In Minneapolis, before Tim Jamieson ever arrived in DuPray, Herbert and Eileen Ellis are called into a meeting with Jim Greer, a guidance counselor at the Broderick School for Exceptional Children, to discuss their son Luke. Greer reassures them that Luke is not in trouble and reviews how the school’s flexible system serves exceptionally gifted students.

Greer describes Luke’s performance as singular even for the Broderick School. He cites a tutorial in Balkan history with emeritus teacher Billy Flint, during which Luke absorbed two semesters of difficult postgraduate material in a week and drew original conclusions, politely challenging "received wisdom." The parents note Luke’s normal demeanor at home—playing Xbox, sports, and watching TV—though Eileen privately acknowledges his voracious, eclectic reading and the unsettling strangeness of his gifts.

Greer emphasizes that Luke is not just a prodigy in one domain but “global,” excelling across fields while remaining socially well-adjusted. He warns that the school is nearing the limit of what it can offer Luke. Luke has expressed a desire to pursue engineering at MIT and English at Emerson simultaneously.

Herb and Eileen react with shock, stressing that Luke is only twelve. Eileen rejects sending him across the country to live among older college students, and Greer agrees that Luke is not ready to live on his own. Still, Greer says Luke is intellectually “famished,” likening his mind to a huge machine running at a tiny fraction of its capacity. Eileen recognizes signs of Luke’s frustration at home.

Seeking alternatives, Eileen suggests local universities so Luke could live at home. Greer dismisses these as inadequate for Luke’s level, stating that conventional options would be like returning him to a standard high school. He underscores that Luke knows what he needs educationally.

When Eileen raises financial concerns, saying they are far from rich and rely on scholarships, Greer pivots to address funding and suggests there may be options to support Luke’s ambitions.