Minimum test score for Sidwell Pre-K?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Read to your child. Play with them. Talk to them.

You call this gaming the WPPSI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC was 98% -- rejected.

All schools applied, or just Sidwell. Given the number of applicants to Sidwell this does not surprise me. I am sure that there are more than 22 kinds in the applicant pool with test score in the high 90%. We plan to apply to Sidwell (our second choice), but we are prepared for a rejection since the numbers make it more likely - no parent should take a Sidwell rejection as a personal matter - its a simple supply and demand game.

[Anonymous]

Our child scored 98th % and was accepted at our 3rd choice school last year. One of his classmates scored 97th % and was accepted at his 5th choice school. It seems that most of the kids applying to these schools have scores above 90th%. So, no, good test scores do not guarantee a spot at your 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd choice school.

[Anonymous]

14:37 - My son was rejected at Sidwell and waitlisted at Beauvoir and GDS. We didn't apply to any others so he is at his preschool another year and we're trying again-same three plus Maret.

[Anonymous]

the percentile scores aren't the only part of the WPPSI report, tho - there is the narrative that the tester writes about the child's interaction with him/her (e.g., was there trouble separating from the parent). so am just wondering - the kids who scored 97th and above but were rejected, did they also get a positive write-up about social aspects? (yes, all of this is maddening!)

[Anonymous]

To answer the PP, the narrative for our child was excellent. The tester's write-up had nothing negative in it. It was extremely postitive in fact. We have no reason to believe that the rec's from his preschool would've contained anything unusual as the teachers/director raved about him to us. We inquired about the play visits afterwards and received positive feedback from each of the schools.

My feeling is that there are just many, many well-qualified applicants for very few actual openings at these schools.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the last poster, this is the only conclusion that we can all come to (and what the schools tell us, as well). There just aren't that many spots ...and when it comes down to those last few who knows what tips the scale in another child's favor given all else equal (test scores, etc.)? It would be fascinating to hear from someone who has actually sat on an admissions committee to get insight on what the discussions are like. But I suspect that in the end it might come down to splitting hairs...

[Anonymous]

Here is a link that is helpful in terms of understanding the relative rarity of different IQ scores:

http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/IQtable.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is a link that is helpful in terms of understanding the relative rarity of different IQ scores:

http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/IQtable.aspx

Wow, so a child with a 99 percentile IQ can have a numberical score anywhere between 135 - 202. This is quite a range, no wonder ever kid in DC is in the 99th percentile. I have seen sample WPPSI reports and the percentile are in whole numbers. Does the actual reports go out to the 10th decimal place?

[Anonymous]

News flash: not every kid in this area scores in the 99th percentile. Please be a little sensitive to those of us who aren't the parents of "little geniuses."

[Anonymous]

Interesting article in today's WSJ gets to the PP's point: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120304710927870965.html?mod=weekend_journal_secondary_hs

"This year marks the 25th publication anniversary of Howard Gardner's "Frames of Mind," detailing his influential theory of multiple intelligences ("MI theory," to devotees). According to Mr. Gardner, intelligence is not limited to proficiency in math and language. There are other, neglected intelligences people might harbor: bodily-kinesthetic, musical, spatial, interpersonal (the ability to interact well with people) and intrapersonal (knowing oneself)."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a link that is helpful in terms of understanding the relative rarity of different IQ scores:

http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/IQtable.aspx

Wow, so a child with a 99 percentile IQ can have a numberical score anywhere between 135 - 202. This is quite a range, no wonder ever kid in DC is in the 99th percentile. I have seen sample WPPSI reports and the percentile are in whole numbers. Does the actual reports go out to the 10th decimal place?

I believe each component was scored to one decimal point. The report also gives an overall score, which I supopse is an effort to measure IQ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:News flash: not every kid in this area scores in the 99th percentile. Please be a little sensitive to those of us who aren't the parents of "little geniuses."

PP, I am really sorry, I was not trying to be insensitive. I was just surprised at the range of scores that puts one in the 99th percentile. I think that this deomonstrates that getting 99 does not make one a "little genius".

[Anonymous]

Again, a vast misunderstanding of the test and percentiles. 99% is just that. Your child is in the top 1% of the nation per age per test. Yes, within that 1% there is a range of so called genius or near genius. But the score is not 99 (as in a raw number). There are a disproportionate number of children in DC who are in the top 1% of the nation on the test, but they are still in the top 1% of the nation. Pretty darn good. And something the parents need to think about as they think about schools (i.e. if public will want to check out the gifted programs, etc.) Yes, there are many forms of intellect, but for all intents and purposes what the test measures is largely what school, SATs eventually , etc. measure too.

[Anonymous]

Further, there are no "numerical scores" a 99% on the test translates to an IQ of roughly 132 to considerably above. Highly gifted to extreme genius within that 1%.