Duke TIP Explore test

[Scarlett]

Has anyone's child taken this test as a 6th grader?

 

I just can't decide if I want to have ds11 do this. Did you believe it was beneficial for your 6th grader (5th) grader to take it?

[Sukale]

My dd took the test last Saturday and I go tonight to pick up her scores. She was asked to take the test because her other (end of year) test scores were so high. I decided I would let her take it to help us see what level she is. I don't want to stress her out by giving her too advanced classes but I don't want her to be bored either.

[deacongirl]

Yes, it was beneficial.

[Ailaena]

Definitely beneficial. It gives you a chance to really see where weaknesses are and it gives them exposure to and practice with what may one day be an important test.

 

You don't have to take the Explore, you can go straight to the ACT/SAT, and you do NOT have to do the essay portion for either one. Actually, that info is as of last year, so you may want to double check the SAT essay if you want to go that route.

[Scarlett]

Definitely beneficial. It gives you a chance to really see where weaknesses are and it gives them exposure to and practice with what may one day be an important test.

 

You don't have to take the Explore, you can go straight to the ACT/SAT, and you do NOT have to do the essay portion for either one. Actually, that info is as of last year, so you may want to double check the SAT essay if you want to go that route.

 

I have a friend whose dd took the ACT as a 7th grader....I don't want to have ds do that until he does the Explore first.

 

I think I've been too lax with ds the last couple of years....need to get back into pushing him a little harder on academics.

[cjzimmer1]

We did the Explore for a couple of years and now do the the ACT. We've never done any standardized testing so it was nice to get a feel for where he was at (even if it was comparing to other advanced students of the same age). Also by doing them year after year, I have been able to see his weaknesses and strengths. While I was aware of both of them, I never realized the degree of each and find I'm better able to modify things when I can see where specific work is needed. It's also gratifying when you see a nice jump in the weak areas.

[Scarlett]

Thank you all. I am going to sign him up for the one in January. I have a hard time with this kid sometimes because I feel he doesn't understand his potential and how easy it is to waste said potential.

[abbeyej]

Meh. It was fine. I didn't find it particularly revelatory, but ds took it in 5th and 6th grades along with friends, so it was a pleasant experience. I don't know if it was particularly "worthwhile" though.

[Scarlett]

Meh. It was fine. I didn't find it particularly revelatory, but ds took it in 5th and 6th grades along with friends, so it was a pleasant experience. I don't know if it was particularly "worthwhile" though.

 

Thanks Abbey.

 

Those of you with kids taking it....are your kids gifted?

 

I just received ds's K12 Scantron results....99 percentile in Math and Reading. :001_huh:

[abbeyej]

Thanks Abbey.

 

Those of you with kids taking it....are your kids gifted?

 

I just received ds's K12 Scantron results....99 percentile in Math and Reading. :001_huh:

 

Usually the reason 5th and 6th graders take it is because they had grade-level testing in the 95th-99th percentile. When ds took Explore, it was through TIP as well. I think you may actually get slightly different info in the score reports based on the regional program (TIP, CTY, etc) you use.

 

We already did out-of-level ITBS + CogAT testing, so maybe that's why I was unimpressed with the information from Explore. I just didn't think it gave me much info I didn't already have.

[seraphina]

My oldest ds took the test in 6th grade. He loved it because it was the first time he took a test that was actually challenging. He has since taken the ACT and SAT and says it helped him and I think it did because he was prepared and didn't freak out that he didn't know every answer. Pretty sure the explore test is meant for kids testing at the top percentile of the age group, it gives a better overview since they usually hit the ceiling on grade level tests.

[Sun]

Thanks Abbey.

 

Those of you with kids taking it....are your kids gifted?

 

I just received ds's K12 Scantron results....99 percentile in Math and Reading. :001_huh:

 

The point of taking an out-of-level test is to allow enough head room for different levels of ability and/or knowledge to show. On a grade-level test, the 99th percentile will have a whole group of kids who test at that level. When that same group of kids tests on an out-of-level test, the differences in their performance can become obvious, though they all looked the same on the ITBS (or other grade-level test). One child may test at the 23rd %ile, one, may test at the 48th %ile, one may test at the 75th%ile, one may test at the 90th, and one may land at the 99th again. Some of these scores seem low, but remember out-of-level tests are usually normed against the grade level for which they're designed (though I think out-of-level norms have been developed for EXPLORE---but these are based on the kids who take the tests and they are generally far above average). This range of percentiles/scores is possible because the test is above grade level, and the kids' scores aren't capped by a grade-level assessment's limits (generally presenting material only up to that grade level or a year or so beyond). Thus, it's possible to see more exactly how advanced a child is relative to others.

[Scarlett]

The point of taking an out-of-level test is to allow enough head room for different levels of ability and/or knowledge to show. On a grade-level test, the 99th percentile will have a whole group of kids who test at that level. When that same group of kids tests on an out-of-level test, the differences in their performance can become obvious, though they all looked the same on the ITBS (or other grade-level test). One child may test at the 23rd %ile, one, may test at the 48th %ile, one may test at the 75th%ile, one may test at the 90th, and one may land at the 99th again. Some of these scores seem low, but remember out-of-level tests are usually normed against the grade level for which they're designed (though I think out-of-level norms have been developed for EXPLORE---but these are based on the kids who take the tests and they are generally far above average). This range of percentiles/scores is possible because the test is above grade level, and the kids' scores aren't capped by a grade-level assessment's limits (generally presenting material only up to that grade level or a year or so beyond). Thus, it's possible to see more exactly how advanced a child is relative to others.

 

That explanation makes sense, BUT the K12 Scantron is suppose to be an adaptive test...hmmm....but as I am typing this I see that even though it is adaptive it still tops out.

[Hoggirl]

I have a friend whose dd took the ACT as a 7th grader....I don't want to have ds do that until he does the Explore first.

 

I think I've been too lax with ds the last couple of years....need to get back into pushing him a little harder on academics.

 

My ds did the ACT in 7th grade without having taken the Explore test. I just didn't see the need to do the Explore test. Maybe part of it was that it was not given locally and would have required about an hour and thirty minute drive to get to a place where it was administered. Ds did great on the ACT in 7th grade!

[higginszoo]

My dd and ds did the Explore in 3rd and 4th grades with RMTS and in 4th and 5th with Duke TIP. Ds did the ACT in 7th with TIP. The EXPLORE scores were more helpful with dd than with ds as far as determining strengths and weaknesses. Ds still kind of ceilinged out (got top 10% in both -- did in the ACT, too, but the scores were still more helpful). Dd hit the mode score for her grade level in almost every category, which told us that she's completely normal for a top 5% kid. Ds we found out is unusual even among a peer group, but other than offering us $3,500 summer camp opportunities (thankfully, it's within driving distance, not that we could afford to plunk that down on one kid), TIP itself hasn't been much help.