ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the variety of services that are—or should be—offered to talented students in institutions of higher learning in the United States. Among the many approaches to meeting the needs of gifted students at the college level are admission without high school graduation; credit for previous advanced work; identification during and after admission; advising by specifically designated personnel; career planning. It also includes special programs such as honors programs, admission to graduate courses, mentorships, and research opportunities. Small community colleges, church-related institutions, and liberal arts colleges differ among themselves and from universities, which may be as large as small cities. The nature and expertise of the undergraduate advising system, particularly during the first 2 years, differ markedly from one postsecondary setting to another. Gifted students might be offered the opportunity to absent themselves from classes covering already mastered material, to complete outside assignments in alternate ways, to create their own reading lists, and so on.
