Dear Dr. Courtright, My daughter was recently able to take the ACT as a part of the Duke TIP program. Her results came back, and she was placed in the 99th percentile among the other tested Duke TIP students in reading, 81st percentile in English, and mid 50s for math and science. Following the recommendations from the Duke TIP resources regarding interpreting scores, I met with the school counselor, principal, and English head. All seem to be extremely hesitant about allowing my daughter to … [Read more...] about Ask the Experts: Mixed Test Results and Acceleration
ACT
How Will They Do in High School?
One of the most common questions that parents and educators ask when they receive their seventh grade students' above level test scores from either the SAT or ACT as part of talent search participation is this: How much better will students do on this test in high school when they take it again? … [Read more...] about How Will They Do in High School?
Above-Level Tests Identify Extraordinary Academic Potential
Do extremely high test scores identify individuals who will grow up to achieve extraordinary accomplishments? This is the broad question asked in a collaboration between Duke TIP and researchers from Vanderbilt University who led the longitudinal Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY). The study also assessed whether test scores identified different types of academic promise and whether outcomes from Duke TIP participants would be similar to outcomes from SMPY participants. … [Read more...] about Above-Level Tests Identify Extraordinary Academic Potential
Above-Level Testing
Above-level tests are a part of most talent search models that help gifted students identify their academic strengths. Students who participate in above-level testing take assessments earlier than the tests were designed to be administered. For example, a fourth, fifth, or sixth grade student can take the ACT EXPLORE®, which is designed for eighth graders, or seventh grade students can take the SAT or ACT, which are designed for high school juniors and seniors as college entrance exams. When you … [Read more...] about Above-Level Testing
Test Advantages Found in Males and in Females
Thirty years ago, researchers published what was to become an extremely controversial finding: 12-year-old males were 13 times as likely as females to score over 700 on the SAT-Math, putting them at the top 0.01% (one in ten thousand) in mathematical ability. The controversy was in part about whether these differences were the result of nature (biology/genetics) or of nurture (socialization). The debate has continued throughout the past 30 years. … [Read more...] about Test Advantages Found in Males and in Females
What Does It Mean to Be Gifted?
Successful intelligence is being able to take advantage of one’s strengths, compensate for one’s weaknesses. Successfully intelligent people can adapt, shape, and select their environment to best suit their needs and goals. This perspective may be a useful reference when considering what can be done for gifted kids beyond their school curriculum. … [Read more...] about What Does It Mean to Be Gifted?
ACT and SAT: Optional?
Will universities stop requiring students to submit an SAT or ACT score as part of their application? Some universities are finding that scores on these tests are poor predictors of collegiate success. … [Read more...] about ACT and SAT: Optional?
Test Prep Courses: Helpful or Hype?
Kaplan, Sylvan, Peterson, and Princeton Review are just a few of the companies offering test prep courses for the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT Assessment. As students aspire to get into the college or university of their choice, many resort to such courses in the hope of gaining a competitive edge by raising their scores. Although the SAT and the ACT differ in format, most test prep courses focus on test-taking strategies and skills related to writing and grammar, critical reading, and advanced … [Read more...] about Test Prep Courses: Helpful or Hype?
Should 7th Graders Take SAT or ACT Prep Courses?
Qualifying for a seventh-grade talent search, such as the one offered by Duke University or Johns Hopkins University, is a distinct honor. At the same time, taking either the SAT or the ACT—tests designed for college-bound high school students—at the age of 12 or 13 can be daunting and anxiety-provoking for both student and parent. … [Read more...] about Should 7th Graders Take SAT or ACT Prep Courses?