I just want to add some data (factual information) to avoid parents being scared off. Many of these tests are not as onerous as you may assume. My kids have taken SCAT, Explore and SAT. Explore and SAT are not talent search dependent, meaning that you take the same test regardless of which talent search or lack thereof and you can be sitting in the same testing center with people signed up through different talent searches.
Explore is exactly 2 hours long and 100% multiple choice. There are 4 sections of 30 minutes each. You are supposed to have only one break, which shouldn't be more than 5 to 10 minutes long. The preliminaries (handling out materials, instructions) may take another 10 minutes or so. It is possible that some people arrive an hour early and hang around afterwards but it is not necessary. My kids were in the building only about 2 1/2 hours total each time they took the Explore. They were 8 years old (3rd grade) the first time and did not have any trouble. To put it in perspective, state testing for 3rd graders was as long and required actual writing.
Even the SAT is not that bad. The actual test is exactly 3 hours and 45 minutes long (including the 25 minutes experimental section). However, there are three 5 minute breaks and the preliminaries can take another 15-30 minutes so the actual "sit down" time is more like 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours. Because the administration can be huge with hundreds of test takers at one location who will need to be herded to the right location, you should plan to add another 30 minutes before start time. We did not try to go early so DS was at the school, including waiting in line outside the building for about 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 hours.
The SCAT is unlikely to be stressful. It is less than 1 hours of testing with an optional 5 minute break between the two sections. It is all on the computer and completely multiple choice. DS completed the whole test in less than 30 minutes.
The Explore is meant for entering 8th graders as the norms are for Fall 8th grade. The SCAT has several levels so the material can be 2 years or 3 years above level depending on your grade. The SCAT is interesting because it can measure either ability or achievement. In the math sections, the questions can be answered based on number sense and logic without actually solving the problems, which would measure ability. However, a kid who has gone through the math curriculum can also easily apply learned algorithms to solve the problems, which would measure achievement.
My point is not to be intimidated by these tests and present them to your kids as more than what they are. Kids need to know that the tests are likely to have some hard questions but that it is also no big deal regardless of how they perform.
Last edited by Quantum2003; 01/18/16 10:33 AM. Reason: Corrected SAT duration to add experimental section & double checked DS there less than 5 hours.
