The issue of underachievement among the gifted has captured the interest of educators sporadically over the past thirty years. In the most basic definition, an underachiever is a student who does not achieve in the academic areas at a level consistent with his or her capability. When underachievement is applied to the gifted, it becomes a more complex issue which calls for a new conceptualization. Giftedness and underachievement is a complex, multi-problem phenomenon which has been grossly oversimplified in cause, concept, and approach. This article moves from a simple base definition through a network of risk factors, potential causes, and approaches that make learning more accessible and possible for large numbers of at-risk students. The final part of this article is an outline of activities suggested by students and educational leaders who were assembled at a workshop designed to develop solutions to the problems of underachievement and school dropout. Five areas were identified as targets of intervention: "peer/social relationships," "home and family," "minority status of students," "teacher issues," and "school environment issues." This part is presented as a blueprint for local counselors or educators to use as a framework for discussion and planning at the school level. Each solution presents an objective and a set of strategies. This is merely a beginning for local initiatives to address the complex problems of underachievement.