Reply to should you prep for iq tests?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

OP.  Valid question.  You should be comparing your child to Johny and Lucy.  My personal belief is that while intelligence is innate, success is a result of training and practice.  Because of that belief, I don't care to test or want to know my child's IQ.  I can determine their limits based on my personal observation.  I don't need an uninterested psychologist telling me what that number.  Even if I know, how does that translate into math or other ability? What's the practical use of this number called IQ?

Applying that to the context of FCPS, if the school wants to "test" my child, I will prep to make sure my child gets past the established benchmark.  So hypothetically, if the cut-off was 150 and my child scored 151, I'm good.  Maybe my child would have scored only 145 unprepared and not made the cut but since my personal belief system emphasizes effort over innate intelligence, I don't spend much time pondering those what-ifs.  If others feel that I'm "gaming" or "cheating" that's their prerogative and a lot of people on DCUM certainly exercise their prerogatives :-).

If my child does not do well in this new environment because they do not belong there, i will move them down to the appropriate level but I will determine when and why, not some school administrator.
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You have very good points, and a viewpoint that I had not completely considered.

thanks!.  :) [/quote]

The premise is flawed, though.  In FCPS, IQ is not measured (CogAT is not an IQ test).  And there are no cutoffs (except for in-pool, which is meaningless).  There are almost as many parental referred kids has in pool.

I would argue if you have to prep to make it in, you probably do not belong.  Why?  Well, that means you 1) did not score well on the tests, and 2) did not demonstrate gifted behavior in the class room.  The FCPS process is designed to be inclusive.

My DD was admitted with CogAT's 10 points below benchmark.  But, she demonstrated advanced analytical capacity (in language and math).  It was not until high school that we discovered what is going on:  ADD and ASD (mild).   Her bench mark in a neuropsych test was all over the place.  But showed analytical and verbal in the 99.9th percent.  But, the working memory was in the 20th percent.  Pre Aderall, her PSAT scores were the equivelent of 1150.  With Aderall, she was up 300 points.

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True that FCPS does not test IQ.  However, the NNAT and COGAT are used as substitutes.  Either way, getting a higher score on these tests makes it easier to get into AAP than if you didn't.  Like i said, there's always a possibility that my kids "do not belong".  I do not care.  I think they can manage and I monitor to make sure they do.  Others' opinion on this is immaterial to me.  With 2 kids through having gone through AAP (total 8 years), we've seen just one kid drop out because they coulfn't keep up.

Your argument that "if you have to prep to make it in, you probably do not belong" is unverifiable because you either prepped before the test and therefore did not know what the scores will be if you did not or you did not prep and do not know what the scores would be if you did.

Also, since AAP is inclusive, what's wrong with prepping, getting in and maximizing your child's academic experience at FCPS?  It's not like you are taking away someone else's seat.

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Because it is not necessary.  You are just putting added stress on your kid in first or second grade, which is f*cking stupid.  You do not know how our system works; we are a rich county in a rich country.  How your kid does on the CogAT has nothing to do with lifetime success.

I know.  I barely graduated HS, went to a crappy college and did well. Transferred to a good school.  Got into a top grad school in my field.  I am now probably in the to 5% of earners in my field of science.  And I have a job I enjoy.   [/quote]

Fair enough.  Congratulations on your success!  However, your choices would have been wider if you did have a great education.  Most people that "barely graduate HS and go to crappy colleges" do not do well.  You are an exception, not the rule.

Education is 2-way.  It depends on the kids' ability as well as on the teachers'.  Based on what I hear, GenEd at most FCPS schools suck.   Why shouldn't I try to avoid that?

I for one, would like to see how my kid fares in AAP before I decide if it's a fit for him or not.  What's wrong with that?  It's not a "one-and-done" situation where we just don't pay attention to the kid after they get in.  We constantly monitor to make sure that it's a good fit. It's also easier to get your kid into AAP during the normal cycle rather than later (at least that's my perception).

And "prep" is not some awful "9-5" weekends and all evening classes.  It's just buying a couple of books with test samples and having your kids do it.  It's also knowing what is needed for AAP well before it's testing time and gathering materials to support your referral letter, it's interacting with the teachers to make sure they think well of your child as well as know how your kid is doing in class.  It's a combination of all that.

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