Tennessee Summer Camp Locations Summer Camps: Vanderbilt University Computer Camps
Vanderbilt University Computer Camps
- Camp Overview
- About This U & Maps
- Staff Ratio Guarantee
- Safety & Peace of Mind
- Sample Week
- In the News
- Testimonials
- FAQ
Computer Camps Held at Vanderbilt University
iD Tech Camps, Ages 7-17WEEKLONG | CO-ED | DAY CAMPS | OVERNIGHT CAMPS
COURSE TOPICS: VIDEO GAME DESIGN, PROGRAMMING, APPS, WEB DESIGN & MOREIgnite 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 7th season hosting summer camps at our Vanderbilt University 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 Vanderbilt University summer day camps and overnight camps are located in the Nashville area of TN.
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 Vanderbilt University
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 to host our summer academic computer camps for kids and teens at Vanderbilt University because it is one of America’s top 20 universities. The campus is something of a world unto itself, boasting modern classrooms, labs, residence halls, coffee shops, bookstores, facilities for concerts, plays, lectures, films, sports and recreation and more. With day camp and overnight camp options, this elite computer camp in Tennessee is an amazing summer program!
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt is a renowned private research university. iD Tech Camps students live and move comfortably among ancient magnolias, sweeping lawns, and buildings that balance Victorian dignity with high-tech elegance.
Vanderbilt University Facts
Nickname: Commodores
Founded: 1873
Student Population: 6,532 undergraduate and 5,315 graduate and professional students make up the Vanderbilt student body. This student body represents all 50 states along with more than 90 countries. Located in Tennessee, Vanderbilt sees 55% of the total student body coming in from outside the Southeast and 8% of students coming in from outside of the United States. Just about half of the student body is comprised of women.
Rankings: In ranking national universities for 2010, U.S. News & World Report placed Vanderbilt at 17th (tied with Rice and Emory University). Looking at graduate programs, U.S. News & World placed the Peabody College of Education #1 in the nation among schools of education. Vanderbilt is also ranked #1 in the nation in the fields of audiology, special education and education administration.
Athletics: As an original member of the Southeastern Conference, Vanderbilt is the SEC’s only private school and also the conference’s smallest school (the next smallest SEC school, the University of Mississippi has almost double the amount of undergraduate students). Vanderbilt’s strongest teams have traditionally been men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s basketball.
Distinguished Alumni & Personnel: Vanderbilt’s most distinguished graduate is Al Gore, 45th Vice President of the United States, former U.S. Senator, former U.S. Representative, and environmental activist.
Points of Interest: Valley Amusement Park, Tennessee Renaissance Festival, Nashville Zoo, Country Music Hall of Fame.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 Vanderbilt University over the years.
- Tracey: Tracey is a high school math teacher in southwestern Indiana. She also works as a corporate Technology Specialist, focusing on software installation, data management and staff training. She has a B.A. in Computer Science from Hanover College in Indiana, as well as a master’s degree in teaching from Oakland City University in Indiana. She spends the majority of her time working with up and coming technology, and she loves sharing her passion about the technological world with today’s youth.
- Nicole: Nicole is a graduate of Auburn University, currently pursuing her master’s in Education with a mathematics specialization. She started a photography business in Destin, Florida after high school and managed it all throughout college, gaining technical experience in photo editing, graphics and web design. She enjoys teaching children and has worked for many years as a private tutor and substitute teacher.
- DJ: DJ is a former camper turned instructor. He studies Computer Science at Tennessee State University and previously spent two years at the Savannah College of Art and Design learning the complexities of game art, design and development. He plans to pursue a career as an indie game developer and loves sharing his passion for gaming with students.
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 - Breakfast8 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
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!
4 pm
All campers - Check Out
5 pm
Day Campers - Pick Up & Closing Activities
Overnight & Extended Day Campers – Open Lab/Free TimeUltimate 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
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 Tennessee Teens!
Our summer camps in Tennessee at Vanderbilt University 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
Vanderbilt University News
Watch iD Tech Camps on NBC's Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda!
Apr 12th, 2012
As appeared in the News and Observer - article about our NC summer camps
Jul 18th, 2011
As appeared in the Suburban Journals - What I did on my summer vacation: create video games
Jul 11th, 2011
As appeared in The Tennessean - article about our video game summer camps in TN
Jul 2nd, 2009
As appeared in The Vanderbilt View - article about our Nashville summer camps in TN
Jul 21st, 2008
Testimonials From Vanderbilt University
What Parents Are Saying
“This was a great experience. The staff was excellent, the kids learned a ton and what they learned is a great first step in preparing them to be competitive in the new economy. We’ll be back next year. Steve P., parent, Vanderbilt University
“Our daughter attended camp a couple years ago and loved it, so my expectations were pretty high. You met them and exceeded them! Your staff is outstanding. My son doesn’t want to stop playing his game and I’m sure he’ll design more. Thank you! Jacqueline W., parent, Vanderbilt University
“This was the summer experience my son wanted to repeat from last year. He loved camp both years and looks forward to next. He has wanted to be a video game creator since age 5, and this is just the thing for him. Robin E., parent, Vanderbilt University
“My son absolutely loved his course, and cannot wait to enroll in the more advanced level next year. I was also impressed. The staff was very helpful and friendly…this was definitely a positive experience! Bonnie J., parent, Vanderbilt University
“The staff are well-credentialed and great with parents and kids. This was a one-of-a-kind of opportunity for kids who want to go beyond the playing of a game to the development and construction of the game. Dana J., parent, Vanderbilt University
What Campers Are Saying
“I loved iD Tech Camps. It was awesome learning to make my own game. It was SOOOOO much fun! Zenab M., student, Vanderbilt University
“I think iD Tech Camps is the best camp evvvvverrr. There were AWESOME teachers, cool stuff and GREAT games!!! Ladd E., student, Vanderbilt University
“iD Tech Camps was the best camp I have ever been to in my life. I had so much fun and made new friends. I recommend this to all. Armand B., student, Vanderbilt University
“iD Tech Camps was a fun experience. The staff and students are filled with energy and excitement. The dining hall had great food, and that’s saying a lot considering I’m such a picky eater. Being on a university campus also added the aura of what it’s going to be like in college. My medication was distributed right on time, another plus to my camp experience. My experience was amazing at iD Tech Camps. Colton B., student, Vanderbilt University
“I had a wonderful experience at iD Tech Camps. I was a complete beginner at the beginning of the course, but by the end of the week the instructors had me at the level where I was able to do a lot of the programming on my own. The instructors were very nice and helpful and were able to explain things that might not be exciting, exciting. I really enjoyed my time and I know for sure that I will be back! Kyle J., student, Vanderbilt University
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.
