Testimonials
The following testimonials from university professors familiar with IMACS as well as from former IMACS students provide some insight into the unique opportunity IMACS affords its students:
"We have here at Harvard a young man who came out of the IMACS program. He was able to begin his mathematical studies at a very advanced level by taking a course usually taken by juniors and seniors, and he has been a straight A student. Our program in mathematics is the strongest in the nation and for him to be able to jump in with our best students and perform at the highest level is ample testimony of the strength of the program."
Professor Andrew M. Gleason, Harvard University
"I have personally examined some of the teaching concepts and materials that have been developed by IMACS. I have determined that they are of outstanding quality."
Professor Gerald Jay Sussman, MIT
"I believe the IMACS Computer Science course could revolutionize the way computing is taught at the high school level and, more importantly, excite many of our best minds to a study of computer science."
Professor Daniel P. Friedman, Indiana University
Video testimonial for IMACS Computer Science
Katherine Wu, Student at The Johns Hopkins University
"I just finished my first year as a math major at Yale, and I wanted to write to give you an update, and to thank you for the preparation for college the IMACS way of thinking has given me ... When it came time for the first problem set to be turned in, I suddenly found that everybody in my dorm was asking me questions about problems that seemed to me to be as routine as filling out a form. I remember asking myself how anybody learns what a proof is without learning the IMACS way."
Scott Caplan, Yale and Harvard Law Graduate
"There is no doubt that the IMACS curriculum gave me the logical thinking skills and mental framework that inspired and enabled me to develop the Chocolate Fix puzzle system."
Mark Engelberg, Developer of ThinkFun's Chocolate Fix logic game
"Before IMACS, I did not realize how interesting and exciting mathematics could be. IMACS not only developed an interest in mathematics, it taught me the advanced thinking and material to succeed in all my math classes and even in my general studies."
Jennifer Hernandez, MIT Graduate
"Honestly speaking, this course was maybe the most well-designed one I've taken. It wasn't very hard to follow any of the material in any part of the course. The course didn't just meet my expectations, it exceeded them. For anyone looking to start off in computer science I would definitely recommend this as the beginning step. And if the rest of the courses eIMACS has to offer are of the same or greater standard, they should be excellent."
Hossain Md Jihad Turjo, Student at Mastermind High School, Dhaka, Bangladesh
"I wanted to say that I'm taking my first CS and EE course here at Harvard. In CS I was able to skip the intro course and so the first language I'm working with is LISP, which I am loving since it is so similar to Scheme. I've been doing very well on assignments and I'm really liking the experience I'm getting..."
Alex Lee, Harvard Graduate
"My first CS class at Virginia Tech was a breeze compared to the material that IMACS covered when I was much younger...I can't thank you and the other IMACS instructors enough. I hadn't realized how much you had taught me. You had always told me that I knew much more material than I realized, but I never really believed you – until now!"
Erik Benoist, Virginia Tech Graduate
"My peers at college were very intelligent, but they struggled with real university math classes. I'm so glad I had the right foundation. Thank you, IMACS!"
Natasha Chen, USC Graduate
"IMACS followed by Indiana University has proven to be an incredible winning combination! Ryan's IMACS accomplishments attracted the attention of Dan Friedman at IU, who in turn stated a number of rather fantastic things IU could do for Ryan if he went there. It took three years to prove Friedman's last and most important representation — that if Ryan impressed certain professors at IU, he could get into any school for his CS PhD. Well, that certainly proved to be true! He has been accepted by Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Carnegie-Mellon, Brown, Stanford, Cornell, Michigan, Northeastern, Indiana University and Illinois!"
Bill Newton, Parent of an MIT Graduate
"With the IMACS approach to computer science, my daughter learned more than just how to program. She learned about logical reasoning, problem solving and orderly thinking. Those skills made her a better programmer and a better student all around. I would recommend IMACS to any parent whose child wants to learn computer programming."
Sam Chen, Parent of a USC Graduate
"IMACS was the first time our daughter had encountered a community of teachers and learners who were excited to hear her ideas and creative ways of problem solving. She loved the Hi-Tech Summer Camp so much that she didn't want to take a week off! She excelled in the computer programming classes and felt that the AP Computer Science exam was easier than the eIMACS course. IMACS prepared her well for the challenges in which she is now engaged, including a university program in math. We are grateful to IMACS for all of the encouragement and challenges they have given and continue to give our daughter."
Susan Brady, Parent
"Our son was an IMACS student from 8th through 10th grade. Because of his radical acceleration in school and in math in particular, he needed early access to more than what was available at middle and high school. eIMACS allowed him to take advanced classes without the prejudice of age or grade-level expectations.
eIMACS provided our son with rigorous classes in programming and logic in a flexible, self-paced manner in the comfort of our home. The Web-based interface and self-contained compilers were bug free, allowing him to concentrate on learning. The online instructors gave prompt and encouraging feedback. Our son is now a high school senior and applying to top math and science universities across the country. Thank you, IMACS, for giving him a firm foundation!"
eIMACS provided our son with rigorous classes in programming and logic in a flexible, self-paced manner in the comfort of our home. The Web-based interface and self-contained compilers were bug free, allowing him to concentrate on learning. The online instructors gave prompt and encouraging feedback. Our son is now a high school senior and applying to top math and science universities across the country. Thank you, IMACS, for giving him a firm foundation!"
Steve Tkach, Parent
"When we began searching for a way to supplement Cari's math curriculum we wanted a program that did more than just accelerate the standard math courses. Other programs do not provide a rigorous foundation based on logic that is necessary to develop the abstract reasoning critical to understanding the foundations of mathematics. Once we saw the unique approach of your program it made more sense for her than any other we found."
Tom & Donna Crawford, Parents
"IMACS creates a uniquely fun and challenging experience for gifted student through their innovative curriculum and supportive staff. It has been an essential component of the education program for our children."
Shannon Robertson, Parent