Selection Process

The school is operated by the Arkansas Department of Education through a grant to Hendrix College and is supervised by the Office of Gifted and Talented Education.  Each annual session is conducted for approximately 400 students.  Students who are selected to attend AGS must be nominated by their local high schools and selected by the State Student Selection Committee designated by the Department of Education.  The committee works to ensure that every area of the state is represented.  The Selection Committee is composed of people from around the state who are experienced with gifted and talented services, the AGS program, and the expectations for AGS students.  Committee members who judge fine arts auditions are experts in their respective fields.

Students are selected based upon careful review and consideration of nominated students’ applications including:

• Application and Personal Essay
• Audition Video for students applying in fine arts areas
• Student Transcript
• Teacher Recommendation(s)
• Counselor Recommendation

The Selection Committee looks for nominees with the following characteristics.

• Creativity in academic or creative fields
• Above average ability in the nominated discipline area (Area I)
• A high degree of self-motivation
• Intellectual, social, and emotional maturity required to thrive in an environment that emphasizes theoretical and process-related learning

All qualified student application are considered by the Selection Committee regardless of socioeconomic status, cultural, or language differences.  If you have any questions about the selection process, please contact the Office of Gifted and Talented.  Contact information is listed below.

Mary Kathryn Stein, Director

Office of Gifted and Talented and Advanced Placement

Arkansas Department of Education

Four Capitol Mall, Slot 28

Little Rock, AR 72201

501-682-4224 (office)

501-682-4220 (fax)

mary.stein@arkansas.gov