High-Ability College Students and Undergraduate Honors Programs: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Meeting the intellectual needs of high-ability students does not end upon graduation from high school. However, limited attention is paid to the important topic of postsecondary advanced learning in the research literature. In this systematic review, we identified 52 empirical studies published during the past 15 years. Results suggest various cognitive and psychosocial factors influence achievement among high-ability college students and that honors programming leads to positive student outcomes. The findings are discussed in light of the need for an understanding of high-ability college students and postsecondary honors education.

On Being Gifted at University: Academic, Social, Emotional, and Institutional Adjustment in Kazakhstan

“…Gifted students are one such group within diverse students’ population, which has received less scholarly attention within higher education research (Mendaglio, 2013). Globally, universities have an interest in recruiting the most talented students (Rinn, 2007; Rinn & Plucker, 2004; Wilson & Adelson, 2012); however, limited attention has been given to how talented students transition to higher education (Rinn, 2007; Rinn & Plucker, 2019).…”

Teaching Honors Courses: Perceptions of Engagement from the Faculty Perspective

“…Students may begin their honors program with great expectations for their college experience (Rinn, 2008), yet these expectations may or may not be fulfilled, depending on the details and execution of each program (Rinn & Plucker, 2004). Honors program participation is related to several positive outcomes for students, in terms of academic achievement (Furtwengler, 2015; Rinn, 2007; Rinn & Plucker, 2018), various aspects of subjective well-being (Plominski & Burns, 2018), and interpersonal experiences (Perrone et al, 2010).…”

“…Much of the research on honors colleges focuses on characteristics of the students and student outcomes (Rinn & Plucker, 2018), or the student experience and student engagement (e.g., Seifert et al, 2007; Shushok, 2006). Even those who touch on the role of faculty often do so from a student perspective.…”

Supporting the information gathering practices of academically advanced college‐bound students

“…In fact, the staggering amount of easily accessible information can quickly become overwhelming, and it is difficult for students and those who guide them through the college decision‐making process to know where to start. High school students in quality gifted and advanced academic programs who have experienced ability grouped instruction, acceleration, and enrichment, may seek out postsecondary settings that can offer similar educational experiences (Rinn & Plucker, 2019). In the college search, students must be able to access information, but when they find it, they need to be able to interpret that information and use it to compare the relative merits of institutions.…”

“…Students in gifted and advanced academic programming often have the predisposition to attend college, but for these students, the college search and choice phases may be more complex. There is a substantial body of research on the college decision‐making process for student populations traditionally underrepresented on college campuses (e. g., Klaysik & Strayhorn, 2018), for student athletes (e.g., Mirabile & Witte, 2015), and for students in undergraduate honors programs (e.g., Rinn & Plucker, 2019), but fewer empirical studies have explored the process for high‐ability students who were served in gifted and talented programs in high school (e.g., Wilson & Adelson, 2012).…”