The transition to college is exciting, but for many gifted students it can also feel surprisingly disorienting. Every change—from the size of the campus to the pace of the coursework—can create a sense of unexpected adjustment. Students who once felt confident and understood may find themselves questioning their abilities or wondering where they fit.
These experiences are far more common than families realize. Understanding what challenges may arise and how to navigate identity shifts helps gifted individuals and parents move smoothly through this milestone. The right learning environment also plays a part in the transition to college. Educators at academic institutions designed specifically for gifted students, such as the Davidson Academy, recognize these changes and provide the needed support.
Why Gifted Identity Shifts During Transitions
Many gifted students grow up with “giftedness” as a defining part of their identity. Throughout their adolescence, they may have been recognized for their intelligence, placed in accelerated programs, or looked up to by their classmates.
When these students enter broader environments, like large universities or competitive programs, the landscape changes. They encounter peers who share similar abilities and passions. Academic tasks that once came easily may now require greater effort. The labels that once set them apart may no longer feel as central to who they are.
Supporting Gifted Students in College: Common Transition Challenges
To better understand why gifted students struggle in college, it helps to look at the challenges they often encounter during this transition. Some of the most common include:
- Burnout
- Imposter syndrome
- Loss of belonging
- Skill gaps
Although some of these challenges may have appeared during middle or high school, we will examine how they influence the next stage: entering college.
Burnout
College often means a sudden increase in rigor and workload. For the first time, these students may need to exert sustained effort, manage competing priorities, and work through subject matter that does not come easily. All of this can create an unfamiliar level of mental and emotional strain known as burnout.
Skill Gaps
Some students enter college without a fully developed toolkit for planning, organization, resilience, or self-advocacy. These skills may not have been necessary earlier if coursework felt easy or if adults routinely stepped in to help. In college, these gaps can make the transition more challenging.
Imposter Syndrome
When gifted individuals no longer breeze through assignments or stand out in the way they once did, self-doubt can creep in. They may question their abilities or worry that their accomplishments were a fluke. By misinterpreting this discomfort, gifted students in college may not recognize this transition as an opportunity for growth.
Loss of Belonging
Gifted students thrive in communities where curiosity and deep interests are shared and celebrated. This is especially true if they come from an alternate specialized learning program, such as Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) or the Davidson Academy. Entering a larger and more diverse environment could feel isolating until they find like-minded peers.
Strategies to Help Students Navigate These Challenges
Supporting gifted students during major transitions and in college is most effective when students, parents, and educators work together. Each group contributes something essential to this process.
For Gifted Students in (or Heading to) College
- Seek out clubs and activities where you can interact with like-minded peers.
- Develop effective study habits before college.
- Ask for help when you’re struggling or unsure of the next step.
- Recognize perfectionistic tendencies and be patient as you unlearn them.
- Look beyond the “gifted” label and get more curious about who you are.
For Parents With a Gifted Learner
- Teach your child about and model a growth mindset.
- Validate your child’s identity beyond academic achievement.
- Encourage independence and self-exploration.
- Create a safe space to openly discuss setbacks and ways to move forward.
For Teachers Supporting Gifted Students in College
- Provide opportunities for mentorship.
- Focus on personalized goal-setting and promote a sense of ownership in the student’s academic journey.
- Help students practice executive functioning, including time management and healthy risk-taking.
- Learn the signs of perfectionism in gifted students and call it out if you see it.
Davidson Academy Equips Students for Their Next Academic Step
At Davidson Academy, we understand the transition to college may feel like a big leap. We help them recognize their strengths, develop practical skills, and view new challenges as opportunities for growth. This happens in a few ways:
- College advising: We help students evaluate options, understand admissions and financial aid, and connect their interests to future goals. Tools like YouScience, Scoir, and structured planning workshops offer clarity, too.
- Social-emotional support: Our staff members provide mentorship, check-ins, and an environment that normalizes rigor, effort, and healthy self-advocacy. Students learn to manage stress and build resilience before leaving high school.
- Prospective Learning Plans (PLPs): This flexible, living document sets the student up for success based on their interests and goals. It is created in collaboration with the gifted individual, their parents or guardians, a counselor, and the curriculum team.
- A culture of preparation: Small classes, higher-order thinking, opportunities for independence, and close relationships with instructors create a foundation that mirrors the challenges of college.
Reframing Transition as a Path to Deeper Self-Understanding
The transition to college invites gifted learners to see themselves in new ways. As labels fall away and challenges rise, students gain the chance to understand their abilities with greater depth. Identity begins to expand—not shrink.
When families and educators embrace this process as well, they help gifted learners move forward with confidence. Supporting gifted students in college means recognizing that this stage is a natural part of development. With compassionate guidance, these individuals discover that who they are becoming is even more powerful than who they have been.
See also: Davidson Institute’s Guiding Gifted Blog for more strategies on how to support the gifted child in your life.