PEG Living Learning Community
The Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG) is an immersive academic experience for females between the ages of 12 and 16. A supervised living-learning community, PEG offers young, gifted women a significant jumpstart on college and post-graduate education in a safe, supportive environment.
About Us
PEG is a unique academic and residential program designed to support gifted young women. The program allows young women to take college-level coursework and graduate before the traditional college age.
Students live and learn together on MBU’s secure, Staunton campus. Their all-female residence hall provides supportive environments to foster the unique emotional, social, and educational needs of PEG students.
Strong test scores and high GPAs aren’t the only markers of PEG candidates. PEG students should be responsible, mature, and self-driven in pursuit of their education.
Hear for yourself what the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted means to students and faculty at Mary Baldwin!
MBU has given me so many opportunities to pursue different ideas and directions…that kind of intellectual freedom is extremely important to me.
Katie KeeganClass of ’22
Learning Her Way
PEG students can study any field they choose, turning their passions into careers. Academic advisors help students develop a well-rounded educational plan that sets them up for real-world success.
PEG students take the same courses, complete the same work, and earn the same degree as traditionally aged MBU students. PEG students also work one-on-one with professors, undertake internships and practicums in their field, and conduct original research.
To help these young women adjust to college life, they will be required to take:
BOLD 101 is a one-semester seminar taken by first-year students in undergraduate residential programs. An important part of successful college transition, students will come to understand themselves in relation to the larger Mary Baldwin community, and as scholars in pursuit of specific goals and outcomes. This seminar is an opportunity for self-discovery, for understanding the liberal arts in relation to self and career, and for establishing meaningful relationships with others on your Boldly Baldwin journey.
A continuation of BOLD 101, 102 is a one-term seminar taken by students in undergraduate residential programs during the spring semester of the first year. Students continue their path of self-discovery and begin exploring the connections between liberal arts and professionalism.
Live and Thrive Together
For more than forty years, MBU’s Program for the Exceptionally Gifted has provided a home away from home for bright and accomplished girls. We offer support and supervision while giving students the freedom to develop the necessary skills for independent living.
Financial Aid
100% of PEG Students receive financial aid.
We believe that a college education should be within reach for all. That’s why we offer an affordable tuition structure, with merit awards, along with need-based aid and other opportunities for financial assistance. Our commitment to accessibility extends to studying abroad, attending conferences, and accessing donor-funded scholarships.
Ready to Apply?
The Program for the Exceptionally Gifted Living Learning Community is open to applications from all young women ages 12 to 16. Applicants will need to:
- A full transcript (homeschool transcripts must have parental authorization)
- Two teacher recommendations
- Two essay responses
- Achievement test scores in the 90th percentile (SAT or ACT preferred; SSAT scores combined with IQ, CogAT, WISC, or other gifted testing are also acceptable)
- Completion of a geometry course prior to enrollment (If this is an issue, please contact cvandevander@marybaldwin.edu to learn about alternatives.)
Once you’ve submitted your application, PEG Director Carla Van Devander will reach out to schedule personal and family interviews. In-person interviews are preferred and can be arranged to coincide with campus visits.
Our Staff
FAQ
Students are accepted based on:
- Intellectual capacity and motivation
- Consistent academic achievement
- Social and emotional maturity
- A serious sense of purpose
PEG is a highly selective program in the MBU College for Women and is not appropriate for all students. Our application process is intended to make certain all of our students are right for our program and that our program is the right fit for each of our students!
Despite our name, being a perfect match for the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted is about more than being super smart. Strong test scores and GPAs are a good start, but drive, maturity, and excitement about starting college early is even more important.
PEG students are often bored in middle or high school classes, feel misaligned with their peers, have an insatiable academic curiosity, and are eager to advance to graduate school or a career. They want to be challenged while at the same time supported and have opportunities to build meaningful connections with other young teenagers.
Sixteen and 17-year-old high school students of any gender who are ready for college, but too old for PEG, should check out our Early College program.
Our alumnae go on to attend graduate school at prestigious universities, including Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, and Harvard Law School. PEG graduates pursue a variety of advanced career fields. They save lives as medical professionals, advance higher-education as university deans, and promote justice as attorneys. PEG is perfect for students who have big plans to earn an advanced degree or get started early in a career.
Contact Us
Carla Van Devander
Director, Program for the Exceptionally Gifted
Email: cvandevander@marybaldwin.edu
Phone: 540-887-7183