60% of these students come from public high schools, and 40% from both independent and religious private schools. Females make up about 60% of the student body, which is slightly above average when looking at liberal arts colleges. Surprisingly, 85% of those who graduate from Vassar go on to pursue advanced education within five years of leaving Vassar. In terms of faculty, Vassar employs over 270 faculty members.
Rankings: Earning “College of the Year” is quite an achievement, and Vassar did just that in 1999, recognized by Time Magazine/Princeton Review. Understandably, Vassar has been placed in Barron’s in its “most competitive” category for admissions. Also regarding selectivity, The Princeton Review gave Vassar a 97 rating out of a possible 100 in 2006. Setting a school record, Vassar’s Class of 2013 had an acceptance rate of 24%. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has also recognized Vassar as one of the ten best private liberal arts college values in the nation.
Athletics: Vassar competes at the Division III level of the NCAA, and is currently a member of the Liberty League. Competitive intercollegiate sports include baseball, basketball, fencing, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, squash and track among others. Club sports include Equestrian Team, Polo Team, and Cycling Team.
Points of Interest: When at Vassar, be sure to stop by the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Bardavon Opera House, and Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center.

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. Lunch is provided to all students on Fridays, as part of an iD-style picnic.

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 Vassar College over the years.

• “Turner”: Turner studies Computer Science and Art History at Brown University.  In addition to being a Mac nerd, he loves film and books.  When he’s back in the Big Apple, he enjoys museum hopping and hanging out with friends in the park.  His previous jobs include media positions at Mannic Media, Columbia University and a startup tech company called Social Exposures.
• “Synth”: Synth is a Game Design student at Rochester Institute of Technology.  When not preoccupied programming into the wee hours of the morning, he often partakes in education-themed volunteer work around his home county.
• “The Bobfather”: The Bobfather is a student at Vassar College studying Psychology.  He attended iD Tech Camps for 4 years as a camper, and has wanted to come back and instruct ever since his first year. He is excited to share his passion for technology with the next generation of tech students!
• “Ians”: Ians attends Rochester Institute of Technology and studies Computer Science.  He was a student at iD Tech Camps for 5 years, and also has multiple years of experience as an iD counselor.  He loves educating students in STEM!

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 New York Teens!

Our summer camps in New York at Vassar 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

Vassar College News

As appeared in the Poughkeepsie Journal - article about our NY summer camps for kids and teens

Jul 8th, 2011

As appeared in The New York Times - article about app writing summer camps

Mar 17th, 2011

As appeared in Hudson Valley Parent - 3 Great camps in Ulster and Dutchess County for Kids

Mar 10th, 2011

As appeared in The New York Times - When the Tech Guy Is 13 (or Even 10) by David H. Freeman

Nov 3rd, 2010

My Fox TV New York Visits iD Tech Camps

Jun 24th, 2008

Testimonials From Vassar College

What Parents Are Saying

“This experience for the entire family was a great experience. My two boys talked non-stop about the projects, and what they wanted to continue to work on. By day 2 they were talking about what they want to learn next summer. They cannot wait to use what they learned at iD Tech Camps throughout the school year! Roberta S., parent, Vassar College

“We were impressed with the professionalism of the camp staff and their level of knowledge. The entire experience was well coordinated, from the point of arrival to check-in at the Family Showcase. Kathy A., parent, Vassar College

“My son referred to this week as his “week of heaven.” He truly feels accepted and with his own kind here. Everyone understands each other and are of like minds. This camp helps him so much socially and the staff is exceptional. This will help him with his long term career goals. Nancy M., parent, Vassar College

“All of the instructors were kind and caring with my children. They reached out to meet our child’s individual personality and he had a great time. Thank you. Joseph M., parent, Vassar College

“My son has been coming here for 5 summers and has loved each and every year. The people, the programs and the spirit so inspire him, and there is always a sense of sadness when he leaves and comes home. Next year will he be attending his first year in college and he is going for computer engineering, so this has been a great intro and phenomenal experience for him. I am sure he will never forget all the wonderful people he’s met and the education he received. Thank you iD Tech Camps. Patricia R., parent, Vassar College

What Campers Are Saying

“iD was an awesome camp experience. The counselors were very fun and helpful. I have made many friendships and memories, and am excited to come back next year! Maggie S., student, Vassar College

“I have been attending iD Tech Camps for 6 years, and it has always been great. The instructors are wonderful and I have made many friends – what is there to complain about? Samuel D., student, Vassar College

“This was my first year here and it has just been absolutely great. I loved every minute of it and will remember this for a while. Adam B., student, Vassar College

“I thought this camp was an amazing experience. I got to meet new friends, design games, play outside activities and just have an all-around fun time. Michael D., student, Vassar College

“iD Tech Camps is great! I learn something new every year. Christopher P., student, Vassar 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)