Has anyone done aptitude testing with their children?

[stacyh270]

We are considering having our DS (9th grade) take an aptitude test at Johnson O'Connor Research in Atlanta this coming summer.  We are hoping it will give us better clarity on what path we need to take with his homeschooling as well as illuminate him on careers that he is best wired for.  However, my concern is whether or not these tests (or this particular test center) truly yield enough to justify the cost and travel expenses (it's 5 hours from here and would require and overnight stay).  

Has anyone done these tests with their children and did you feel like it was worth it?  Did you or your child learn something valuable?

[imeverywoman]

Yes! We did this with our son prior to him beginning his university studies and it was money well spent! Feel free to contact me for more info if you'd like.  I highly recommend it, and in fact, I do recommend it to all of my students' parents.

Kindly,

Lisa :)

[Momto6inIN]

We had our oldest DS do some career/aptitude testing with a center in Indianapolis and it was totally worthwhile! But they specified that the student needed to be at least 16 and a junior in high school or they wouldn't test them because the results were not likely to be accurate, so you might want to look into that.

Also, the student needs to be able to hear some potentially tough things about themselves - they don't pull punches with your weaknesses and what you're *not* suited for as well as telling you what your strengths are and what you are suited for - which a less mature student might have difficulty with.

Nothing they told him would have changed our hs'ing at all. I require what I require and he would have spent his free time on his interests regardless. But it did open him up to some career possibilities he had never considered, which was great.

[shelleysboys]

So I also wanted to ask about this! 

I have been reading Launch by Jeannie Burlouski (great book!)  and she recommends aptitude testing using the following:  "Strong Profile, College Edition and Strong and MBTI Career Report." (page 141 in her book)  I think that is a combination of three tests:  The Meyers Briggs, Strong Interest Inventory and Strength Finder 2.0. 

So my question is that I too had found the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation and was wondering what would be better.  They each cost enough money that I think we would only do one.  Opinions on which aptitude tests to take?

[Farrar]

The MBTI has been so discredited scientifically though. Actual psychologists know it's a joke. I would be hesitant to invest any money in something based around the Myers-Briggs.

I don't know about with aptitude testing specifically, but I think the primary benefit that people see after taking these unscientific personality tests is really about taking the time to reflect on yourself, your motivations, your habits, etc. - which is totally time worth spending and has benefits. The categories themselves are meaningless. I'd feel funny if someone told my kid he couldn't be... a dancer or a programmer or a business owner or whatever because he was an ESFJ or an INTJ or whatever because those things don't mean anything.

(Braces self, because I know people are really, really attached to their MBTI types.)

[Lori D.]

Agreeing with previous posters that the older the student, the more accurate a career assessment will be -- the more life experience gained and the more opportunities to be exposed to many different things. JMO -- 9th grade is very very young to have enough of the "raw material" (lol) to provide really meaningful results. I went to a professional career counselor when I was in my mid-20s (tests were the then-version of what is now the Strong Profile, the MBTI, plus one other assessment that I can't now recall).

What you might consider doing is some broad, general career exploration throughout all of high school, to give your student exposure to many different types of occupations, and spend the money on career testing in the senior year, right before your student heads off to college.

In case you'd like to explore further, there are a number of past threads with ideas for career exploration and doing career assessments during high school, located at the bottom of PAGE 6 of the thread "College Motherlode", pinned at the top of the College Board. The past thread "Career Testing/Counseling" has links to a lot of resources.

BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[Penelope]

I think ninth grade is young, too. I am sure altitude testing can be useful for some ninth graders, but depending on the tests and advice, I think it can be harmful to label a young student. I wouldn’t want to give limiting ideas about self to a person who is still growing and changing so much. 

[Guest2]

We did this exact testing my my DD2 after her ninth grade ( she was 16- so a bit older than usual).  I think the aptitude portion of the test is useful now as well as the assesment of how the student solves problems.  I didn't find the interest surveys to be that helpful as imo they depend on mood and what kind of day they are having, ect.

Was it helpful? Yes - the aptitude ruled out a career field she was considering( JO didn't rule it out, my DD2 did)  In general, we already knew she was gifted in certain ( and extremely weak in other) areas, and that did reinforce the belief.  If your son has any learning difficulites, those will not be taken into consideration, and the recommendations may be way off.  I do think it helps kids to take ownership of their future.   If you do decide to do it this year, you can come back within the year to discuss more and it is included in the price.  If it were my son, I might  wait a year and try to get him volunteering in different things he might be interested in currently.  Life experience will definitely him him decide what he doesn't want to do. 

 

[stacyh270]

Thanks everyone! Sorry I didn't get back sooner to reply (busy weekend). Lots of very good info here and definitely some things to consider if we decide to go forward with the testing this summer.  My SIL is interested in in for her two HSers and we thought we could travel together to the testing site (since it's 5 hours from here).  However, her oldest will be a senior next  year so she'd probably at a good point for it whereas my son and the other cousin are both just going to be 10th graders. 

Maybe I'll see if she'll take her oldest and we can see how that goes before deciding on when to take our son.