In response to an article (Hany, 2001) discouraging the practice of acceleration through grade skipping for gifted students, this article defends acceleration as one option for gifted students, describes use of acceleration in Germany including early school entrance, individual grade skipping, acceleration in one subject, and acceleration in…

Discusses trends in German higher education over the last decade, focusing on the expansion and differentiation of postsecondary education, societal changes in the student population, and the relationship between education and social class in light of the "individualization thesis" of sociologist Ulrich Beck. (MDM)