Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments GT program inside school vs. GT-only

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I moved for our DD10 last year,and it was only to the next county,that had full time gifted vs pullout.It's rated a 9.She is happy,theres more here.That being a Barnes and Noble,which she ask to go to.The school sends grades home,and if there is ever a problem,I'll get a tutor.She is not HG,and this is a public school,where gifted only goes till 8th grade.She does not like physical activity,having dropped out of a couple earlier endeavors.

I hope that my question is not too far away of the subject and hope someone will help me.
My kid, highly gifted, is now in a GT program inside a public middle school and will go to high school. Please help me chose between these 2 choices:
1- An IB program in a high school considered as prestigious by many (not a GT program with IB)
2- A GT program with AP inside a regular neighborhood public high school.
High school GT program is rare in my state.
I prefer the GT program but a great majority of my kid�s classmates, including teacher�s kids, goes to that IB program.
The GT program has higher academic growth but lower performance, probably because of incoming students are less gifted or from less affluent family.

Bump

I don't have answers for you Gioan. My kids are still in elementary school but someone in the forum should be able to help.

Gioan, I don't think anyone is going to be able to tell you what to do, because it's going to depend not only on the specifics of the schools but on your own family values.

Questions I would think about and/or ask:

1. Will your child actually complete the IB diploma? If s/he doesn't, do you think the school is worth attending anyway?
2. What kind of counseling services is your family likely to need, and are they available at both schools? For example, do you feel comfortable with the expertise at each school in helping you figure out which colleges are a good fit?
3. Is it important to you that your child be exposed to other children from diverse backgrounds (socioeconomic, racial, whatever)? If so, which school will serve that best?
4. Is the GT program a "real" program that strives to improve deep understanding, or is it primarily extra busywork? How about the IB program?
5. What do the post-high-school paths of the kids from each school look like?
6. What does your child want to do?

Thank you a lot for your precious advice. I will think more.