Private School for Gifted and Talented Child in NOVA or DC?

[Anonymous]

Going at 16 is one thing, skipping high school and going at 11 or 12 is very uncommon and I would imagine very difficult. Especially since, if the child is that gifted, they will have little in common with their classmates which would only increase their isolation.

[Anonymous]

I would suggest looking at Nysmith. I understand several children move on to TJ afterward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going at 16 is one thing, skipping high school and going at 11 or 12 is very uncommon and I would imagine very difficult. Especially since, if the child is that gifted, they will have little in common with their classmates which would only increase their isolation.

The youngest I've seen at Hopkins is 14. I'm talking Hopkins, MIT, Cal Tech, etc. not exactly rah rah party schools. It's much better in college for highly gifted kids and they will have a lot in common with their classmates unlike in high school. Even my roommate who entered at 18 was the grandson of a Nobel laureate in physics and everyone else is very bright.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the helpful answers, especially 15:48. To the various trolls, there actually is such a thing as truly gifted, distinct from bright. You obviously haven't encountered it, because if you had you'd know what the difference looks like. As someone who went through a woefully inadequate public school gifted and talented program, then went to college at 13, I can say it really matters how truly gifted kids are supported -- or not. I want my child to be nurtured in all ways, not just intellectually.

To parents of truly gifted children, please pay as much attention to your child's emotional and social development as you do to their intellectual development. I really wish my parents had. I think early entrance to college is a really bad idea for kids under 16 or 17.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the helpful answers, especially 15:48. To the various trolls, there actually is such a thing as truly gifted, distinct from bright. You obviously haven't encountered it, because if you had you'd know what the difference looks like. As someone who went through a woefully inadequate public school gifted and talented program, then went to college at 13, I can say it really matters how truly gifted kids are supported -- or not. I want my child to be nurtured in all ways, not just intellectually.

To parents of truly gifted children, please pay as much attention to your child's emotional and social development as you do to their intellectual development. I really wish my parents had. I think early entrance to college is a really bad idea for kids under 16 or 17.

Why doesn't "profoundly gifted" suffice or state DCs IQ? "Truly gifted" seems so imprecise.

[Anonymous]

Feynman in Bethesda is trying to fill this gap but for very young children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the helpful answers, especially 15:48. To the various trolls, there actually is such a thing as truly gifted, distinct from bright. You obviously haven't encountered it, because if you had you'd know what the difference looks like. As someone who went through a woefully inadequate public school gifted and talented program, then went to college at 13, I can say it really matters how truly gifted kids are supported -- or not. I want my child to be nurtured in all ways, not just intellectually.

I think you're a fake.

But if you are not a fake, then why are you posting on DCUM to ask for advice about this issue, while at the same time claiming that hardly anyone else in the world could possibly understand your child's predicament? If only those who are "truly gifted" could understand, then only you know the answer to your question. This all seems like a lame troll attempt.

And indeed, if you are such the prodigy, please go do something useful rather than post here.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you are open to moving, you should consider moving into the Haycock/Longfellow/McLean pyramid or Churchill/Longfellow (for GT)/Langley. TJ may be an option for HS. The elementary and middle school GT centers here probably have the highest concentration of "truly gifted" kids in the area, in part because many of their parents have chosen to move here especially for these programs. In school GT education is decent compared to any other options, and your child would be surrounded by peers participating in similar enrichment programs, CTY, math competitions, chess & robotics teams, science olympiad, etc. outside of school. At these schools outlier kids can take algebra in 6th grade, many are accelerating on their own outside of school, and majority of GT kids take algebra by 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

I would seriously consider home schooling. There are so many home school groups that it can be much more social than it used to be. My cousin has a profoundly gifted child, and she home schools. He has advanced rapidly, which is a comfortable pace for him. She was worried that home schoolers can be a little behind socially, but he does drama, speech and some of his advanced math with other home schooled kids.

[Anonymous]

I think early entrance to college is a really bad idea for kids under 16 or 17.

+1 I have a profoundly gifted child. Academically his is (or could be) years ahead of his peers. I have purposely found ways to provide intellectual stimulation without linear advancement through the grades. Socially and emotionally he is not in a position to be interacting with peers who are significantly older I know one other profoundly gifted child. His parents advance him by skipping grades. It has been a unmitigated disaster for this child. Do not ignore the social/emotional portion of your child's growth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the helpful answers, especially 15:48. To the various trolls, there actually is such a thing as truly gifted, distinct from bright. You obviously haven't encountered it, because if you had you'd know what the difference looks like. As someone who went through a woefully inadequate public school gifted and talented program, then went to college at 13, I can say it really matters how truly gifted kids are supported -- or not. I want my child to be nurtured in all ways, not just intellectually.

I think you're a fake.

But if you are not a fake, then why are you posting on DCUM to ask for advice about this issue, while at the same time claiming that hardly anyone else in the world could possibly understand your child's predicament? If only those who are "truly gifted" could understand, then only you know the answer to your question. This all seems like a lame troll attempt.

And indeed, if you are such the prodigy, please go do something useful rather than post here.

I agree. Completely ridiculous and fake. There are plenty of real prodigies who go on to MIT, Hopkins, Juilliard, etc. early and do well. They get additional support from their families and the school. These colleges are used to dealing with these types of kids and would not have accepted them if they didn't feel they could succeed. It doesn't take a genius to know that succeeding in college (for everyone) is a matter beyond just IQ points.

Also, I'm sick of hearing how there are no schools in this area that are up to serving THEIR super special genius snowflake. Please, give it a rest. If your snowflake is that smart and has what it takes... SEND THEM TO COLLEGE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think early entrance to college is a really bad idea for kids under 16 or 17.

+1 I have a profoundly gifted child. Academically his is (or could be) years ahead of his peers. I have purposely found ways to provide intellectual stimulation without linear advancement through the grades. Socially and emotionally he is not in a position to be interacting with peers who are significantly older I know one other profoundly gifted child. His parents advance him by skipping grades. It has been a unmitigated disaster for this child. Do not ignore the social/emotional portion of your child's growth.

So the poor kid had PITA tiger parents. Most prodigies in math and/or music (chess too) are identified by the time they're 12 or so. And the ones who apply to college early are told to do so by the college or an educator who has a very good idea about their potential not by some pushy parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the helpful answers, especially 15:48. To the various trolls, there actually is such a thing as truly gifted, distinct from bright. You obviously haven't encountered it, because if you had you'd know what the difference looks like. As someone who went through a woefully inadequate public school gifted and talented program, then went to college at 13, I can say it really matters how truly gifted kids are supported -- or not. I want my child to be nurtured in all ways, not just intellectually.

To parents of truly gifted children, please pay as much attention to your child's emotional and social development as you do to their intellectual development. I really wish my parents had. I think early entrance to college is a really bad idea for kids under 16 or 17.

Very good writing there. I was gifted, in a "gifted and talented" program. Though the program seemed to include everyone with an IQ of over 120 or so, so lots of just somewhat intelligent kids. I was reading at barely over 2 and was advanced in math 2 grades. Mostly it just kind of isolated me. Plenty of other intelligent kids in my school but even compared to them I was "different" somehow. As someone said, it's more about a way of looking at the world. I was often discriminated against socially by other kids, often the other "smart" kids I was in classes with. If anything, "dumber" kids were more respectful.

Went to college at 17 (not because I skipped grades - just one of the younger ones in my grade). because I didn't mature socially like others, I had problems in college dealing with social situations. My social isolation began to affect my academic performance in high school and has to this day to some extent. Now I'm a recent law school graduate from a mediocre school, unemployed and a virgin. And I'm not even bad looking in the least - it's my lack of social graces that screws me up.

Growing up, my parents, to their credit, wanted to challenge me academically and did try to help me make friends. But intellectual development was their priority. What I really needed was a change to help me with my social development. In my view, you can catch up academically to some extent in college and beyond. But once you miss the social rites of passage, it is very hard to catch up, and I'm still trying. I'm male btw.

[Anonymous]

OP here. As I did get some helpful answers, clearly there are other parents of exceptionally gifted children out there. For those who found "truly gifted" imprecise, "exceptionally gifted" begins around 160 on Stanford-Binet scale. I find it so interesting that the needs of gifted kids are sneered at without expectation of censure, whereas someone sneering at the special needs of kids with autism, Asperger's or other developmental disabilities would be considered insensitive, at minimum. There's a lot of prejudice towards gifted kids. Given the anti-intellectual streak in our culture, as well as the discomfort with those who are different, it's easy to write off being gifted as a delusion or a putting on of airs -- that is, if you know absolutely nothing about being gifted.

I had heard about Nysmith, but understand they've had significant administrative and management problems that have led to a deterioration in the overall quality of education there. Any Nysmith parents willing to comment?

Thanks to the poster who recommended specific schools in the McLean area. it's very useful information.

In terms of homeschooling, it seems a very daunting task to homeschool a gifted child. Are there established homeschool curricula for gifted kids, or would the parent need to wing it?

As for college, I can't speak to Hopkins or MIT or Julliard, as I did not attend any of these institutions. Believe it or ot. There are others out there that accept gifted children early. My experience with early attendance was pretty miserable. My parents skipped me and sent me to college partly on the advice of school counselors and partly because they got so much ego gratification from having a "genius" child. The counselors just wanted to pass me on, because they didn't know what else to do with me. Looking back, they probably lacked both know-how and resources. Don't assume a school counselor is an expert on gifted children or that your child's best interest is their first priority.

I have a hard time imagining how parent and institutional support can help a child deal with being the freak in every class. Perhaps a cohort of other gifted kids who are younger than the norm can make a difference, but I remain skeptical. At the time, I thought going to college early was better than staying in high school, where I was both bored academically and a social freak. I really wished that I had been allowed to stay with my age peers, but that was never even considered as an option for me.

I hope I can find a place where my child can thrive intellectually, emotionally, and socially, but if forced to chose between intellectual and emotional/social development, I'd sacrifice the intellectual. Why? Boredom doesn't scar you too badly, but not being able to mature emotionally in an appropriate way and not knowing how to relate to other people can scar you into deformity.

[Anonymous]

Since you care so much about your child's social adjustment then send him/her to the local public G&T until they're old enough for TJ or Blair. I'm sure your child will find a few same age peers who they can be friends with even if the other kids are only "slightly above average".

I know several people who attended MIT, Hopkins, etc early including my brother who graduated in 3 yrs and is now an academic in a graduate program that is ranked #1 in his discipline, my girlfriend went at 16 and now is the principle at an institutional hedge fund that manages billions.

Seriously, the whole idea that life is sooo deficult b/c your child is super brilliant and that no educational institute in this area can meet their needs is what's bringing out the hostility not the fact that your kid is gifted.