@article{2657ace1ff1244bf911f60f818381dc5,
title = "Special Class for the Gifted Young: A 34-Year Experimentation With Early College Entrance Programs in China",
abstract = "This article introduces the Special Class for the Gifted Young (SCGY), an early college entrance program in mathematics and science in China, which has been a focus for media coverage and public discussion of accelerated education in China. We first describe the admission policy and academic programming of SCGY and delineate its distinct features. Next we summarize findings regarding the long-term trajectories and accomplishments of its graduates. We then present our interview studies with graduates of SCGY and raise a set of questions for future research. The evidence shows that, when admission policy, academic programming, and student support are fashioned to optimize student learning and growing experiences, early college entrance programs can be effective ways of producing a pipeline of talents to the benefit of society while also benefiting the individuals involved.",
keywords = "China, STEM, acceleration, case study, college, early entrance, gifted education, grounded theory, honors class, residential, science, technology",
author = "Dai, {David Yun} and Saiying Steenbergen-Hu",
note = "Funding Information: Studies reported in this article were supported by a grant awarded to the first author from the Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration at the University of Iowa. The researchers were encouraged to exercise their independent professional judgment; therefore, the opinions expressed in this article do not represent those of the funding agency. Funding Information: More pertinent to early college entrance is the question of whether or not they were able to have an early career onset or make distinguished contributions at a younger age. In our incomplete count, over 20 graduates became full professors at top-tier universities in the United States by their mid-30s. These universities include Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, and the University of Chicago, arguably top universities in the world. Although they have not been in their respective fields for long, they have already received many accolades and awards; they include MacArthur Fellows, fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Physical Society, the Max Planck Society, the World Innovation Foundation, the Optical Society of America, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the American College of Medical Informatics, and the Alfred P. Sloan fellowship. More than a dozen received the National Science Foundation Career Award. Other awards and honors include the following: Searle Scholar, Parkard Science and Engineering Fellowship, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, Early Career Principal Investigator Award, and the Materials Research Society Outstanding Young Investigator Award. Xiaowei Zhuang (physics and biophysics) and Tianxi Cai (biostatistics), two female graduates of SCGY mentioned earlier, earned their full professorships at the ages of 34 and 35, respectively. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} The Roeper Institute.",
year = "2015",
month = jan,
day = "2",
doi = "10.1080/02783193.2014.975882",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "37",
pages = "9--18",
journal = "Roeper Review",
issn = "0278-3193",
publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",
number = "1",
}