Rose,
I'm so glad you found us.
I would guess that SIG and JHU-CTY aim toward the same level of giftedness, but SIG offers lots and lots more in terms of sports and artsy stuff. CTY can be loaded up with unenthusiastic kids who are there because their parents are looking to create a college resume.
Side Issue: (Not that there is anything wrong with that - as they say on Sienfeld - but it can be a fun-damper for your "burn to learn" kid.) I also suggest that we look deeper. Some of these kids who say "My parents made me come," may be Gifted Underachievers who are used to needing an excuse to be interested in academic things, so that they can survive their schools. Some may be Gifted Underachievers who have truly forgotten that they once enjoyed learning, and their parents are hoping to rekindle that love. Some may be there for all the wrong reasons, and "fall in love" with learning, against their will. Still your main concern is, will my child enjoy the other children? Will she get a chance to be with kids who are "like her?"
But the main question, in my mind, is: Are you comfortable with your idea of her level of giftedness?
When I look at level of giftedness, I think of three things -
1) How did she do compared to other gifted kids in the Talent Search tests? If it's more than a Standard Deviation above her peers, you have to think hard about level of giftedness. On individualized IQ tests, did the child get many 17,18,19s on subtests that correlate with intellectual skills?
2) How does she compare to other gifted kids as far as early milestones, as in Ruf's Losing Our Minds, Gifted Children left behind. Does her testing agree with your gut level assessment of her level? When you get around other same-age kids who are labeled Gifted, do you scratch you head because you expected them to be "smarter?" Ruf Level III and up, some thoughtfulness is needed.
3) 2E issues, underachievement issues, needing to fit in issues. These are harder to sum up in a single sentence, but post more and get some Mom feedback, or talk to your "team."
If you know all this, then, you know pretty well how the program is going to fit your child. People tend to be very grumpy about this, and get all tangled up in what should be. I recommend just looking at "what is."
Best Wishes,
Trinity
