Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment How urgent to do WISC?

So dd10's Explore scores would qualify for DYS, but I would be very surprised if the WISC score would make it. But--maybe I am underestimating her? Honestly though compared to what I read here about the kids who qualify--I would be very surprised. I am planning on doing the WISC at some point before we move (could be by the end of this school year, prob. by end of next), but wondering if I should start working on it now. And if I want the most accurate scores I guess I need to really find someone who specializes in gifted kids, which again we don't have here.

We will be driving right past Johns Hopkins this summer--is it worth it to try to schedule her and pay the big bucks there?

Thanks for any feedback.

Just re-read, and realized they only need to be 99.9% in one section--so maybe it is a possibility. hmmmmm...Is there anyone who really thought their kid was MG/OG who turned out to qualify for DYS?

I've not applied for DYS for DD on the same reasoning. While her Explore qualifies, I don't think the Explore thresholds are really at the 99.9 level. Based on the aggregate data from NUMATS, the cutoffs seem to be set in the 75-90 range. This is of NUMATS participants of course, so the numbers would be much higher vs. the general population, but I suspect not THAT much higher.

Yup, what Dottie said! We are better than schoolteacher at guessing gifted, but not that much better....I figured my son was MG, although I didn't know the word for it just then - I though he was 'bright/like the rest of us in the family/certainly gifted but why won't he just accept that elementary school is supposed to be easy?'
I think JHU is a good choice (unless you are also passing within 4 hours of Lexington Kentucky, that is)

smiles,
Grinity

I think you also know too, DDs often don't "show" giftedness in standard ways that boys do. If there is a tester who understands gifted girls, even better.

I'm in the same situation with my DD (4th grade). I've always thought she was MG, but her Explore scores qualify her for DYS. So, I'm now debating whether or not we should seek out IQ testing. I'm not sure her scores would be high enough because she doesn't seem to have a lot of the PG characteristics.

Ok, my curiosity is aroused again now. Dottie, what do you think of a 3rd grade kid's results being on par with the 6th grade cut off for DYS Qualification Criteria in 3 Explore subjects? Grateful for your thoughts!

I would imagine that a lot of people with EG/PG kids underestimate their abilities. We thought our kid was MG, maybe HG, but he tested much higher. And for some reason he keeps testing high, even though I don't think he'd stand out in a crowd as one of those amazing kids you think of when you first think of profoundly gifted. And I'm always thinking we have impostor syndrome (surely he can't score this high even after he skipped a grade?) I believe there are many, many PG kids who do not go around looking like prodigies. Like others have said, the parents are probably gifted themselves, but may not ever have known that and so think everyone is like this. I would say, if you're getting these very high scores on Explore, it's certainly worth looking into!

Dottie, I truly appreciate your reply. He reached the grade 6 level for LA, Reading and Science. His Math score suffered a bit from missing a good number of questions and not using a calculator plus his overall frustration when math is timed. He does great with math when it's not timed but becomes easily flustered when it is. Even with missed questions, he made the grade 4 cut off for math so I'm guessing that the ones he did answer he must have answered correctly. So I'm trying to be confident about applying without the IQ results. Spent whole day yesterday trying to find enough materials for the portfolio...he isn't exactly a prolific writer either :P. Really crossing fingers here.

Thank you! You are such a ray of sunshine and helpfulness when the anxiety clouds threaten!

I think you lifted many spirits when you wrote this, St Pauli Girl.