Center for Talent Development
CTD supports gifted youth through a variety of educational programs for students in Pre-K through high school.
Pre-Collegiate Programs
Instilling a love of learning.
In our many pre-collegiate programs, education and fun go hand in hand.
Even though it looks like fun, Northwestern takes its supplemental enrichment programs seriously. From credit-granting coursework to weekend music lessons, children and teens can take advantage of Northwestern faculty, resources and academic expertise.
Programs for K-12 Students
Bienen School of Music's Music Academy
Bienen faculty provide private and group lessons in piano, violin, viola, cello and guitar. Play-based Kindermusik classes are also available.
Northwestern Pre-College Online Program
The year-round programs features dynamic video lessons covering a wide range of subjects taught by our renowned faculty and includes support from an expert mentor.
Programs for High School Students
Bienen Summer Performance Workshops
These one-week, intensive summer programs are designed to challenge young musicians and advance musical skills.
College Preparation Program
In this program, high school students may enroll in undergraduate courses for credit, and online and on-campus certificate programs.
Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute
This summer program gives rising seniors, or "Cherubs," experience in print, broadcast and digital media.
National High School Institute
NHSI offers summer programs with concentrations in theater, musical theater, film & video, playwriting and debate.
Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools
This free multi-year college preparation program is for Chicago public high school students.
Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students
REACH summer program provides Chicagoland high school students with experience in astronomy research with mentorship from professional scientists.
At the CPP, our last day was a perfect culmination of all that we had learned. It was a satisfying end, because I got to see a tangible representation of what my peers and I gained in our past two weeks. It was a safe space for us to gather and to share the skills we had acquired.”
Ayan P., Summer ’23 College Prep Program