Collegiate Programs for Secondary Students: Meeting the Needs of the Talented

The concept meeting the needs of the individual student has been paid lip service for years within educational circles. Whether this has in fact been carried out to any appreciable extent is still open to question. Since the inception of the Secondary Science Training Programs (SSTP) by the National Science Foundation in 1959, hundreds of colleges and universities have sponsored special science programs for high-ability students. However, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare stated in November, 1973, that fewer than four percent of this country\u27s talented secondary students were being exposed to programs commensurate with their needs (Williams, 1973). An even more awakening statement in the report was that 57 percent of school administrators surveyed were unaware of having any gifted students in their schools! The question which remains to be asked is, Who is responsible for identifying and informing students of opportunities available to them beyond the high school program