Accelerated Programs

What does the research say about extra curricular accelerated academic programs for the gifted?

When gifted students participate in extra-curricular, accelerated academic programs, such as those offered by PTY, they:

• Enjoy greater academic challenges than in their typical school experience (Mills, Ablard, & Lynch, 1992)
• Are more likely to take advanced high school courses in mathematics, especially girls (Olszewski-Kubilius & Grant, 1996; Fox, Brody, & Tobin, 1985)
• Are more likely to seek admittance into a prestigious college after high school (Barnett & Durden, 1993; Swiatek & Benbow, 1991)
• Are more likely to pursue professional careers in mathematics (Olszewski-Kubilius & Grant, 1996)
• Feel supported by their peers (Enerson, 1993) and,
• Report a higher self-confidence level in physical and athletic ability (Olszewski, Kulieke, & Willis, 1987)

Additional advantages have been cited by Olszewski-Kubilius (2007) and include:

• High level of challenge and pacing, not otherwise provided by many schools,
• Access to university faculty and content experts, earlier in a gifted student’s academic career,
• Reinforcement of academic and social risk taking behaviors,
• Development of independence, and
• A positive mediating factor to curb underachievement in gifted students