Early SAT testing for EPGY

[Matryoshka]

I had discounted doing this for a couple of reasons - one is that even if one qualified, it just seemed to give access to online classes that cost me a lot (there are lots of great online classes that cost a lot).

 

The other was that I wasn't even sure if my older two were really high level enough to bother - I think someone said they want a score of 95th percentile on a regular standardized test to qualify to take them (but can you sign up anyway)? One of hovers just around that number (on the Stanford), the other hovers around 90th. (That's another concern - what if one qualified and one didn't - they're twins - oy, the potential fallout)

 

Anyhow, I'm thinking of sending them to public high school, and someone just told me that if they go there and for any reason the high school doesn't offer a course at a certain level, they have to pay for EPGY. Now I can see how it would possibly be worthwhile...:tongue_smilie:

 

So, two questions - is it too late to even do this (they're entering 8th this fall), and is it even worth it to bother since their Stanford scores aren't all that stratospheric anyway (and I'm not sure they're going to run out of courses anyway - that's more of a concern for my younger dd who's more accelerated in math)?

[matilda]

Have you checked with the high school to see what math classes they do offer? You can probably project from where your dd is right now to guess if she will run out of classes before the end of high school.

 

I would say worry about this when if comes up. If they are in 8th, you have a lot of wiggle room before you worry about running out of high school classes. Plus, the scores of a SAT test you take now may not be accepted when you need the score in 4 years.

[Crimson Wife]

You can do a parent nomination if you feel that they may be gifted. It does cost $37 per child for CTY to apply plus either $49 per child for the SAT or $34 per child for the ACT.

[Matryoshka]

I would say worry about this when if comes up. If they are in 8th, you have a lot of wiggle room before you worry about running out of high school classes.

 

Yeah, I don't think they'll run out of math classes. Foreign language classes, yes, but I don't think EPGY offers upper level foreign language classes, and I think the ps is cool with letting them do independent study for post-AP classes. I'm wondering what other kinds of classes they do offer - don't think it's all math and tech? - don't like to close any doors. But I also don't want to jump through hoops if there's no point.

 

Plus, the scores of a SAT test you take now may not be accepted when you need the score in 4 years.

The 7th grade SAT scores, from what I understand, are used to determine eligibility for the EPGY (and other distance gifted programs?) - I thought they didn't count if they took them any later than 7th - what prompted this is someone saying to me enthusiastically "oh, you should have them take the SATs for EPGY, then the school will pay for classes through them" and saying I had from 5th to 8th to take them. Still not sure if that's true - but it made me think maybe I should double check what the deal was with this.

 

For college, you'd take the SAT again at the right time.

[Matryoshka]

You can do a parent nomination if you feel that they may be gifted. It does cost $37 per child for CTY to apply plus either $49 per child for the SAT or $34 per child for the ACT.

 

But with those scores, do you think it's worth it? I have a narrower definition of "gifted" than seems to be current these days - when I think of it more of what people define "profoundly gifted". But then I have to remind myself that the great majority of the kids in the gifted programs are what I would think of as "bright". I don't want to sell my kids short - but is 90th and barely 95th percentile enough to jump through these hoops, and are these classes worth it if I do? I used to always get 98-99th percentile on those tests, and didn't ever think of myself as gifted, just smart, so my frame of reference is skewed. :tongue_smilie:

[matilda]

but is 90th and barely 95th percentile enough to jump through these hoops

 

It is dependent on the test where they got these scores, so hard to answer.

 

http://epgy.stanford.edu/applyandregister/appl_materials.html

 

According to this, you could just take the PSAT or the SAT when you knew that you were actually going to need it.