Еarly entance programs to the universities and colleges for the gifted hight school students in the USA

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of special education for the gifted and talented high school students in the USA on their way to the higher education degree. It is intended primarily for students, parents, principals and gifted education coordinators who wants to learn more about early college and university entrance as an accelerative option for the most able students in high school. The article highlights a brief historical overview of early entrance and acceleration of the gifted high school students, alternatives to early entrance, academic, social, emotional adjustment of early entrants’ success in college or university. It is considered that entrance programs received the support of the gifted education in the late 1950s and later their development was influenced by Marland Report in 1972 and the establishment of the Federal office of Gifted and Talented Education. The authors also define a number of effective programs of early entrance to colleges and universities in the USA, among them Subject Acceleration, Advanced Placement Courses, Distance Education and Online Courses, Academic Summer Programs, Dual Enrollment, Study Abroad, Academic Competitions, Volunteer Work or Community Involvement.
It is proved that early college entrance has more implications than other forms of acceleration because it involves leaving home early and gaining independence in future life. It is pointed out that special programs have been established in various colleges and universities around the USA to accommodate the unique academic, social and emotional needs of talented students who are ready for college early. Another common feature of these programs is that they attract bright students who share the desire to get a jumpstart on their College education.
The authors also clarify the content and special features of a serve of early entrance programs from the famous American universities (The Advanced Academy of Georgia, Clarkson University, California State University, Mary Baldwin College, etc.). The peculiarities of the organization of early entrance programs in American universities have been taken into consideration and implemented by the authors in the higher learning institutions in Ukraine.