Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Explore Tests

I am sure this has been discussed before, but I can't find it and need your help.

I am thinking of signing my dd up for the EXPLORE test. I would appreciate your wisdom. How young is too young? Any preparation needed?

thanks

How do you sign up for EXPLORE? I can't find a test center around here.

I am thinking of having DD8 take it also. I think I have to through Center for Talent Development at Northwestern around here. If there is any other way I would love to know about it.
I wasn't going to attempt any preparation. I was thinking it would be a good data point for finding out what they do already know, although I think I have a pretty good idea. I was just going to have her take it because: A. she loves taking these kind of tests(so far at least!) B. she was so close to meeting DYS standards in her WIAT but just missed. She met IQ score and they seemed to like her portfolio so I though I might give it another shot if her explore scores are there. Again, taking into consideration that she actually likes to take these kinds of tests.

Thanks, I will. Stamina, definately, you have to know your kid. DD8 did the 2 hour test thing with the WIAT and she LOVED it. The first thing she said when she was done was "When can I take another test like that?" Although, the explore would be somewhat different.
I sent you her WISC scores, what do you think Dottie? Should I wait until 4th grade instead of having her do it this year?

Yeah, it looks like MATS is it for Illinois.

Yeah, she's nine in Jan. That might be a good time because I know they take the CogAt in the fall and some other math tests to identify for honors math. She might be tested out. Plus, it seems like the pattern for her at school is complete boredom by Jan/Feb, so it might give her something to do. Now only one of the tests have to be under two years for DYS right? I think she took WISC April of last year, so if it takes too long to get Explore results, the WISC will be past two years old.
She is used to excelling but I think it was a good move for her and sister to do Score this summer. They got to work at their "real" learning level for one hour twice a week, which means she was getting scores between 75-95%. I really loved that for a variety of reasons. One being I got to spend time talking to them about not having to always have perfect scores. It was great to watch them work up without turning into peanut butter the second they weren't "perfect"!
Hey, once in a while I get something right, and I think this was one of those things.

Thanks for the advice. It might be tough for her to be looking at a paper and pencil test and actually "know" that she can't do half to three quarters of it.
That's a little different than working on the computer that has a self-leveling algorithim built in.
We'll have to think about it.
Thanks for the congrats. It's always good when something works, especially when it seems so hard to figure it out sometimes!!!!!

Thank you for all the information Dottie.

Okay, I just looked and I see the test is for 8th and 9th graders for making high school choices.
I think I will wait until Feb! Good call.
According to the learning center, she is currently working around 6th for LA. For math, she tested in 5th grade for her assessment, but I asked them to back it up to 4.7 when she started in April because I wasn't confident that 5.2 was a good starting place for her. She went from 4.7 to 5.5 in two months doing math 15-20 minutes 2x per week. If she continues to progress at a good rate, perhaps she won't exit the test in tears if she takes it later rather than this fall.

Oh, hi Bianca.
Sorry for hi-jacking your thread.

No need to apologize. I have been reading your posts with interest. Your dd and my dd are about the same age, so the info applies to both of them.

Good morning dottie.

Name alert (please see above post).

my $0.02:

DS13 did the EXPLORE test when he was in 6th grade (age 10). DS12 never took it because it conflicted with Science Olympiad competition. DS9 took it in 5th grade (age 9). It was good for DS9 because it was do-able, not overwhelming. It has algebra in the math, a science section with inferences from charts, and some long reading sections and advanced grammar, language arts. The test is produced by ACT, so imagine it is similar. When DS13 took it, it wiped him out--he said it was Hard. He did very well (94%) nonetheless, mostly because of his advanced reading ability (he was >12.9 level on STAR at that point). DS9 scored the same overall, but mostly because of math. Would I test DS6 next year with this year, after he turns 7 (3rd grade), with that test? No. Partly because it's 3 hrs drive each way to go take it. Mostly because he'll be overwhelmed and turned off by the test because it's too hard for him even though he's 5-6 grade reading level and about 5th grade math. Stamina issue, too. The SCAT was a perfect, shorter test to start with and I think I'll wait till he's about 8 or 9 to do EXPLORE.

.02 worth a dollar.
Good food for thought. I DON'T want her to get turned off of academics and test taking at this point. I think I'll re-assess in December. Probably the earliest I will consider it for her is this Jan. after just turning nine. But probably only if she progresses confortably, well into sixth grade math, the other subjects seem to have been naturally leading her math.
Interestingly, DD8 seems to test higher on out of level achievement tests than what I would consider her realistic working level, so it will be interesing to see if she does on the Explore as well.
All things considered, I think it would be wise to tell her the test is designed for older children. That while she should attempt to figure out all the answers, it would be normal for her not to know some. This has worked well for her for the two out of level achievement testing she has already had. That might backfire for a different personality child, though. DD6, for example!

Hi Neato,

I found a sample test in the Explore website. It definitely seems doable. If the real test is anywhere close to that, our 8 yr olds would do just fine. My dd would be close to 9 by the time the test is available.

Thank you all for your help.

Thank you Bianca. I didn't see that, I will go check it out. Perhaps if our girls take the test at the same time, we can start our own "support thread" while waiting for results!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for starting this thread. My DS8 will take some form of achievement tests in the fall for his DYS application. I had never heard of the Explore test before joining this group, so I am learning a lot. But I can't see him sitting for two hours for a test. (yikes!) Keep up the good work of educating us newbies! (LOL)

The WIAT achievement test is also about that long, although can be finished a little sooner. The difference is that they are one on one, kind of like the IQ test. I know DD likes that personal attention!
I would guess the WJ is the same but we don't have experience with that one.

I think every child has different tolerances & reactions. Your daughters who will be 9 should be fine in EXPLORE, I would think. I am more thinking out my reasoning for why my 3rd grader wouldn't take advantage of an above-level test & it really depends on the kid. My little DS is very easily shut down--if he forms an opinion once, it's very hard to change his mind. (Stubborn? maybe that's the right word.)

I saw on the requirements for DYS, it said 3rd grade EXplore test but I've not been able to find any info. I've found info on the later grades but not 3rd grade. Is this what you all are discussing?

I'm not sure either Dottie! LOL. I saw mention of a 3rd grade Explore but never saw anywhere online on how/where/who used it. So it's part of the talent searches. So if a 3rd grader took it, it's an out-of-level test?

Our district now gives EXPLORE to all 9th grade students and 8th graders from Title 1 schools (half the middle schools in town). I asked the gifted department head if somehow gifted kids could test with the middle or high schoolers when offered, 'cause it would beat driving 6 hrs & staying in a hotel overnight. Haven't heard back yet. Plus it could give all gifted kids in the district an opportunity and boost participation from our state in Talent Search...

OOOOOOOHHHHHH said the blind man, now I see.

That's why the scores increased as the grade level increased for DYS application.

Thanks Dottie!

This is what I miss when I disappear for two days! LOL

DS took the Explore for the first time at 7y4m, and was not overwhelmed, although he was SLOW.... That brought his scores way down. On the other hand, he sped up quite a bit in the following year, and had some ridiculous gains between 7 and 8! He'll be nine in time for next year's test and I ~think~ we'll do it again, although there's a chance I'll sign him up for an ACT instead... We'll do a trial run through the ACT practice test first and see where he falls. He still has speed issues, so a much longer test might not be the best thing... but on the other hand he doesn't really have any stamina issues and his ~content~ knowledge is rather higher than the ceiling of the Explore, and it would be nice to let him have the chance to extend himself that way... And the ACT can send you the question-by-question breakdowns, so I could get more specific information than the Explore gives... Although the practice tests are just old tests themselves, so I could truly get all I really needed out of that, AND see where things were time issues vs. content issues.... but the ACT is cheaper... but the Explore has award possibilities... but the ACT results come faster... but he's only going to be nine and he's TINY... but... but... but...... :D)

ANYWAY! Short answer is if your kid can sit that long (about 2 1/2 hours with the paperwork stuff, and I think there's a bathroom break between sections) and won't be crushed by not getting everything right, and knows how to fill in all those little bubbles (I did go over that with DS... LOL), I'd go ahead and do it.