Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Taking SAT before age 10

Wondering anyone else encountered issues with SAT registration for kids younger than 10 years old?

DC's SAT application got returned due to "Date of birth is missing or invalid" even though the birthday was entered correctly. When we contacted College Board, 9 out of 10 representatives stated there is no minimum age requirement, but one person stated kids younger than 10yo cannot take the SAT. Is this true? Is this a new rule?

Any BTDT or advice on SAT registration for younger kids? If testing through a talent search program, which one do you recommend? (Duke TIP program said the child has to be in the 7th grade to take the SAT through them.)

Thanks!

My sibling was nine, so I know it is definitely possible, but this was a while ago. It was through what was then the JHU Talent Search, back in the original Stanley & Benbow days.

And, BTW, if there's no rule that says a seventh-grader can't be nine, why not try that.

Our 6th-grader tested through NUMATS.

The only restriction that I'm aware of is that if you are under thirteen years of age, net laws prohibit online registration (well, not exactly, but CB has apparently interpreted things that way), so you have to mail the application rather than registering the way most students do. We had to do that with a College Board test.


I can't say if 10 is magical in some way, since DD was older than that at the time.

To misquote Calvin and Hobbes: "ten-year-olds wreck the grade curve."

When did you register? The June SAT registration date passed a while ago, and you can't register yet for Fall 2014. And if 9 out of 10 said it was okay, couldn't they push the registration through? I have never called College Board, but the ACT folks were pretty helpful when I called them.

Even when you go through a talent search, you register directly with the College Board, so I don't think the talent search will help. I would call back and speak to someone (preferably someone who says there is not an age restriction). Maybe you can still get in for the June test as a standby.

Thank you for your responses!

1. Due to DC being younger than 13yo, paper registration was sent in the first week of May. (Wished parents could set up online acconts for these younger kids!) By the time we received the returned registration, the regular registration deadline has passed. We sent in another paper registration with the late fee. Still waiting.

2. One odd aspect of our multiple communication with the College Board is no one was able to locate DC's application, even after we gave the barcode on his returned application/check. It was odd that there was no record at all in the system.

3. Thank you for the suggestion of talent searches. It might be worth trying.

4. We will also try to give College Board a call again and see if someone would push the application through this time.

Thanks again!

Dear oddlyeven, I am currently in the exact same situation as you were a year ago. So what happened to your registration? Did you succeed? My son is 8.5 years and my registration process for him has been exactly the same as yours, currently without a resolution... so frustrating.

I am wondering what the driver is to take SAT below 10?

Has the kid maxed out on the ACT Explore test?

Different talent searches handle it differently. As of this past spring, if you use NUMATS, it is a single step process. You input the info online at the NUMATS site after paying the SAT plus NUMATS fees. No paper registration required. If you are homeschooling, you can probably list him as a 6th grader; otherwise their system may not allow you to register online.

Another option is JHU-CTY but they don't routinely test students below 7th grade. If your child is not at least a 7th grader, you will need to request paper registration from JHU-CTY in writing. I think that it may be easier to get an exception approved if you are part of a talent search.

As part of your request, it may be helpful if you can demonstrate that your child is ready to take the SAT independently. For example, he already hit the ceiling on Explore but needs the SAT for entry into a particular program. He is able to and intends to complete not just the 3-4 math sections but the other 6-7 sections as well so won't be a distraction to other test-takers. He doesn't require special accommodations and is able to navigate the building independently during check-in and breaks, etc.