Matthew Kowalyk spent last week at camp, sleeping in a Carnegie Mellon dorm that's nice but "not ventilated well." He walked down the hall -- and not the hill -- to take a shower, and his days were spent in front of the computer, developing a video game he calls "P.O.W. Panic."

The 14-year-old from Greensburg also stayed at Boy Scout camp earlier this summer -- sleeping in former Army tents, walking miles to complete a merit badge, sending only one text message when he had to remind his mom to bring socks and money to parents night.

"Sometimes," he said, while pointing to the computer screen, "you need a break from this."

Camp was once seen as a rustic break from everything -- a respite from the "real world," a land of amplified emotion experienced in the depths of nature that could convert homesick skeptics into die-hard, lifelong "camp people."

But the camp business has gone more corporate over the years, with for-profit camps springing up in areas not known for embracing traditional sleep-away settings. They come with fees typically associated with a college course -- and some sound like one, too.

Nationwide, the camp industry has evolved from the typical options of yesterday -- church, band, boot -- into one that's working to accommodate 21st-century schedules, with high-tech companies forming to only service camps.

The signs are showing up even in the Pittsburgh market, which hasn't always bought into the concept of sending the kids away for a month.

The Western Pennsylvania camp scene is predominantly nonprofit and has never really embraced sleep-away camp culture, said Ellen Warren, the Pennsylvania and Delaware representative for the American Camp Association and the best all-around camper of Camp Orinsekwa-Sonnikwa in New York, years 1968 and 1971.

"There are pockets throughout the country where the traditional overnight camp experience is not in your vocabulary," she said.

Though the state has an equal proportion of nonprofit operations, Eastern Pennsylvania is home to hundreds of for-profit camps registered with the American Camp Association, she said.

Western Pennsylvania has about a dozen.

Among the trends infiltrating the business nationally, camps that once served as summer-long child care have been forced to offer shorter sessions to accommodate parents who want to cram more into the summer months.

Dave Devey works year-round as camp director at Camp Falcon, located about 90 minutes away in Carrollton, Ohio, and he said the most popular session length for the past few years is one month, followed closely by two-week stays.

"Originally, camp was only four and eight weeks," he said.

He started offering two-week stays in the 1980s "to stay in business;" they've lately become one of his biggest selling points. It allows him to cater to parents who might want to use part of the summer to fit in a family vacation -- or squash or violin or equestrian camp.

Ms. Warren said the shortened stays are a trend reflected across the industry.

"Parents have gotten a little nuts lately about offering kids every opportunity," she said.

Besides, you can charge more per week and many camp directors now do it "to pay their mortgage," she said.

Two weeks at Camp Falcon cost $1,995; two months cost $6,195. Nearly all of the camp's revenue -- anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000 per year -- comes from these fees.

Mr. Devey said his camp's attendance usually rises and falls with the national economy -- this year is lower than most years but holding steady with 2009 at 97 bunks filled out of 110.

He's cut back on spending during the recession -- sharing lake equipment with neighboring camps, hiring one less custodian, keeping the old canoes instead of buying new ones. During the registration process this year, he had more parents than ever seeking an under-the-table discount, he said.

Camp Falcon works with a service called Bunk1.com, which charges parents $1 to send an e-mail that is scanned for viruses and passed on to the camp for delivery. The camp gets a small percentage of that fee once use hits a certain benchmark, but it's usually about $200 per summer.

Bunk1.com is one of many sites -- all founded in the past decade -- that hosts camp photos, allowing directors to upload pictures of campers for parents to view and purchase, or get printed on coffee mugs, mouse pads and T-shirts.

Camp Falcon is one of 2,400 camps accredited by the ACA, which has a process for camps that meet more than 300 standards on issues like water safety, crisis plans and staff training. It can cost thousands of dollars to win accreditation.

On-campus camps can seek accreditation, but Ms. Warren said the definition of "camp" has evolved rapidly in the past two years, slipping even further from the cabin-and-woods stereotype. Now directors compete with resume-boosting programs like SAT camp or hip options like yoga camp.

CMU has hosted a midsized iD Tech Camp program with about 40 "students" ages 10 to 17 per week since 2001, charging $779 for the day camp and $1,249 for the overnight camp.

Its veterans have been known to start Web design or iPhone app development companies. Matthew Kowalyk said he's working toward his dream of finding employment at a game-hosting company like Bungie.net, or maybe trying something like 3D animation.

Even though camper friends may label it "nerd camp," camp director Michael Johnson said the camaraderie mirrors traditional camp experiences. Friendships are immediate as campers meet like-minded peers for the first time.

"They don't even know how to have an actual conversation with someone about these games because they never have before," he said.

A camper-turned-counselor-turned-director, Mr. Johnson is a rising senior studying sound design at Emerson College in Boston. He oversees a staff of counselors earning between $500 and $600 per week.

The tech camp space is a refashioned student lounge -- with all of the lounge trappings including a Frida Kahlo self-portrait, elliptical machine and two couches -- moved to a back room that doubles as staff storage.

Through the camp, tech companies see potential to snare brand loyalty at a young age. Each camper leaves with a coupons for online discounts from retailers like Sony and Apple.

More than 14 sponsors are helping to host Camp Jam (Motto: "No Canoes. Lots of Rock."). It will kick off at Shady Side Academy next week for about 70 kids paying between $549 and $1,395 for one week of training on vocals, guitar, keyboard and drums.

Atlanta-based Camp Jam was co-founded in 2004 by Jeff Carlisi, former guitarist of "Hold On Loosely" band 38 Special.

Bass guitarist and Pittsburgh camp music director George Elliot described a build-your-own-camp operation, with equipment and supplies hopping around the country from camp to camp as each week ends.

"There's road cases full of electronic drum sets and amplifiers at Shady Side," he said. The week culminates in the ultimate camp talent show.

Last year's most popular song was a campy choice courtesy of Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Free Bird."

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