This study used a grounded theory approach to collect information allowing teachers and educators to better understand gifted high school students' experiences. It investigated the reasons for their transferring behavior or transitional choices from mostly public schools to a charter school. The study concentrated on 15 gifted high school students' perceptions in the following areas: (1) factors that led students to transfer/transition from mostly public schools to a charter school, (2) similarities and differences in the histories of students' transfers at their previous and current school, (3) students' opinions and feelings toward school regulations and rules of their previous schools versus of their current school, (4) factors that might have kept students in their previous schools, (5) factors leading to students' persistence and achievement and factors keeping them in their current school, and (6) students' family relationships and family dynamics.

The charter school chosen for this study provides both academic and arts-based classes. Fifteen academically gifted high school students were interviewed. The data were analyzed according to the principals of grounded theory analysis. Data collection, note-taking, coding, and memo writing occurred simultaneously throughout the research process, and sorting occurred during which categorical themes were formed. Evidence from the findings suggests that gifted and talented students perform better within an accepting and creative classroom environment. They thrive when they have personal relationships with adults at school, they especially benefit when adults counsel and mentor. These students require motivating and supporting social environments. Whereas peers' name-calling, criticizing, and labeling them as "gifted" forced many gifted students to act below their academic capacity, setting high expectations, educational targets, and career goals helped them persist in school.