Research. Rounds. Redos.

 

PFBC is a summer institute for high school Public Forum debaters to be held in person at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. PFBC is focused on building fundamental competitive debate skills through a tested, no frills curriculum that has produced champions at the state and national level.

2025 In-Person

Sessions

Session One

June 29th-July 9th

Free Day on July 6th

Session Two

July 10th - July 20th

Free Day on July 13th

Commuter Tuition

$2200

Residential Tuition

$3100

Students who apply prior to our February 1st deadline will receive a $300 early bird discount applied to their total tuition

For more specific questions, feel free to email us at info@publicforumboot.camp

Why PFBC?

We believe there are three ways to get better at PF debate: Research, Rounds, and Redos.

Research allows a debater to become an expert on a given topic. By carefully analyzing the current debate topic, cutting lots of cards, and doing a lot of reading, debaters will deepen their understanding of every possible argument, setting them up to win more debate rounds.

Rounds operationalize that research - debaters take the knowledge that they gained through the process of reading and writing arguments, and present a cohesive position of advocacy to convince a judge of their position’s merit.

Redos, giving speeches from rounds over again after receiving feedback, allow debaters to analyze the effectiveness of their pre-round preparation, and how well they executed the prepared strategy to win the debate. It informs what a debater needs to rephrase, modify, or update to win the next debate round.

Every second of camp time at PFBC will focus on one of these three components of becoming a better debater. Over the course of our 11-day camp, we will guarantee:

  • A 200+ page evidence brief, including starter contentions, blocks, and frontlines, compiled by our camp staff before you come to camp to jump start your research process

  • 19 rounds on a September/October topic, including a practice round on Day One of camp

  • A strict 1:4 faculty-to-student ratio, composed of experienced coaches and the best former debaters, to give you constant, individualized attention

  • 24 hours of lab instruction to define and refine your strategy for the current month

  • 13 hours of open office hours with staff to get answers to the burning questions you have from the best coaches in the country

  • Lab sizes of no more than 12 students

  • Check out our sample schedule here

“PFBC WILL make you improve, whether you want it to or not”

Deniz Soral, PFBC ‘24 Alumnus

  • This experience was beyond life changing, not only have I improved drastically, but I've made so many connection from people across the country. Everyone here is beyond welcoming from the people to the staff, this is the best experience I've ever had in a camp, I look forward to going here every summer for my high school years. The staff are all welcoming and helpful and they give you the best advice, I've never seen myself improve this fast in my entire life like on god. I also love how everything is near you, like there are so many restraunts, and places to make genuine connections to other people, I've learned so much at this camp and I couldn't be more grateful.

    Michelle Pham

  • It’s simple. It’s fun, and you learn. I’m coming back next year for sure.

    John Lutterman

  • Truly the place to grow and get better. The staff are insanely supportive and friendly. Although the structure of the camp is intense it really does push everyone to improve and the people make it worth it.

    Kaylee Chen

  • Fire 💯💯🔥🔥🥶🥶

    Andrew Peasley

  • It's called boot camp because it is a lot but the format is the most educational and I think best way to get better you do so much that you see the rounds different and you build on what you do daily so you get progressively more comfortable with complex debate and new strategies. Best debate camp I have been to.

    Charlie Timm

  • Do it. Nothing else is quite like it.

    Ezekiel Ehrenberg

  • As a local debater, I came to PFBC to learn a little more about progressive argumentation and debates on the national circuit. The staff were all incredibly patient with helping my partner and me grow, and I'd recommend it to anyone serious about taking a crack at the national circuit.

    Lawrence Salonga

  • PFBC gave way to a great start for my very first year of public forum. In 10 days I learned how to debate the public forum format through a productive and interactive system that was made up of activities specifically focused on improvement. This camp has amazing instructors that make you laugh and feel comfortable which was especially helpful when you are out in a situation you had never been in. I enjoyed every part of this camp and I am sad that I am graduating and won’t be able to do it again.

    Jia Lauber

  • it is one of the most well lead and perfectly organized camps in the nation with a coaching staff that knows debate better than anyone

    Austin Siefken

  • If you’re on the fence, definitely take a shot and do it. I feel like it’s been the most improvement I’ve had in the last year. The coaches are all very well versed and easy to talk to and get help with. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a camp.

    Indigo Sabin

  • PFBC is skill based matchmaking

    Khoa Le

  • As someone who wants to be competitve, PFBC provided the perfect environment that let me pinpoint specific things that I really needed to work on. The staff and the labs were incredibly helpful and gave significant insight into my abilites, highlighting my strengths and weaknesses. Across the board my skillset within debate expanded rapidly and were fostered by my lab leaders and the staff in office hours. I also met so many amazing people during camp and grew close to numerous people. PFBC has so many hidden perks that you won't even realize until all the amenities came to fruition.

    Luis Carvajal Picott

  • PFBC makes debate so enjoyable and you are guaranteed to meet great people.

    Julia Zhang

  • PFBC gave me much needed exposure to progressive argumentation and overall, made me better at technical debate!

    Arnav Mehta

  • If you want do debate your best, PFBC is the place to learn how to do just that. Also, Michael Wu is the greatest debater of all time.

    Gavin Poore

  • As tiring as the camp is, I have learned more at camp than in most my career. You learn from literally the best and its hand on. If you want to actually make a name on the circuit -- go to PFBC.

    Vedant Misra

  • If you’re looking for a camp to teach you about the in and outs of PF debate, attend PFBC. The camp staff are always easy to reach and are never hesitant to answer the dumbest and most controversial questions while tediously cutting cards for your brand new case idea of the day. Even if the schedule looks rather hectic, Bryce and Christian know what they’re doing and the people you’re surrounded by makes you want to keep learning more by the hour. Have fun and meet so many inspirational people at PFBC!

    Samanvita Kasibhatla

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6/5 stars

    Sree Baruri

  • PFBC transformed me into a much better debater. My round strategy and honestly just debate ability generally has become SO much better. I was asked what I wanted to improve on before camp, and I can safely say i have improved in every point I mentioned. Not only is it super beneficial to your debate career, but you’ll meet people and make memories that will stay with you forever. I still talk to many of the people I met at PFBC, and I think I found a place where I really belong. I have been to different camps, but none compare to PFBC.

    Bashir Eltyeb

  • As a current rising sophomore that wants to have circuit success in the next year, going to a camp is kinda to be expected. The only choice I really had to make was where it would be, and I think I made the right choice with pfbc. There's no where else that provides the same depth of coaching, and amount of practice. Every aspect of your debating will be put under a microscope and by the time the 10 day session ends they'll all be refined. It all comes back to the central dogma: research, rounds, redos, because at the end of the day those are the only things that can make you better at debate.

    Romir Patel