Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Testing Cost, $600+ Where to take the test

Link to ACT's current webpage on the Explore test: http://www.act.org/products/k-12-act-explore/. Looks like the replacement test will be Aspire, a longitudinal test for students in grade 3 through grade 8.

Keep in mind you don't have to do both the IQ and achievement tests in one sitting. You might do one, wait and make sure the results are what you'd hoped, then decide when you can afford to do the other. University testing is probably a good start, because $600 isn't a bad cost for private testing.

If you want cognitive and achievement to be interpretable together (in a learning disability or neuropsychological context), though, don't wait more than six months between their administrations, as that will affect the reliability of between-test comparisons.

If private testing is prohibitive, then you can use an achievement test like the SAT and a portfolio.

I would begin with the school. Some public schools will do iq testing when there is reasonable consideration that a student is well beyond age peers in ability.

She is 6 and the low cost test like ACT/SAT or EXPLORE will not be a good fit right now :-).


I guess that she is in 1st grade now. How's her reading and Math level? Is she doing at least > 2 grades above (3rd or 4th, etc)? What's her interest? Is the school not being challenged enough?

If the school is a good fit, I would wait until she gets a little older to be able to take like EXPLORE (that costs <$40) through talent search. (EXPLORE may go away for good in a few years but hopefully there will be a new test (for 3rd to 6th grade level) before the kids are old enough to take SAT/ACT).

If she is reading at middle school level and doing multiple digit multiplication, I would encourage for you to talk to the school and the school district to see if they can give IQ test or achievement test for your grand daughter.

And you can submit it along with a portfolio (the video of her talking/explaining something she is passionate about whether it be a book or scince stuff, her math work sample (at least 2 grades above her age peers, etc....).

Good luck!

I notice that she was tested already by the school system. What tests was she administered? Besides STAR.

Link to ACT's current webpage on the Explore test: http://www.act.org/products/k-12-act-explore/. Looks like the replacement test will be Aspire, a longitudinal test for students in grade 3 through grade 8.

I have not seen Aspire to be a component of any Talent search (CTY, TIP, NUMAT) yet and not on DYS list.

Well, this is the 1st year of implementing and it may be something like SCAT for CTY. 2nd grader taking 4th grade Aspire, etc....Hopefully, it will work out and give us low cost option for achievement testing.