I have been on the fence for some time about whether my DS7 is truly a candidate for DYS. He meets the test score criteria (as noted below), but when I reach the question about "prodigious talent" on the application, I am at a bit of a loss.
Apply if you feel like you would like the benifit - they may say yes and they may say no, but I sort of doubt that they will say no based on the prodigious talent question. Afterall, you child is 7. I guess the point of DYS is that they will help guide you to'develop your child's talent' so it would be pointless to only accept the kids who are already shining in societally recognized ways and well on their way. Talent Development is a slow process! I agree with Kriston on this one - generalist are needed too. Personality matters so much! I really would be suprised if there is an expectation that 7 year olds whould have 'clicked' already. Apply!
As for the PG label. I would never call my son PG outside of a setting that 'knows' Davidson YSP. Inside YSP I say: 'Mildly PG' instead of 'Wildly PG' Outside, I say 'unusually gifted' or 'more than ordinarily gifted' because people who are expecting the behavior of a 'top 5%' kind of gifted will be very confused! I've heard Bob Davidson say that 'Profoundly Gifted is beyond what the IQ tests can measure' and in light, yes, that's my baby.
If you think about the shape of the bell curve, then it's true that wherever you draw the line to separate gifted from bright, or PG from HG, you will end up with many, many more folks bunched up near the line than to the Right of the line. ((wish I could draw this)) So, but this reasoning, about 2/3 of the parents of kids who make the cut off probably feel (like I do) that they child is 'only' mildly PG, yes?
So - apply - see what happens - and if your son is accepted, you will be in very good company.
Love and More Love,
Grinity
