Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving academically gifted and talented youth. As a global leader in gifted and talented education, Duke TIP works with students, their families, and educators to identify, recognize, challenge, engage, and help students reach their highest potential.
Children with advanced intellectual and academic abilities continually perplex and challenge educators and parents, and schools may not have the resources and staff to adequately provide for the academic challenges, and social and emotional support that gifted children require. For these reasons, Duke TIP is committed to providing services and programs beyond what is offered in the classroom to meet the individual needs of gifted children.
In addition, for a variety of reasons, many gifted children simply do not reach their full potential. Exceptionally bright students often go unrecognized because they hide their talents, underachieve, or exhibit behavioral problems. A disproportionately large number of minority students, children from families where English is not the primary spoken language in the home, and students from less affluent families are all at risk for not being identified as gifted. Our research and educational programs address all of these concerns as we seek to support gifted students regardless of their backgrounds.
Duke TIP enjoys a long history, dating back to 1980, of supporting and extending local efforts to better understand, motivate, enrich, and academically challenge the brightest students in our nation. Today, Duke TIP offers a wide array of services to students at critical points in their education.
Qualifying fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students may participate in Duke TIP’s 4th–6th Grade Talent Search and may take advantage of its optional above-level testing. The 7th Grade Talent Search, which focuses on the identification, recognition, and support of high-ability students, offers qualifying seventh grade students the opportunity to take college entrance exams alongside high school students. Many 7th Grade Talent Search participants go on to earn exceptionally high scores. Talent Search participants in grades 5-12 can also elect to attend TIP’s renowned residential programs, which challenge gifted students academically within a uniquely supportive social community. Duke TIP also offers gifted students a wide range of independent and distance learning courses.
To learn more about Duke TIP, visit their website at https://tip.duke.edu