Are Gifted Students Smarter? What the Label Really Means

Defining "Gifted": It’s Not Just About IQ

“Gifted” sounds like a fancy label, right? But what does it actually mean? Is it just a kid with a super high IQ? Well, not exactly.

In most educational settings, a gifted student is someone who shows advanced ability in one or more areas — academics, creativity, leadership, even emotional intelligence. Yes, there’s often a high IQ involved (above 130 is a common cutoff), but being gifted isn’t just about scoring high on a test.

Gifted ≠ Genius

That’s important to say out loud. Not every gifted kid is Einstein. Some are brilliant at math but struggle with social skills. Others write stories like novelists but have a hard time with multiplication tables. The “smart” label can be a bit misleading.

Are they actually smarter?

It depends how you define “smart”

If by “smart” you mean faster at processing information, better at seeing patterns, and solving abstract problems — then yeah, many gifted students fit that.

But intelligence isn’t one-size-fits-all. Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences talks about:

• Linguistic

• Logical-mathematical

• Musical

• Bodily-kinesthetic

• Interpersonal

• Intrapersonal

• Spatial

• Naturalist

A student might be gifted in one of these but totally average in others. So yeah, “smarter” is too vague a word.

Intelligence vs. academic performance

Here’s a twist: not all gifted kids do well in school. Some get bored. Some tune out. Some hate structure. So while they might be intellectually advanced, their grades don’t always show it. (Which can drive teachers and parents a bit nuts, let’s be honest.)

There was this one kid in my high school — got labeled “gifted” early on, but by 10th grade, he barely passed math. Why? Because he just stopped caring. The content wasn’t challenging, and no one noticed until he nearly flunked out. True story.

Challenges gifted students face

Emotional intensity and perfectionism

Gifted students often experience the world more intensely. That might sound poetic, but it’s not always easy. They can be:

• Super sensitive

• Hyper aware of social dynamics

• Prone to perfectionism and anxiety

Some educators refer to this as "asynchronous development" — when a child's intellect is way ahead of their emotional maturity. Imagine having a 16-year-old brain in a 10-year-old body. Confusing much?

Social struggles and isolation

Gifted kids may have trouble relating to their peers. Not because they’re arrogant — just because they think differently. That can lead to loneliness, being labeled as “weird,” or even bullying.

So, being “gifted” isn’t always the golden ticket it seems.

What really sets gifted students apart?

Curiosity and problem-solving

They tend to ask why a lot. Like... a lot. Not in a rude way — they genuinely want to understand the logic behind everything. They connect dots others don’t even see.

They might invent games, question assumptions, or teach themselves random stuff just because they’re curious.

I once met a 12-year-old who could explain black holes better than most adults I know. Not because he had a tutor — he just spent hours reading NASA articles for fun.

Rapid learning and deep thinking

Gifted students often learn quickly — not just memorizing, but understanding the "why behind the what." They dive deep into topics, sometimes obsessively. That’s why many of them excel in independent or project-based learning environments.

Conclusion: Are gifted students smarter? It’s complicated

So, are gifted students smarter? In some ways, yes — but not in every way, and not always in the way people expect.

Being gifted is more about potential than performance. More about depth than speed. And more about uniqueness than superiority.

Instead of asking “Are they smarter?”, maybe the better question is: How do we support different kinds of intelligence — gifted or not — in the best way possible? Because that’s where the real magic happens.

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How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

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Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.