Education Patterns of Academically Talented Youth

Abstract

Students who participated in The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Academic Programs are compared to eligible students who did not enroll in CTY courses. The two groups of students, over a 5-year period (1980-1984), were matched on gender and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. The results of a questionnaire completed when the last group had finished high school suggest an education pattem of high academic achievement by both groups, with many students pursuing a rigorous high school program including College Board Advanced Placement courses and college courses outside of school. However, students who participated in CTY academic programs reported taking more advanced courses at an earlier age and enrolling in more college courses while in high school than students who did not attend CTY courses. The education pattern and accompanying achievements, exemplified by both groups, provide a validation for the selection instrument, the SAT.