Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment PSAT 8/9

Apparently, I should read upthread before diving in...

I just took a look at the NUMATS test selection criteria, and it would appear that the %iles that they use for test selection are grade-level %iles (such as on school-administered MAP, Terra Nova, CogAT, etc.). So unless a student has prior talent search data, they pretty much recommend that all 3-6th graders take the PSAT, but that some particularly high-scoring 6th graders have the option of the SAT. For 6th grade, the only students for which the SAT is preferentially recommended are those who have 5th grade Explore results that are sufficiently high.

I am going to speculate that they use Explore results because they have internal data on how that population typically performs on the SAT vs the PSAT.

What AEH explained regarding better accuracy away from the tail end is one important reason to take the SAT over its lesser siblings. Another reason is that you will be able to access better comparison stats since more students, including talent search kids, take the SAT. Still another reason is your DS will get practice with a test that will actually matter and that he will actually take for college admission. The PSAT 8/9 is basically a shorter version of the SAT with many of the hardest questions left out. You will get feedback on your DS' stamina and abilities with the hardest questions. When DS tried some SAT sections (unofficially) at ages 9-11, he didn't necessarily missed level 5 ( hardest) questions.