A Student’s Perspective on Gifted LearningLinks
As part of his preparation for college, John Chapman took several distance learning courses through CTD’s Gifted LearningLinks.

What led you to look outside your school for courses?
I attended a small school that had enrollment of about 400 students. Understandably, our options for taking advanced courses were limited. By the end of my sophomore year though, I was interested in taking such accelerated courses. The classes I had taken at my school, even though I was taking classes ahead of my classmates, were not challenging me. I was wasting time when I felt I could have been doing more. Also, I wanted to explore topics that my school did not even have classes for, such as logic and philosophy.

How did you become aware of Gifted LearningLinks?
I participated in the Midwest Talent Search and received a mailing because of that.

How would you describe your experience in Gifted LearningLinks? What are the pros and cons of distance learning courses vs traditional courses?
The experience I had in Gifted LearningLinks was enormously beneficial to my education. I was able to handle learning on my own and sticking to a schedule. My teachers were also very helpful. Whenever I did have questions, my teachers were able to answer them for me. For my writing courses, they gave me good feedback on how to improve my essays, and in my AP courses they gave me material that was extremely useful in preparing for the AP exams. Having completed such difficult courses, I felt (and was in fact) more prepared for college. These courses gave me an opportunity to learn about subject matter in such depth as I would not have gotten at my school, and that I was able to succeed gave me the confidence to seek out more challenges.
For me, distance learning was an opportunity to take courses I otherwise would not have been able to at my high school. They also allowed me to work at my own pace. Nevertheless, there is something lost in not having a teacher, who in a normal class setting delivers lectures, can further emphasize certain aspects of the material that are particularly important, and answers questions on the spot. Having said that, I would definitely advise anyone who believes he can to give up those things for the opportunity to challenge himself with advanced classes which interest him.
How did Gifted LearningLinks fit into your daily school routine?
My high school had block scheduling with a total of eight classes. The arrangement I had with my counselor was for me to work in the library during the periods I had for my correspondence courses. Thus, it worked right into my schedule, just like any other class.
Who should consider taking distance learning courses? What advice would you give to other students considering distance learning as an option?
Any student who is interested in learning about topics that are not part of their high school curriculum or students who have a desire to take more challenging courses which they would not otherwise be able to take should consider taking distance learning courses. To anyone who is considering taking such courses, I would advise them to be sure that they believe that they are prepared to take what is predominately a self-motivated, self-taught course. It takes a lot of discipline to stick to the schedule when no teachers are there to remind you, and the nature of the course is such that the student must learn most of the material on his own through reading a textbook. But, if one does take a distance learning course, it can be just as good or, insofar as you are also acquiring good study habits – better than a regular course.