Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment SAT for talent search

My son (seventh grader) was asked to take the test for Duke talent search. He read through the small test prep pamphlet you get when you register so he would know what it was like. I don't think he took all of the practice test, maybe two sections and looked over the rest.

What I didn't know is that he already has an account and has been doing weekly test prep questions from Kahn Academy as part of his English class since the beginning of the school year. It never occurred to me that he was test prepping. He is accelerated into 9th grade English.

Are other 9th graders already working Kahn Academy test prep through the school?

If the idea is to out of level test to get a better idea of his raw ability, do you think this will skew how informative the results are?

An IQ type test is intended to measure capacity, while standardized tests are intended to measure performance and knowledge base. SAT doesn't measure "raw ability". Test prep is fine with me because anything above the child's ability will not be retained and regurgitated on the test. Test prep is just learning. They can't learn material they're not developmentally ready to learn. If you're concerned, ask Duke talent search their opinion of test prep. JMO

I wasn't using raw ability as in IQ...I meant raw as in unprepped and (subject specific) ability (should have used the words knowledge of subject matter). Unprepped Math and reading/writing uhhhh skills? Sorry for the wrong terminology.

SAT or ACT is achievement and prepping is OK. Old SAT is quasi IQ test but new SAT format is not.

IQ tests like WISC should not be prepped.

Prepping will most likely improve the score and many schools are prepping their students to improve their standing. 9th grade is way too early for the school to do it. Probably the administrator is super ambitious!

7th or 8th grads is good to take the test. It won't stay in the record and the kid will have experience taking the test.

Duke's official statement: "We do not recommend that you spend a lot of time preparing for the test. The point of taking an above-level test is diagnostic, and many test preparation programs merely lead to unnecessary anxiety. Since this test is only meant to provide information, we suggest the best way to prepare is to be familiar with the structure of the test and the timing of each section, and to review the practice questions we provide."

But as your son is in a 9th grade class, kids at that point are starting to prep for PSAT, SAT, etc., where higher scores can have a meaningful impact on NM status, college admissions, etc.

I would be concerned if his class was spending too much time prepping for a test and not enough time actually...well...learning English. But a few questions each week isn't going to hurt.

I wouldn't worry about affecting the TIP test - what's the worst that can happen? He does well and gets in?

That is what I thought. They aren't doing it daily. I think she assigns it once a week or every two weeks. I didn't even know they were doing it until I noticed it on the online gradebook that I don't check very often.