This study aimed to understand the effect of problem finding led by mentees themselves in physics mentoring programs. We compared the mentees’ engagement for the cases of mentees-led and mentors-led problem solving. For the comparison, we interviewed four mentors and eight mentees about their engagement after the program, and we analyzed the characteristics in the process of problem finding of a team that mentees (N = 4) led to find inquiry problems by themselves. The engagement in problem finding of the team led by mentees was higher than the engagements of the other teams. For the case where the mentees led the problem finding, they did not abandon the inquiry problem that they found themselves. They showed a willingness to solve the problem themselves with elaborating an inquiry problem. This study showed that problem finding led by mentees increased their engagement in mentoring programs for the gifted. 

Keywords: Mentee, Mentoring program, Problem finding, Engagement, Gifted