Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Waiting for DYS letter

If you have DYS numbers for both IQ and achievement, do you still have to send portfolio information in? I seem to recall it was IQ and portfolio, if you couldn't afford/obtain further testing but I wasn't sure if you need portfolio if you had DYS numbers for both IQ and achievement. Do they turn down applicants even though they have 145+ on both IQ and achievement tests?

And if you're asking if you have to worry about not getting in during a given month with lots of applicants, ebeth, I don't think that's a concern.

They say something to the effect (my words, not literally theirs) that they take applicants who can demonstrate that they meet the qualifications. Period. The qualifications aren't sliding. It's pretty much a fixed bar, so some months they might have no one get over it, while other months they might have dozens get in. It shouldn't matter which month you apply. There's no monthly quota. I think that approach is rather unusual in nonprofits, and it might seem confusing.

Please forgive me if I read between the lines there too much. It just sounded to me as if that was what you were really wondering about.

Thanks, Kriston. I was wondering about that myself.

I'm one of those people waiting to hear from them. I hope my mailman gives me the letter today. I've been so anxious this past week.
Thanks Dottie for the best wishes again.

Actually Kriston, that wasn't my concern. We aren't anywhere near being able to apply. Probably not until December at least, since we aren't going to have achievement testing done until fall with the school.

I was more interested in how large a group of age appropriate peers my DS8 might find if or when he joins. I was scoping out the support network that he might get socially.

Could anyone expound on this?

Good morning, Dottie!

Right now I'm very, very happy with the support that I'm getting from this group!! (Thanks, and double thanks, everyone!!)

I'm just still processing what DYS is all about. I guess I have several months to let this sink in. I like Catherine's post about the stages of acceptance for giftedness. (see Gifted Traits as Toddlers) It is very, very true and very insightful. I think I went back to square one when I got DS8's WISC-IV results.

So this is me stuck simultaneously in stages 1, 2, and 3.
(like a cartoon character with its head spinning round and round and round!)

And best wishes from me as well, Moni. It just seemed a little bit strange that only one person was posting that they were waiting this month for an answer. It seems like there should be 20 or so people who are anxiously posting here. Where are the rest of them?

I'll add my perceptions to what Dottie said.

This is unofficial, but I feel like there are definitely more kids as they get older. Very few 5yos, not many more 6-7yos, a significant jump in 8yos, etc. That testing in 3rd grade seems to help get kids IDd, or at least that's my theory.

But where they are is very hit-or-miss. There are quite a number of DYS kids in our town. But most are teens and all are at least 3 years older than DS7, so there is no ready-made social network for us. At least not yet. The closest child in terms of both geography and age is the next state over, a couple of hours away, not far from my parents' home. They ski at the same place we ski, so we may get to see that family for ski outings. But for now, there's no one else around who wouldn't require an overnight stay to visit.

People in big cities obviously have better luck, but there are no weekly playdates for most of us. We are attending an informal get-together later in the summer, and that will include kids from the region, some of whom are in the same ballpark age-range as my son. That will be nice.

My hope is that DYS will get some more kids close to DS7 in both age and proximity once our state's mandatory GT testing happens in 3rd grade (if not before that). But it's worth being in the DYS group even if that doesn't happen. We at least have contact with like-minded peers. We have access to counselors and experts. We have parents who have BTDT we can ask about things. And we get the informal get-togethers and the Summit to see people.

It's well worth the cost of admission: free! Can't beat that price!

Oh, and as for where all the people waiting are...I suspect a lot fewer people apply during the summer. School and testing and such just aren't on the radar of most people right now, so the group is smaller. I could be wrong, but that's my guess.

I like the cousin comparison. That's just how it feels! But cousins with HG+ kids who give good advice.

Dottie- thanks for the info. on that trip which might slow my letter down. I wish my mailman came earlier in the day....have to wait until 3 or 4.
ebeth- thanks for the best wishes. I was one of those people trying to get the application done and get recommendation letters at the end of school in early June. I was thinking of waiting until July when I had more time, but the teachers were on the ball with their forms and I had a sudden get'r done moment.

I hope your wait will be over soon.

Finding local DYS is a hit of miss. It really depends where you live. It can go from "weekly math classes with other DYS homeschoolers" (I didn't make this one up, I heard this comment at the gathering) to not having anybody around.

I think we are really lucky. We found a couple of local YS boys similar age like DS5. I felt like we won the lottery! I cannot describe the difference it made for me and DS5 as well! Live PG kids!

BTW Does anybody else check the DYS database every month to see if there are any new "local" kids?