National Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering

The National Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (NAASE) program is an acceleration program for highly gifted students. The NAASE program was founded in 1999 to provide an [Page 627]academically challenging learning environment to assist gifted students in the development of their ability. This program is administered by the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education in affiliation with the University of Iowa, and provides an opportunity to enroll at the University of Iowa after the junior year of high school. Because this program does not include a transition stage for radical acceleration such as that provided by the University of Washington Early Entrance Program, the screening process is thorough to ensure the success of its students. To enter the NAASE program, students are expected to have completed their junior year in high school or the equivalent, to have a composite score on a standardized test such as the ACT or SAT at or above the national 95th percentile, and to have earned at least a 3.5 grade-point average (GPA) before applying to NAASE. Also, all qualified applicants are interviewed to determine each potential student's maturity, independence, and general readiness for the college environment.

Among many acceleration options, an early college entrance program such as the NAASE program is one of the radical acceleration programs for advanced high school students. Students enter college early to meet their intellectual needs. Although the early college entrance program is radical, college will provide valuable experience and motivation for learning if high-ability students are mature enough to adjust to college life. Also, advanced high school students may have experienced acceleration in any form by whole grade or by subjects.

If students are admitted to the university as NAASE students, they are automatically accepted as freshmen into the University of Iowa Honors Program. In these courses, unlike ones they may have experienced in high school, the NAASE students take challenging college-level classes and are eligible to undertake research with faculty members. When students decide to consider early college entrance, it can be a challenge to find suitable programs in prestigious universities because few early college entrance programs exist in the United States. The NAASE program offers high-quality courses and research along with support and guidance from the professional staff of the Belin-Blank Center. During the period from 1999 to 2006, 87 students from 15 states in the United States and 1 international student were enrolled on the NAASE program to meet their learning needs. Of these students, 82 percent were 17 years old at entry.

During the first year of the program, the NAASE students are required to live together in the honors residence hall. This residency provides students with the opportunity to socialize and to meet with professionals at the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education. Because research has indicated that homesickness is the primary difficulty for students during their first year at college, the program intends to help students develop a strong institutional connection. The Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education offers a community for bright and motivated young scholars as well as a variety of specialized educational opportunities. In addition, the Belin-Blank Center leads the field in research and practice for talent development through its involvement in the development of curriculum resources for gifted students, the professional development of educators, the dissemination of information related to the education of gifted students, and its provision of an enhanced learning environment.

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