Gifted Students’ Later Outcomes: College-Going Rates and Selectivity

This study adds to the understanding of academic and long-term outcomes among individuals enrolled in gifted and talented (G/T) programs. Specifically, we explore postsecondary college enrollment rates and selectivity trends of G/T students in a Southern state. Using multilevel modeling, we analyzed a sample of 184,515 observations from the 2014–2019 academic years, merging data from the state Department of Education and the National Student Clearinghouse. We found that G/T students, overall, were more likely (odds ratio [OR] = 1.97) to attend any postsecondary institution than typically developing students. G/T students, compared with their typically developing peers, were 65% more likely to attend selective postsecondary institutions. These findings add to the college outcomes literature on G/T students as well as add to policy discussions surrounding higher education access for students in the heartland.