Dmmetler Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Ours came today. DD did quite well overall, although it was obvious which test she took last. What do you do if you want to use EXPLORE scores to qualify for programs other than the one you tested with? She scored high enough to be eligible for some of the TIPS and NUMATS programs for older kids that I think would be a good fit for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 We got ours today too! I was very excited to see them because it helps me feel justified in homeschooling...that I am accomplishing something worthwhile. I should look at Davidson. His Explore scores certainly qualify but I don't actually think he's PG and I'm not sure what work I would send in to indicate PG. Brownie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 28, 2013 Author Share Posted March 28, 2013 DD qualifies for DITD based on EXPLORE as well. Right now, I'm focusing on some of the summer classes. One reason why we went ahead and had her do the EXPLORE this year is that there's NOTHING offered through TIPS until 5th grade locally, and some of them look good for her now. She got good scores even by 5th grade standards, especially in Math and English, so she's more than qualified for the classes that I think she'd like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Last year our son's Explore scores did get us to do further testing. We had information, so we had the WISC done by a student tester at the university. We were willing to spend the money here to get the information while I don't think we would have been willing to spend for a private IQ test. The Davidson public discussion boards have good information about testing and about what are good things to send in with a portfolio if you go that route. I believe to get qualified for CTY or NUMATS, you just need to send them a copy of the Explore scores. I think I've read that on FAQ's at both locations. Toss them an email and ask :) Classes are pricey though. We've done one CTY course. It was good, but we had to push our son some with it (more than I'd have liked). Congrats on scores! They are interesting to see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Congrats to all DCs on the great scores! The Davidson public discussion boards have good information about testing and about what are good things to send in with a portfolio if you go that route. I agree. You can also get portfolio examples here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Thanks! The examples are mostly for younger kids. I think it's easier to show precociousness with a younger child. DS is 10. Would pre-algebra count as advanced enough? He's 1/4 way through Saxon pre-alg as a 4th grader. Here that is not considered hugely advanced anymore in our ps. I have no idea what else I have that would be convincing...plus the issue with recommendations as a homeschooler. Writing is not his strength...I don't know that it would indicate 2 yrs advanced. Wish I could send in a video of him reading :) He reads voraciously, but even that gets less and less obvious as they get older. He read the Harry Potter series in kindergarten and in 4th grade he still does no read much beyond that level, because what would he read? Most books for entertainment aren't written beyond a 6th grade level and so many are inappropriate, so instead he just devours books, reading a couple thousand pages a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 28, 2013 Author Share Posted March 28, 2013 One concern I have with portfolio is that DD has moved most of her above grade level writing (things like her snake research in order to get a snake, or her ever growing novel) onto the computer, which makes it a lot less obvious that it was done by a 7-8 yr old than the stuff she did a year or more ago, which wasn't nearly as involved or long, but was pretty clearly written by a 6-7 yr old just based on handwriting. I do have math samples, but they're often convoluted, filling multiple pages. DD doesn't write much down, and when she does, it's for her benefit. She still tends to start in the middle of a page, and then, when she runs out of room, go over to the top. I do think it's worth pursuing now. One local mom here said that she wished she'd done it when her DD did the EXPLORE in 4th, because while her DD has the SAT scores, it's so much harder to show 2 years above grade level for a child moving into high school since so much of the sequencing is arbitrary. It's hard to say, for example, that an 8th grader working on chemistry is 2 years above grade level unless they're turning out college level lab work. I'm wondering if DD's piano teacher could do the recommendation form. DD definitely really shows the vocabulary and the thinking parts in her weekly lessons because she has 1-1 time with an adult (honestly, some of the connections DD's made in piano lessons are things that my college students usually don't make) , and the teacher has had DD since she was 4, so she's had 4 years of experience. But it's not a core academic class, so I'm not sure that's what they want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Now that I'm thinking about this, I've come up with a few ideas...but I'm still stuck on rec's. What do homeschoolers do about this? DS has no classes outside the home besides piano and trumpet, and I'm pretty sure they said they don't care about artistic stuff. Other activities aren't places you "show" your giftedness: sports, religion, scouts...and it would be awkward to ask a friend for a recommendation. They teach most of his outside the home activities! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 dmmetler, I think you're fine. They are not going to assume your dd did not do the work just bc it's typed. Also, a friend of mind applied for her son and he got in. She had sent in math doodles on a napkin. You description of your math sounds like just what they're looking for. A couple of ideas I had: A video of ds presenting his science fair board (just finished it today :) ) Something geography though I don't know what...a labelled map on which I time him? His Scratch program that models diffusion...don't know how to send that in. Maybe video of it running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattarrattat Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Now that I'm thinking about this, I've come up with a few ideas...but I'm still stuck on rec's. What do homeschoolers do about this? DS has no classes outside the home besides piano and trumpet, and I'm pretty sure they said they don't care about artistic stuff. Other activities aren't places you "show" your giftedness: sports, religion, scouts...and it would be awkward to ask a friend for a recommendation. They teach most of his outside the home activities! Recommendations from musict teacher/sport coach should just be fine. Congratulations to both of you on the kids' excellent scores! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 One thing that has struck me with the DITD folks is that they don't seem to focus on turning people away as much as trying to work with parents so that their kids really are a good fit for the YS program. So you may want to call or email them to ask if the portfolio ideas you have will be considered. They may be able to give you some good examples too. Their contact info: http://www.davidsong...act_Us_315.aspx Keep in mind when calling that depending on the season (I think spring, after Explore scores are out, is usually their busiest season) they usually put you on voice mail and respond about 2 working days later. Best of luck! ETA: one of my son's references was from his piano teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 One thing that has struck me with the DITD folks is that they don't seem to focus on turning people away as much as trying to work with parents so that their kids really are a good fit for the YS program. I know several people whose kids got turned down by DITD even though they are PG because of 2E issues. I don't think I would bother applying for my youngest child even if she had the test scores to qualify for that reason. The local events are open to siblings and I highly doubt that the organizers would kick our family out when the "official" DYS kids go off to college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2smartones Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Regarding DYS: First, I'd also heard that 2E kids are often turned down and/or asked to reapply. That didn't happen to us. My oldest was accepted on the first try, and he has a long list of documented 2E issues. We submitted psych reports, therapy reports, neurologist reports, etc. We haven't applied for my younger yet. So far, I haven't really gotten much from the DYS program, so I don't really see a point. Maybe I'll change my mind in a few years. I don't know. My younger is also 2E (to a lesser degree), but I don't think he'd have any problem getting accepted on the first try, either. Second, our recommendation was done by a woman at church who has known my son since he was born and has periodically taught him in religious settings. Third, we used a combination of WISC, WJ, and portfolio, because I'd heard it might be more difficult for a 2E child to get accepted (he had qualifying scores, but they were all over the place due to disabilities and asynchrony ... one subtest was extremely low). Because most of what he'd done was either oral or typed, we used videos to show what he knew and what he could do. They had no problem with that or the scores. I don't know if it's because the portfolio was well made or if it's because they simply took the scores without question. They didn't say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Oddly enough it was people who worked with my son at church creche who picked it up not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Our EXPLORE scores came today. Finally DS's abilities lined up with some focus and willingness to jump through this hoop and he did insanely well across the boards. I can't even tell what section(s) he did last (I usually can). The bad news is, we definitely should have moved to the SAT or ACT this spring. In that way, it's good info I guess. I have had data sets that were DYS worthy for DS, but full testing here is in the range of $1500-3000 and the single data points were never strong enough to the point it felt worth it to fill out the paper work and do references (actually, the references/evidence piece would be not a problem.) We have good social and academic opportunities here without DYS, so I haven't felt we needed it. Especially since we're homeschooling. I know people locally who've jumped through the hoops who say they haven't gotten that much out of it too. I think that can vary wildly on where you're at. We have a GT heavy community and our local GT community is extremely active to the point of having homeschooling co-op and chapter. I do think if you're going to try, trying younger is better, than trying older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Congrats on all the explore scores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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