Based on the research, the immediate implications to be considered with regards to early admission policies/procedures are:
1. Teachers on all levels of the educational system (i.e., kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school) should stay alert while delivering curriculum. The odds are that they will have one or more gifted and talented student/-s in their classes during their careers. Appropriate and close observation from the
beginning, as well as early intervention, will likely lead to students’ success and positive experience whereas ignorance will have to lead to students’ frustration, isolation, conflict, or even withdrawal.
2. Guidance counsellors should attempt to help prepare secondary school students for the university transition (Mendaglio, 2013).
3. Gifted and talented students are provided in the K-12 with extra support, accommodations, and developmental options as a response to their
exceptionalities. Unfortunately, upon secondary school graduation, the level of extra support becomes significantly reduced and/or limited. For the benefit of gifted and talented students, universities should boldly move to accept
applications from younger gifted and talented students. Transparency and synchronicity in providing extra support and accommodations for this group of students should not be regulated on a “case-by-case” basis, even though the numbers of accelerated students are still insignificant. Most universities have already in place extra support and accommodations for students with other exceptionalities (e.g., learning disabilities, ADHD). Accommodations, such as extra time for assignments, tests and quizzes, alternative settings for instruction and assessment, and alternative assignments, are already a common practice. They indeed may be seen as “compromising standards of higher education.” But, are
they really? The tendency is that more and more students are being diagnosed with various exceptionalities due to more and more sophisticated diagnostic tools and assessment techniques. Since they more sophisticated, this directly results in increasing numbers of students with various exceptionalities. This seems exactly what the future holds in store for educational administrators at all educational levels.
4. At relatively lower costs, it is possible to develop and provide extra support options for first year younger gifted and talented students entering university. They could include special residence halls, designated lounges, and counsellors. Unquestionably, such options can benefit students who, due to their age, may not fully understand the complexity of university expectations and demands.
Moreover, maybe the time will come to make a decision and develop a few transition programs in Canada (such as those in the USA) to attract highly gifted and talented students while they are still younger.
5. The discussion on 21st Century Learning has been initiated, and it seems that the future of not only primary or secondary education but also higher education is relatively uncertain and unknown. On the one hand, different school boards become more flexible in offering various educational options for students, such as on-line courses. On-line courses have become just the everyday practice even though two or three years ago, they were completely unavailable. The Toronto Catholic District School Board has developed and offers most of its courses on- line. Obviously, it may be the option and a positive solution for some students who do not benefit from a regular classroom environment. The tendency is that
greater flexibility, alternative options, support, and accommodations are being provided to exceptional students to secure their success and enhance their engagement. From this perspective, the early admission policies/procedures will also have to be addressed sooner rather than later.
6. Undoubtedly, it is the unarguable fact that all universities compete intensively to attract “the best” of “the best.” It may be possible that in future, since the age of applicants is not a decisive factor, it will be critical for some universities to actively recruit younger and younger applicants, and not only for academic, but also, for financial reasons. Literature and this research clearly support the occurrence that in some circumstances, it is possible or even necessary to admit students as young as 13 years old. It is beneficial not only for such students but also for universities. The literature provides numerous examples of accelerated or radically accelerated students who graduated from their undergraduate or graduate programs only because they started their post-secondary education several years earlier. In other words, if it had not been for acceleration or radical acceleration, some gifted and talented students would not have been able to graduate from any formal educational institution. This situation means that this group of gifted and talented students still remains relatively unrecognized as potentially generating intellectual and financial profits. Therefore, it would be beneficial for universities to admit students earlier, and create for them an intellectually, emotionally, and socially stimulating environment.
7. This research showed that many options are already in place and some could be easily adapted and implemented as a response to gifted and talented students’
needs. What could be done immediately and without additional costs to encourage gifted and talented students to consider early admission is to provide relevant information explicitly on websites. In many instances, it is not clear or self- explanatory whether or not universities accept applications from 16-year-old students.
8. The research undeniably confirmed that age of undergraduate candidates is not a factor in the admission process; therefore, this must not be a concerning aspect. The most important factors are regulated by a given province or by standard admission requirements that must be met before, during, or after admissions. It must be emphasized, the two currently existing options for students who would like to be admitted two to four years before regular age are: 1) private alternative schools and, 2) home-schooled learners. These two non-standard options allow gifted and talented students to be accelerated, or even radically accelerated, and consequently, satisfy and meet all the secondary school diploma requirements several years earlier. Private alternative schools which definitely deal with lower numbers of students can much more easily respond to the needs of students who are located on this side of the exceptionalities spectrum. Moreover, the higher level of flexibility, as well as a more individual approach, could benefit gifted and talented students and provide them with the option to graduate from high school earlier.
9. As mentioned, another finding revealed that the home schooling may also be a good option for some gifted and talented students, particularly for those who may suffer intellectually, emotionally, and socially in a regular school environment
that mainly concentrates on average learners. Needless to say, a really devastating fact does remain. Gifted and talented students who naturally outperform the majority of students may be left on their own. Home schooling, as mentioned, could be a good alternative for students who could develop and master their skills faster on the condition that home-school environment meets highest educational standards and competencies.
10. Finally, curricular flexibility that exists in some alternative schools can lead to gifted and talented students’ early university admissions, as it happened to Paolo. Gifted and talented students cannot benefit from early admission if they are kept in the formal educational system (K-12).