Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Please help parse these scores!

My DS6 recently completed the WISC-IV and WIAT-III. Here are the highlights (all the subscores are at the bottom of the post):

FSIQ: 139
GAI: 143
Total Math: 160
Total achievement: 144

It seems to me that he might be a good candidate for DYS based on math achievement, though he doesn’t quite make the cut on IQ. We have some possible portfolio items, but perhaps not with the necessary wow factor.

Forum experts: Is it worth applying to DYS? And more importantly, what other insights can you glean from the scores below?

Many thanks!
Ultralight Hiker


WIAT-III (age-based scores… 6 years, 8 months)
Oral Language: 125 (95 th %tile)
Total Reading: 140 (99.6 th %tile)
Basic Reading: 146 (99.9th %tile)
Written Expression: 133 (99 th %tile)
Mathematics: 160 (99.9th %tile)
Math Fluency: 132 (98 th %tile)
Total Achievement: 144 (99.8th %tile)

WISC-IV
FSIQ: 139
GAI: 143

Similarities 16
Vocabulary 17
Comprehension 13
VCI – 132 (98 th %tile)

Block Design 16
Picture Concepts 15
Matrix Reasoning 18
PCI – 139 (99 th %tile)

Digit Span 13
Letter-Number Sequencing 17
Arithmetic (subbed for digit span) 18
WMI – 144 (99 th %tile)

Coding 10
Symbol search 12
PSI – 106 (66th %tile)

Ok, we've decided to just go for it and apply to DYS for DS6! (see his scores in the above post). A few questions...

1. On the WAIT-iii, DS got a total math score of 160, the maximum score. But his raw score was something like 7 points above the threshold for scoring a 160 at his age. Should I point things like this out, or should I assume that they will look at raw scores too?

2. DS had only 3-4 hours sleep the night before his IQ test, but the tester did not notice fatigue. Is this worth mentioning? His scores fell just shy of the DYS minimum (GAI 143).

3. For the portfolio, I am going to submit his 3rd grade math tests and a few math-y things from home. I'm assuming its ok for his portfolio to just focus on math, since that's his area of greatest strength. Or, should I aim for a more well-rounded portfolio?

Thanks!
Ultralight Hiker

Well, are going to send in our DYS application for DS6 today! Hopefully the achievement score that is 1 std dev beyond the cutoff will compensate for the wisc gai that is 2 pts below the cutoff. I think the portfolio is pretty solid too.

Edit: The gifted wiki (I have no idea who maintains this) says this of the DYS application procedure: "If both IQ and achievement scores have been obtained and one is almost but not quite above the cutoff, a lesser portfolio showing might be required." http://www.giftedwiki.org/index.php...lio#Discussions_on_DYS_portfolio_shtml_0

We decided not to mention that DS got only 4 hrs sleep prior to the wisc, as the tester did not notice fatigue. We are proud of his scores and don't want to make excuses.

Wish him (us) luck!
UL.H.

good luck!

Glad to hear you are sending in the application. No matter what the results you have an unusually gifted kid.

Good luck!

I have no insights to offer regarding scores or applications, but wanted to wish you good luck....sounds like your son is truly exceptional, even on 4 hours of sleep!

DS6 was accepted to DYS! Woo-hoo.

Congrats!

Sweet!