Hi Mommy2myEm,
We are not in JHU CTY region either, but each of my kids has signed up for their talent search at one time or other. Then they took the SCAT through a local testing center (still 3 hrs away!). They all enjoyed the test, which really took less than an hour--with breaks.
ebeth,
The EXPLORE is used by both Duke TIP and Rocky Mt (our region), but there is not test center in my state. We drove to a neighboring state (3 hrs) that had a registered test center for my kids to take it. If your state doesn't have a test center, you might look for nearby states that do have it OR go to the school district or university and see if they would become a test center (I have had NO success with this, but have asked nonetheless). The really frustrating thing is that all the 8th & 9h graders in my town!!! take the EXPLORE, but the district is not registered as a test center so my talent search kids can't sign up through the district. The EXPLORE takes longer--about 2.5 hrs with a break and it's definitely harder--a mini ACT.
