I've unfortunately been on all ends of this -- in gifted programs throughout grade school, until high school, where I missed out because my parents (and myself)

I've unfortunately been on all ends of this -- in gifted programs throughout grade school, until high school, where I missed out because my parents (and myself) didn't know there was an application process. Conveniently, that was the only chance to be in the program for the next four years. Miss the deadline between middle and high school, and you can't take the advanced classes (which were the only way to get >4.0 GPA), you can't participate in Model UN, your network is restricted to the "regular-tier" crowd. Incredibly exclusionary and really screwed over some people. I feel that offering yearly or semesterly applications for a course of study transfer would solve a lot of those problems. Capable students who want in will get in, struggling students who want in can study up and get in after a few tries (no reason to reject dedicated but slow learners), and students who don't care just won't apply.