Colorado Technical University

Are there any gifted programs for 17-year olds? I know it's a long shot, but do any exist?

've been tested before and have a high IQ (I don't remember exactly what, but it was between 130 and 140) so I think I could make it in to a decent program. I was tested by a professional, not an online quiz. I looked at CTY, and had the PSAT scores for it, but a) not the money and b) it's too late for me to go. This was the last year I could have gone. As a regular here would know ( >_>;; ) my education has been pretty botched. I have yet to do any science in high school, despite a high interest level. I have some family issues that have held me back, but I can handle high-level work. I'm managing a B average so far in two AP classes, which I think is pretty good since I'm still learning how to be a student, if that makes sense. I understand what I'm reading, but I'm still getting used to writing essays the way I'm supposed to. I'm also good at math but have had some bad teachers, so my scores don't reflect my abilities. I'm not saying I could be acing absolutely everything, but I know I'm academically underachieving- relative to my abilities. I have a really, really hard time making friends. I have perfectly fine social skills, but I can't find people my age who share my passions. Granted, my passions are pretty boring -Baroque music and exploring how Austrian economic thinking makes everything make sense; sounds fun, huh?- but I just have a hard time enjoying spending time with a lot of people. I've gotten lucky with landing a best friend who became my wonderful boyfriend of two years- but now I'm worried about stifling us. And if nothing else, I could use another friend or two. I've been thinking about it a lot, and it seems like a summer program for gifted students could be really good for me. I'm sure there would be plenty of people I won't be particularly fond of, but finding even just one other person to stay in touch with would be nice. I've been spending a lot more time alone than I'm comfortable with, and wouldn't mind a friend or two for days when my boyfriend isn't around. There's a dearth of programs available for people my age, which is a bit discouraging. If anyone knows of programs in the US that accept 17-year olds, let me know. (For any homeschooling bashers: Nobody I know of has this problem. I'm very introverted -I was born that way- and have a tendency to hole up. Currently there are basically no people my age in my homeschool group, which is the most comprehensive one in my area. There are a lot of people a year or two younger, but as a rule, the people I get along with best are my age or older. It's not like I won't talk to anyone younger than me, but I'm not going to be finding any 14-year olds to hang around with. One of my friends moved to Israel and is now in basic training. Another is 22 and pursuing a rock music career. One potential friend now lives in a dorm at Sarah Lawrence. Everyone older than me has moved on. I don't know of anyone else -including my fraternal twin sister- who has this problem. Even if there are one or two other people in my group, it's not the norm.) Tim: I don't think I'm better than anyone else. I'm just saying that I tend to spend a lot more time thinking about fairly boring things than people my age, who are busy being social and having lives. I have a hard time finding people I can connect with- and I think that really sucks. I think that a gifted program might have other people with the same issues, and specifically might have other homeschoolers. I'm not too cool to make friends with people in school, but it's hard to maintain a friendship when one person has the world of a school to be immersed in and the other doesn't. Add in constraints on time, and it's a logistical nightmare. And for potential answerers: I'm 16 now, but by the time I could enroll in a summer program, I'd be 17.

Public Comments

1. get over yourself. i was a smart kid and i liked different things, and you know what helped me make friends? not some program to recognize my "gifts." nope. what helped me was refusing to think that me talents made me better than anyone else, and refusing to think that the things i was into was better than what they were into. once i got over myself, i did well for myself.
2. Now that is a long and multi faceted question. First, let me address the social skills. It can be hard to find other people that share your passions and capacity for thought, especially among your own age group and peers. The good news is, with the internet and anonymity of the digital age, you don't have to look far for some support and lively conversation! Second, I'm not sure about programs for the inellectually gifted in your area, but since you're already in AP classes, check out some extra-curriculars to go with it. Geek out with speech and debate, you're guaranteed to find some interesting people there. Also, have you heard of MENSA? Look it up. A society of geniuses like yourself, and again, plenty of online support. A modest testing fee and a quick aptitude exam and you too can call yourself a certified MENSAn.
3. Duke University's Talent Identification Program, or TIP, offers a lot for gifted youth, including information on other academic and enrichment programs for the highly gifted. Google them and check it out.
4. Friends don't have to be your own age. The best friend I had in high school was one of the teachers. If you can find an interest in Renaissance music, the SCA might be a fun thing for you and your fella to check out. Lots of geeky people around who think Renaissance dinner forks are sexy (yeah, that's the adjective she used, weird girl,) have full sized looms in their loungerooms and learn Old Norse. Who even know anyone taught Old Norse? There is plenty of educational opportunities there, because everyone likes to talk about their interests, but you don't have to write essays for it :) Making frocks and cooking medieval sweets does help one fit in, however ;) http://www.sca.org