I did GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) from fourth through eighth grade and went with an AP-heavy high school (graduated in 2010) instead of an IB school in the district, and I’d say it left similar scars.

There were aspects that I think were beneficial, such as specialized math tutoring and more hands-on projects, but god the pressure and workload was truly damaging at such a young age. Add undiagnosed ADHD, and you’ve got an 11 year old self-harming as a method to stay focused during the hours and hours of daily homework.