Programs that do not grant credit want to encourage students to pursue a topic at length without being concerned about grades. Credit-granting programs view grades as a normal part of an academic experience. The quality of the facilities and the amount of equipment impact the level of involvement. One computer for every two participants allows more work time than one computer for five participants. This also applies to laboratory, art, drama, music, and sports equipment.
Some organizations require an hour or two of individual or team sports daily.
Others view activities as optional. Most programs plan informal group activities for participants to get to know one another. A few programs leave this up to the students. In all programs safety is of paramount importance. Ask about the training and qualifications of the instructors, the certifications or inspections the program has passed, and the provisions that are made for safety.