Common Denominators: Assessing Hesitancy to Apply to a Selective Residential Math and Science Academy
The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) is a state-supported, tuition-free residential high school at the University of North Texas, one of 14 similar academies in the U.S. TAMS students earn dual high school and college credit, graduating in 2 years with 60 or more transferable college credits. Some 200 high school juniors are admitted each fall from a competitive statewide pool based on exceptional SAT scores and other credentials. While hundreds of highly capable students seek admission each year, hundreds of others withhold applications. Responding to a survey, gifted nonapplicants reported an unwillingness to leave home 2 years earlier than usual and a reluctance to abandon varsity athletics and associated extracurricular activities. Recruitment implications are discussed, along with suggestions for further study.