Much of the work on predicting academic success in postsecondary education has focused on the impact of various cognitive abilities, although in recent years there has been increased attention to the role played by emotional and social competency [also called emotional intelligence (EI)]. Previous work on the link between EI and giftedness is reviewed, particularly factors connected to the successful transition to postsecondary education. Data are presented from a sample of 171 exceptionally high-achieving secondary students (high school grade-point average of 90% or better) who completed a measure of trait EI at the start of postsecondary studies and who had their academic progress tracked over the next 6 years. High-achieving secondary students who completed an undergraduate degree scored significantly higher on a number of EI dimensions compared to the secondary students who dropped out. Results are discussed in the context of the importance of EI in the successful transition from secondary to postsecondary education.