Methodology

How we score summer camps.

Every camp on Summerwise gets a single letter grade — A through F — called the Camp Score. It exists so a parent glancing at a city page can tell, in one second, which camps have earned their seat at the top and which ones still have homework to do.

We publish the formula because a score nobody can interrogate isn't trustworthy. Here it is — every weight, every input, every assumption.

The five inputs

30%Data completeness
Does the listing have ages, dates, weekly price, location, photos, and a real description? A great camp parents can't actually evaluate isn't a great listing.
25%Safety and accreditation
American Camp Association accreditation, staff-to-camper ratios when published, background-check disclosure, and stated safety policies.
20%Verified parent reviews
Only reviews from families we can confirm enrolled count toward the score. No anonymous Yelp-style padding.
15%Years operating and session continuity
Camps that come back summer after summer with consistent sessions earn trust. Brand-new programs start lower and climb as they prove themselves.
10%Value vs. category median
Weekly price compared to the median for that camp type in that metro. Cheaper isn't always better, and pricier isn't always worse — but parents deserve the comparison.

What the grades mean

A —: Complete listing, verified reviews, established camp, fair price. The kind you'd send your own kid to.
B —: Solid across most dimensions. Usually missing one piece (photos, recent reviews, or pricing transparency).
C —: Worth a look, but parents should call and ask the questions the listing doesn't answer.
D / F —: Either too new to grade fairly or missing the basics. We still publish them — parents can decide — but we sort them last.

How we keep it honest

• Scores recompute nightly. No camp is frozen at a stale grade.
• Sponsored placements never affect the score. Ever. They're labeled separately.
• Every camp page shows the score breakdown — you can click "why this score?" and see exactly which inputs hurt or helped.
• Camps can submit corrections through their provider dashboard. We re-verify and re-score.

"The vetting is the value."