Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment where to take ACT Explore?

This may be a very easy question, but may not be... Where did you let your kids take the ACT Explore test? We are planning it for my DD9 who is in 3rd grade, for the purpose of applying to DYS. CTY doesn't do Explore, it seems. Duke doesn't start till 4th grade, it seems. ACT website says that we need to do it through school district. But we don't want to interact with our school/school district unless it's unavoidable. I'm wondering how we get this done... Please share your experience. Thanks.

It depends on where you are located. My daughter took it on the campus of a local community college, through the University of Iowa's Belin-Blank center. But if you are not in or near IA, that might not be an option for you.

http://www2.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/Students/BESTS/Parents.aspx

--S.F.

Northwestern University's talent search organizes it as well.

They are no longer giving the Explore test. I believe Feb. 2014 was the last one.

http://www.act.org/products/k-12-act-explore/

http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/185064/2.html

Oh well, it's all very confusing. The ACT Explore site says that it will not be available after June, 2014. But it looks like there might not be test dates between now and June anyways...

So we will just wait for the Aspire to come out.

No we are not near Iowa. We'd happy to take the test at a center near us. What confused me is this: http://www.act.org/path/parent/tests/explore.html where it states "How do we sign up?
EXPLORE is ordered and administered by schools or school districts. Check with the guidance office at your school to see if EXPLORE is offered."

It has been administered by school districts as a grade-level test for 8th graders, but as an above-grade-level test for younger kids, it's been easiest to access through the regional talent searches.

Thanks again, everyone. The CTD doesn't have any more test dates. So we will just wait and see about Aspire (and what tests DYS will accept once Explore terminates).

Traditionally, most talent searches offer the Explore in January/February rather than year round so that they can compare the scores more meaningfully. However, I recall receiving info last year about the decision of some talent searches to offer the Explore again in May/June. It is possible that your DD may still have a chance to take it this year. Carnegie-Mellon allows 3rd graders but they are smaller so less likely to have added a May/June administration. Your best bet will probably be Northwestern or Belin-Blank. You don't need to live close to the college becasue they often have testing sites in many other states. We tested through Carnegie-Mellon and Belin-Blank and we are not in PA or Iowa. Just google for the portal to their sites and email the contact person as necessary.