What tests are used to identify exceptional talent?
The measuring instruments for NUMATS are the ACT, SAT and EXPLORE tests. The ACT and SAT, even though typically taken by high school juniors and seniors for college application requirements, have been found through 20 years of experience using them with younger students, to be appropriate for those students who are achieving at high levels in their schools. The EXPLORE test was developed by the American College Testing Corporation for typical 8th graders to determine their knowledge in the areas of math, reading, language and science reasoning, but is helpful used with students in elementary and intermediate grades who achieve at high levels. Students eligible for NUMATS take the ACT (grades 6-9), SAT (grades 6-8) or EXPLORE (grades 3-6) test through Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search and receive scoring information that helps them to interpret the results relative to their age (rather than just in comparison to high school juniors and seniors for the ACT/SAT).
