Primary school DD was in a full time GT class twice. The benefits of that class were very much to do with the teachers but there is no doubt she found kids like her in those classes. She had one year in a day a week pull out program and a number of those kids remained friends as she moved into high school. High school she is with a group of strongly academic kids some of whom may be gifted but not so identified. She appreciates kids now with a strong work ethic rather than gifted per se and her best friend is smart and works hard rather than gifted.
There are benefits to having GR kids around but it was more important for us to have a flexible school who enabled the accelerations. Some GT programs are actually quite rigid, others can be about marks and achievement, and that would not have worked for our DD who is more about learning than getting awards for example.
It's just important to know that there are many paths and if you keep the focus on helping DD to be challenged and happy then a lot of the other stuff sorts itself out in the long run. There is no one road that will suit everyone and that is why we often end up beating our own path according to each kids' sneers and circumstances.
If you are in the US there are options for Colleges with early entry programs. I have no particular knowledge of them apart from what I read on the Internet but if you have real thoughts that your DD is heading in that direction you have time to explore.
