Educational and vocational choices of gifted individuals: guidance counseling and research for adolescents into adulthood

Abstract

<p>The two papers presented herein focused on guidance and research surrounding educational and vocational development of gifted adolescents. The first paper presented educational interventions to optimize talent development through formulating an individualized educational plan to provide the best match of intellectual ability and preferences with educational opportunities. The paper highlights the school psychologist's role as consultant for serving the needs of the gifted learner;The second paper examined the educational and vocational choices, as well as preference profiles, of intellectually talented individuals with dominant mathematical abilities or dominant verbal abilities at age 13 based upon Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. Primarily mathematically gifted males, who had theoretical and investigative preferences, made educational and vocational choices toward the scientific domain. Primarily verbally talented females, who had artistic and social preferences, made choices toward the humanistic domain. Primarily mathematical females and primarily verbal males were more balanced between the humanistic and scientific domains. The implications from this study include the importance of accurately assessing domain specific intellectual abilities as well as preferences to assist gifted individuals in understanding their orientation toward humanistic or scientific educational and vocational choices.</p>