What exactly is the Midwest Academic Talent Search (Formerly Midwest Talent Search)?
MATS is a vehicle through which bright 7th- and 8th-grade students (and, in some circumstances, 6th-graders) in Wisconsin can take the ACT or SAT I tests. These are the same tests designed to assess 11th- and 12th-graders’ potential for college-level work. Bright 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-graders (and 3rd graders that score in the 97th percentile) can take the EXPLORE test which was created by the American College Testing service, the same organization that developed the ACT. Normally given to 8th-graders, the test serves to remove the ceiling these younger students have reached on in-grade achievement tests and show their true potential for academic learning. To participate in MATS, students must score at the 95th percentile or above on a nationally normed, standardized achievement test. Students who score at such high ranges on these standardized tests have often reached the “ceiling” on these tests. This means their potential for learning beyond grade level is not being measured thus maki
