Parents are not always honest about their kids' accomplishments.

[Anonymous]

Agree with pp that there probably are lots of 99% kids in DC. Also agree with some that the numbers look skewed because people post repeatedly on DCUM, including their child's scores when its relevant to the topic.

For those of you doubting the validity of the WPPSI, does it seem less skewed if, say, 10 parents of kids entering pre-K note their child scored in the 99th percentile, but just happen to do so in several threads so it appears in 20 or 30 separate posts?

Maybe a tester could enlighten us as to what percentage of kids they get are scoring like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But if norming IS the case, what is the knowledge base that these kids possess? Could it be that the sampling used for norming consists of kids who are not THAT bright, thereby making it easier and easier to hit that 99th percentile?

the sampling used is enormous for this test. Same for the height/weight charts you cited. so the number you get from each is in fact an accurate comparison of one child relative to thousands and thousands of children, assuming correct testing conditions, at the time the test is given.

Someone earlier said that there are so many 99s in DC, and in NYC, because of the type of people who move here and eventually reproduce. But not just the offspring of surgeons take this test -- it's administered to all sorts of kids nationwide for all sorts of reasons in addition to school admissions. I for one am comfortable believing there really ARE a lot of 99 kids in this city, and perhaps fewer in other cities.

I do think however, that the testers fudge a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with pp that there probably are lots of 99% kids in DC. Also agree with some that the numbers look skewed because people post repeatedly on DCUM, including their child's scores when its relevant to the topic.

For those of you doubting the validity of the WPPSI, does it seem less skewed if, say, 10 parents of kids entering pre-K note their child scored in the 99th percentile, but just happen to do so in several threads so it appears in 20 or 30 separate posts?

Maybe a tester could enlighten us as to what percentage of kids they get are scoring like this.

Is the test easier for children of more privileged parents? Like the SATs?

[Anonymous]

Sure, it's easier for kids of privileged parents. Some of the questions are general knowledge, for example, and I'm sure that kids of wealthier, educated parents will have been exposed to a lot of concepts with which other kids are unfamiliar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure, it's easier for kids of privileged parents. Some of the questions are general knowledge, for example, and I'm sure that kids of wealthier, educated parents will have been exposed to a lot of concepts with which other kids are unfamiliar.

i.e. there are many of those types of parents in the DC area which means many of their children score well on the WPPSI.
I'm not sure what the definition of wealthy may be. Using Obama's above $250K, we're middle class and our dc did well with a score of 99.9%ile. However to people we know we don't mention it. She's just a bright normal child. She doesn't swim without her floaties. She still wakes up and tries to come into our bed at night. She takes ballet lessons but is not ready for the nutcracker. She is no chess master. She's a wonderful kind easy going loving for all purposes "regular kid."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure, it's easier for kids of privileged parents. Some of the questions are general knowledge, for example, and I'm sure that kids of wealthier, educated parents will have been exposed to a lot of concepts with which other kids are unfamiliar.

Actually, this post is incorrect. The WPPSI does not contain "general knowledge" questions at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, it's easier for kids of privileged parents. Some of the questions are general knowledge, for example, and I'm sure that kids of wealthier, educated parents will have been exposed to a lot of concepts with which other kids are unfamiliar.

Actually, this post is incorrect. The WPPSI does not contain "general knowledge" questions at all.

hmmm... I'm looking at my dc's WPPSI report and under the verbal subtests, there is one called information, which states "the child is asked questions designed to demonstrate acquired knowledge from school and his or her environment." I would call that general knowledge questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, it's easier for kids of privileged parents. Some of the questions are general knowledge, for example, and I'm sure that kids of wealthier, educated parents will have been exposed to a lot of concepts with which other kids are unfamiliar.

Actually, this post is incorrect. The WPPSI does not contain "general knowledge" questions at all.

hmmm... I'm looking at my dc's WPPSI report and under the verbal subtests, there is one called information, which states "the child is asked questions designed to demonstrate acquired knowledge from school and his or her environment." I would call that general knowledge questions.

That section refers to the child's ability to verbally reason; it is not general knowledge in the sense of asking questions that a more privileged child would know and a less-privileged child wouldn't (it is not akin to the infamous question from the 1970s SAT where the word "regatta" was used in the vocab section, for example). To give just one example, there is a question in that section where the child is asked, "why do people wait in lines?" Now, I suppose that if one is going to argue that a less-privileged child has never waited in a line or had a parent or teacher explain why people wait in lines, then one could possibly stretch the argument that the WPPSI is easier for more privileged kids, but I think that would be a real stretch.

[Anonymous]

Someone earlier said that there are so many 99s in DC, and in NYC, because of the type of people who move here and eventually reproduce. But not just the offspring of surgeons take this test -- it's administered to all sorts of kids nationwide for all sorts of reasons in addition to school admissions. I for one am comfortable believing there really ARE a lot of 99 kids in this city, and perhaps fewer in other cities.

I do think however, that the testers fudge a bit.

Just in DC? But what about the testers in Oklahoma City, Denver and Cedar Rapids? In other words, many kids taking this test do get the 65th percentile, and the 35th percentile -- by definition. It defies logic to suppose that the only fudgers are in DC (scoring everyone high) while the rest of the testers across the U.S. are following the rules and uncovering all the 35th, 55th and 67th % kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Someone earlier said that there are so many 99s in DC, and in NYC, because of the type of people who move here and eventually reproduce. But not just the offspring of surgeons take this test -- it's administered to all sorts of kids nationwide for all sorts of reasons in addition to school admissions. I for one am comfortable believing there really ARE a lot of 99 kids in this city, and perhaps fewer in other cities.

I do think however, that the testers fudge a bit.

Just in DC? But what about the testers in Oklahoma City, Denver and Cedar Rapids? In other words, many kids taking this test do get the 65th percentile, and the 35th percentile -- by definition. It defies logic to suppose that the only fudgers are in DC (scoring everyone high) while the rest of the testers across the U.S. are following the rules and uncovering all the 35th, 55th and 67th % kids.

You could only prove this by disaggregating the data by city - students' scores compared to income level and/or parents' professions (as in doctor, lawyer, professor, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Someone earlier said that there are so many 99s in DC, and in NYC, because of the type of people who move here and eventually reproduce. But not just the offspring of surgeons take this test -- it's administered to all sorts of kids nationwide for all sorts of reasons in addition to school admissions. I for one am comfortable believing there really ARE a lot of 99 kids in this city, and perhaps fewer in other cities.

I do think however, that the testers fudge a bit.

Just in DC? But what about the testers in Oklahoma City, Denver and Cedar Rapids? In other words, many kids taking this test do get the 65th percentile, and the 35th percentile -- by definition. It defies logic to suppose that the only fudgers are in DC (scoring everyone high) while the rest of the testers across the U.S. are following the rules and uncovering all the 35th, 55th and 67th % kids.

No, not just DC, but NY, and any other city where the competition is tight, they fudge. The test takers that score low are not trying to get into private schools, they are being evaluated clinically. The scores from the IQ tests here are taken privately and not entered in into national data (unless you signed something) like the SAT's are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Someone earlier said that there are so many 99s in DC, and in NYC, because of the type of people who move here and eventually reproduce. But not just the offspring of surgeons take this test -- it's administered to all sorts of kids nationwide for all sorts of reasons in addition to school admissions. I for one am comfortable believing there really ARE a lot of 99 kids in this city, and perhaps fewer in other cities.

I do think however, that the testers fudge a bit.

Just in DC? But what about the testers in Oklahoma City, Denver and Cedar Rapids? In other words, many kids taking this test do get the 65th percentile, and the 35th percentile -- by definition. It defies logic to suppose that the only fudgers are in DC (scoring everyone high) while the rest of the testers across the U.S. are following the rules and uncovering all the 35th, 55th and 67th % kids.

No, not just DC, but NY, and any other city where the competition is tight, they fudge. The test takers that score low are not trying to get into private schools, they are being evaluated clinically. The scores from the IQ tests here are taken privately and not entered in into national data (unless you signed something) like the SAT's are.

OK - now I'm confused. the ones being evaluated clinically . . . who decides this? The test takers themselves? the schools? And the scores from the IQ tests here - These are not the same as the WPPSI tests? What tests are given to these kids who are trying to enter the elite schools, and what data is used in norming then?

I am totally confused!

[Anonymous]

pp, no tester is going to give a child with an IQ in the 75%ile a 99%ile rank.
However, if my business was making a buck off of neurotic DC parents, I would make them happy and give the service they want. So, that would mean I could look at a particular answer a certain way and nudge the scores up. $$$ more referrals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:pp, no tester is going to give a child with an IQ in the 75%ile a 99%ile rank.
However, if my business was making a buck off of neurotic DC parents, I would make them happy and give the service they want. So, that would mean I could look at a particular answer a certain way and nudge the scores up. $$$ more referrals.

ooohhhh! OK - thanks - got it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, it's easier for kids of privileged parents. Some of the questions are general knowledge, for example, and I'm sure that kids of wealthier, educated parents will have been exposed to a lot of concepts with which other kids are unfamiliar.

Actually, this post is incorrect. The WPPSI does not contain "general knowledge" questions at all.

hmmm... I'm looking at my dc's WPPSI report and under the verbal subtests, there is one called information, which states "the child is asked questions designed to demonstrate acquired knowledge from school and his or her environment." I would call that general knowledge questions.

That section refers to the child's ability to verbally reason; it is not general knowledge in the sense of asking questions that a more privileged child would know and a less-privileged child wouldn't (it is not akin to the infamous question from the 1970s SAT where the word "regatta" was used in the vocab section, for example). To give just one example, there is a question in that section where the child is asked, "why do people wait in lines?" Now, I suppose that if one is going to argue that a less-privileged child has never waited in a line or had a parent or teacher explain why people wait in lines, then one could possibly stretch the argument that the WPPSI is easier for more privileged kids, but I think that would be a real stretch.

No, but here is a good example of how culture can influence -- what if you are a non american english speaker and think of waiting in line as being in a queue (god, I can't even spell that ....)