The Comprehensive Mom Audit
1. Program Focus & Daily Activities
State-of-the-Art Labs, Rocketry & Collaborative Team Challenges in Dobbs Ferry. Designed for Ages 5 to 13. Daily structure for Ages 5 to 13 campers was looser than we'd expect, bordering on unsupervised free time for long stretches. (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973) Sessions run 2 to 8 Weeks, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily.
2. Aquatics & Water Safety
We did not observe structured swim instruction during our visit, and the pool deck was understaffed. (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)
3. Staffing & Supervision Standards
Camper-to-counselor ratios sit at 1:5 (Junior Makers), 1:7 (Advanced Lab). Several counselors we observed seemed undertrained for the responsibility they'd been given. (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)
4. Logistics, Transportation & Catering
We observed carline chaos and heard specific parent complaints about billing and late pickup fees that felt punitive rather than reasonable. (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)
Tuition Range: $1120 – $1370 / week
👍 What We Loved
- At least one counselor we observed was clearly skilled and well-liked by campers (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)
- Tuition ($1120 – $1370 / week) is below market rate for Dobbs Ferry
⚠️ What to Consider
- Camp administration was slow or evasive when we asked about safety protocols (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)
- Tuition ($1120 – $1370 / week) does not reflect what's actually delivered
- Counselor turnover mid-season left several bunks without consistent leadership (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)
- We observed thin adult supervision relative to Ages 5 to 13 camper headcount (per our Dobbs Ferry visit, est. 1973)