While it may not be the best path or opportunity for all gifted students, some may thrive with an alternative entrance into the job market, foregoing or postponing college in favor of self-directed learning.

https://discoverpraxis.com/
(This is NOT intended as an advertisement, nor do I have a personal connection with Praxis, financial or otherwise.)

Some books/resources mentioned in various videos at the Praxis website:

The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman
link - https://www.amazon.com/World-Flat-3-0-History-Twenty-first/dp/0312425074/

Stop Stealing Dreams (what is school for?), Seth Godin
links -
1. Seth Godin TEDxYouth Boston Free School (BEFS) - 17 minute vodeo -

2. https://seths.blog/2017/09/compulsory-education-is-an-oxymoron-back-to-school-rant/
3. https://seths.blog/2014/09/the-shameful-fraud-of-sorting-for-youth-meritocracy/
4. https://static.altmba.com/share/Stop_Stealing_Dreams_altMBA_200506.pdf
5. https://www.ted.com/speakers/seth_godin

UnCOLLEGE - This gap year program was reorganized as YearOn, and is now believed to be defunct.
link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_On