I have submitted IQ testing on DYS's request and I'm waiting.
Anyone else out there applying this month?

I had to submit some extra paperwork last month so I'm waiting this month

good luck!

You too!

We're waiting too. We finally got DD's submitted and are looking for signs that we got it all in or that they need more info from us.
We're keeping our fingers crossed.
Good luck to us all!

good luck Kerry. You can email them to see if they have it all.

We got an email saying they got it all. I'm just still wondering if DH and I actually sounded like intelligent people with our answers or if we sounded like fools trying to explain DD and who she is and what she's done. But, I'm sure they get all kinds of applications and we'll be fine. It just seems like we're being tested, rather than DD being evaluated.

Indeed they do. Happily, the parents are not required to be PG.

I did not get that impression at all! Good luck to everyone.

My DS9 is borderline so I felt like I had pressure on me to show them who he is. I thought it was hard to judge what they wanted to see in the questions and a portfolio. I took the summer to prepare our application. Then it took my DH, who is a better writer, a month to edit. We did our best.

Wow! No wonder you felt like you were being tested. That's WAY more polished than our application was!

I was in the "crack open a bottle of wine and write for a few hours" crowd...

We did our application over the Christmas break. Needless to say lots of wine was involved

The application was sort of intimidating but we kept joking that at the very worst they would say that a child with such parents could really use outside help

I wrote our application in a morning, had DH look it over, made very minor grammatical editing and put it in the mail that afternoon. I didn't want to give myself the chance to obsess over it. I did call to ask what in the world they were looking for from a 7 year old, but I finally figured that they were actually just looking for a snapshot of the kid. I don't think the questions are make or break, I think they're just a way of showing the kid as more than a number (i.e. "How does xyz IQ and abc achievement score present in this kid?").

I do feel good that I gave it my best effort. With borderline scores I was just wanting them see what he is about. We really need the help too.

onthegomom, you absolutely did the right thing. For all the people who post here that they just whipped off the application in a few hours and hoped for the best, there are others, like you and me, who spent plenty of time on the application for good reason. At least you know you took the time to make sure you did not overlook anything important. Good luck! I hope you get the help you need.

questions - thank you. (if we don't get in maybe will get an "honorable mention" for effort. LOL that's ok. I already feel good about it)

last month they let some people know on the 4th. that's 11 days...I'm thinking it might be later with the holiday.

Just got the newletter. Heart skipped a beat but I really knew better.

hang in there everybody

Last month on the 4th on got my need IQ test email. so it could be any day.
any body NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEERRRRRRVVVVEEEEEOOOOOOUUUUUSSSSSSSS?

Keeping my fingers crossed for everybody.
Good luck!!!

Good luck, guys and gals!

Well, we got our email.
They want more evidence for DD. I had a feeling they would, but am still disappointed. We had sort of pinned our hopes on getting help for the current school year on her getting accepted, but maybe if we can get a portfolio together soon enough it'll still work out.
So, now I guess the issue becomes what to send and what not to send, as well as what to ask her to do, or try to catch her doing that would show that she is working 2-3 grade levels above.
I know one thing I think I will put in - we just saw a picture she made in art class today that is amazing! It is of Sleeping Beauty and based on that optical illusion of the old and young lady, and which do you see. She thought the young one looked like Sleeping Beauty, so she drew her from her memory of the picture.
Hope you all hear soon.

My understanding they are more interested in traditional academics not so much the arts for getting accepted. But don't hold back things that you think are amazing. Chess was of one thing they found significant.

Did you have qualifying IQ and achievement?

Oooh, thanks for posting that, onthegomom. DS5 just beat his dad at chess today for the first time. (DH took off his knights, so it wasn't a completely even match-up. But close! And DH is good!) DS5 hasn't been tested yet. We'll do that this spring. But more and more I'm thinking he might be a DYS candidate.

My point: as I read your post about chess and realized he was in the other room playing a chess match against himself, it prompted me to film him so that I have some chess footage if we ever apply for him. I asked him about a move, and he said "no because then this would happen, then that, then this, then that" about 10 moves ahead! It's good footage, I think, and totally DS5.

So thanks!

We had qualifying achievement scores, and I wasn't sure with her IQ because she hit the ceiling in 3 subtests, so it needed to be recalculated with the extended norms and the woman who did the original testing didn't think that applying the extended norms was a good idea because she felt that it then makes the results less reliable.

We may have difficulty with putting together a portfolio then because most of DD's really "Wow" stuff is related to her expressions in art work and creative projects. But, who knows, maybe in looking back at things we'll find enough stuff.
She doesn't play chess though so that's not an option. (She just turns the pieces into people and starts doing a puppet like show with them. )

Actually, Kerry, a puppet show with chess pieces might be a good indication of creative thinking...

I always say that it's best to find a situation where the child is being most herself and capture that for the application, whatever "that" is. A puppet show can show a deep understanding of plot and character and a facility with language. Not a bad idea!

DYS portfolio ideas:
I would look at the characteristics of Profoundly gifted and see if you can think of examples that support these ideas.

Give the age, if the work was done at school or home, done independently or with help and a description. You could give titles in a table of contents for organization with numbered pages. Make a format that is easily understood.

What was done with their knowledge? Did the child start a project that evolved over several years? Did your child win any related contests? Think about how a child stands out from peers in interest and ability. A portfolio can show the obssesive interests, process, determination, creativity, depth of interests, applications that evolve into more complex learning/projects. What above level reading or projects did they do that show their interest. The portfolio could be supporting examples to the questions in the application.

Keep asking questions here for ideas until you are satisfied the portfolio shows your child's uniqueness. You may PM me if you want. I have no expertise in this area but will help if I can.

I've been watching this post for a while and I have a qestion. I will be submitting the DYS application for my DS8 in January. We have qualifying IQ and Achievment scores, but will those alone be enough to be accepted? Does DYS like to see the scores along with portfolio evidence?

Thanks for the help,
mommyj2

We didn't submit a portfolio. They based their decision to accept my dd based on the application and her scores.

DS scores were borderline so we submitted a portfolio to encourage insight beyond the test scores. I thought if we were accepted it would also help the advisor know us better but I'm not sure how that all works. we are waiting....


Video can also be submitted. Good luck.

What are borderline scores? We just received our WISC and WIAT scores last week, so we are very new to all this. 99.9 is what they want, right? At first, I didn't think the application would be a big deal to fill out, but after reading this post I'm getting a little nervous!

Thanks!

Well our school board still won't give me the raw IQ data to turn in even after I told them that according to FERPA they had to. I talked to the Davidson Institute and they want a portfolio since I can't get those scores.

I have no idea what to include. I'm pretty much at a loss so I might put off the application for now and try again later. After my day at the school board yesterday trying to get those scores I feel defeated.

Jamie - I'm sorry yesterday didn't go well. I hope today is a better day.

Sorry you had a hard time with your school. Sometimes they just don't get this stuff. Try to contact FERPA and see if they will help. You might want to contact some gifted organizations in your state/area to see if they have ideas.

Look at the qualifications for DYS. this states the minium scores to qualify. If you have the minium, I would consider that borderline. Look at the test results/report and see if you have everything listed. I went back to my tester to ask for broad scores on the WJIII and someone here calculated GIA on my IQ becuase what I recieved didn't this. Once calculated I then had the min. score required. When in doubt send it in.

Good Luck.

Oh our scores are a good bit above the minimum. I have everything listed except I can't get those raw scores. I have to have a portfolio. I'm just not sure what to add and am questioning if he's even a good fit.

If you want to add something think about where his passion is and see if you can show it. If it's Math he loves what has he done that is unique? Read some of the prior posts here too.

You can keep asking questions here. There are lots of wonderful helpful people.

Thanks onthegomom...I'll think about this and see what I can come up with.

opps

Jamie
i called the NY state dept of education from a number on their website and i got a FERPA "hotline" to ask about a ferpa issue. In my case the teacher claimed i could not come in to observe the class because it would be a violation of another child's FERPA rights to privacy. Which was total BS- they laughed at the hotline when i called it. I would at least make a call to your state and see what they might say. Also, i think that they might be saying no because you're doing it on phone and email (??).. have you tried writing a letter instead?
irene

I haven't tried writing a letter but I doubt they'd honor it. So there was a FERPA hotline through your state board of education? I'm off to search for that here.

Thanks!

I found a number to a national FERPA hotline so I called and left a message. I'll also contact the GT person at the state level.

Thanks!

go girl!

And I just got an email from a lady at the state board of education saying that they do in fact have to give me those scores and she told me to go back to the school board and give them her name and number if they give me trouble.

I'm not looking forward to the trip back there but hopefully it'll go better this time.

Thanks Dottie...and the rest of you! I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Please do!

Good Luck, Jamie B!

Good going, Jamie. Better luck with the school board this time.

Go, Jamie, go! Fingers (and toes) crossed for you- Now you have us and the state board in your corner. It is bound to work.

I'm so happy to say my DS9 has been accepted to DYS!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who helped. I got a lot of help here. So glad the waiting is over.

I'm so happy to say my DS9 has been accepted to DYS!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who helped. I got a lot of help here. So glad the waiting is over.

Congratulations!

Congratulations! What a wonderful news.

Woohoo! No big surprise to me, but woohoo!

Congratulations!

Congratulations onthegomom!!!! Wooohoooo

Yay, congratulations!!!!

Yay!!! Congratulations!

Way to go onthegomom!!!

Thanks so much for all the well wishes. It's so exciting and I can't really share it with many people except here. I only called my Mom and one girl friend. It feels really good to share this with all of you.

DH and I celebrated with chipolte(mexican) takeout. I loved the night off from cooking.

Thanks for sharing the good news!

Oh congratulations! I'm so happy for you and DS!

Now that is good news! Worth every minute you spent on that application.

Hooray! Congrats to you and your DS, onthegomom!

More congrats Onthegomom!!!!

After the troubles with getting DSs IQ scores I'd almost given up but decided to put a portfolio together and send it in and....

DS got in! What a great 30th birthday present for me

YAY!!!!! I was really glad that both of you who had applied with us the previous month did get in!

Congrats!!!

Great news!

Congratulations everyone!

Great! So happy for you and DS.

Hooray! Glad to hear the good news.

Yay! Congratulations, Jamie!
..and Happy Birthday!

Yay, Jamie's DS!

Congrats and thanks for sharing the good news!

Congratulations, Jamie B and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Congratulations OntheGoMom!

Thanks guys

Jamie,

I pm'ed you

Congratulations Jamie B and OTGmom!
What a relief!
Grinity

Congrats to the new DYS inductees!

I can't wait to hear the update on that school issue, too! (I've been lurking for awhile now. )

I have a question for you all. We are new to all of this, and we just found out last month that our ds (turned six yesterday) is in that >99.9% group. I think we've decided to go ahead and apply to the DYS program. What I'm wondering is if anyone knows if some children fail to qualify for DYS, even if their test scores are easily within the acceptable range.

When I look at those app. questions, and the fact that our ds has had all of two months of school (homeschool kindergarten!), I'm not sure what to put down for answers to the application questions. They seem to be for older children, or SUPER-DUPER advanced children who are doing chemistry in the basement at four. (Ours just brings red ants into the house for an ant farm, or turns the swimming pool into a frog "life cycle experiment.")

Congrats again to all!

I don't know much about it but I think that if they have qualifying scores that's a really good indication that they'll get in. My DS certainly isn't doing chemistry in the basement and because he's my only one I still think of a lot of the things that he does as "normal". Knowing what to include in the portfolio was harder for me than doing the application.

Congratulations Jamie!

Mom2MrQ don't let the application intimidate you. Yes, there were a few children who had both scores in the 99.9% and the parents were asked for more information (portfolio), but chances are quite good that your child will be accepted at the 1st attempt. Good luck.

We just went through this process a couple of months ago (testing in September, application in October, acceptance in November, starting to have access and such in December).

I was also extremely intimidated by the questionnaire. I did also see that some of those questions would be easier to answer for an older child. My advice is to simply start. Jot down some ideas. Dh and I did that, we had printed the questions and just took some notes. Once I started to actually type, it became easier. We just wanted to show a picture of who our Dd is; and once we got into that groove it was easy to go.

Thanks, Ladies. I didn't mean to hijack this thread!

He's our only child, so we deal with that "what is normal?" thing too.

I have kept a detailed journal on him since birth (though last year got so busy that it wasn't as detailed as it should have been), so maybe I could read through that and get some ideas. I'll have to start a list. Thanks so much for the advice.