I think more secrecy about the test would actually be better. No one should be prepping for these at all. People who seek out information about he test through back channels and tutors are 100% cheating. MCPS should be able to use any methods they want to select students.

At the MCCPTA meeting a month or so back I am pretty sure Meredith Casper said the test was not being changed. Strange

Ugh. I kind of liked it when it was unknown what the test was because I really don't think anyone should be prepping for the test, but I guess those days are past...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county being secretive about this doesn't inspire confidence.

This.

What is the issue with MCPS not being more transparent?

Make it known what test they are using. It would help kids across the board. Right now, only Asian and White parents afford the testing prep classes. Make it more transparent so kids of ALL races can get access to practice tests.

Well said. I said this to Meredith Casper who was (still is?) head of the programs in the main office. I also wrote to the Board of Education about it. By making the tests secret, only well-off can spend the $2,000 to get a tutor to replicate the test.

Anonymous wrote:The county being secretive about this doesn't inspire confidence.

This.

What is the issue with MCPS not being more transparent?

Make it known what test they are using. It would help kids across the board. Right now, only Asian and White parents afford the testing prep classes. Make it more transparent so kids of ALL races can get access to practice tests.

The county being secretive about this doesn't inspire confidence.

Anonymous wrote:I never get why Fairfax county is so transparent with their testing yet mcps is so hush hush with theirs. When my kid took the Inview in years past, they didn't even bother telling us until the day of the testing. So much for making sure your child gets enough sleep and had a hardy breakfast.

Reading the AAP threads makes it seem awful to me..all the different testing and score comparisons.

Anonymous wrote:I never get why Fairfax county is so transparent with their testing yet mcps is so hush hush with theirs. When my kid took the Inview in years past, they didn't even bother telling us until the day of the testing. So much for making sure your child gets enough sleep and had a hardy breakfast.

Oops, meant to say hearty, rather than hardy.

I never get why Fairfax county is so transparent with their testing yet mcps is so hush hush with theirs. When my kid took the Inview in years past, they didn't even bother telling us until the day of the testing. So much for making sure your child gets enough sleep and had a hardy breakfast.

It was the Cogat in the past but that does not mean it will be this year. MCPS has never said what test they use for the HGC so there is no reason to think that they would announce a change.

Anonymous wrote:I thought admissions was now going to be more based on non-testable (not the word MCPS used) items like organizational skills and focus.

In the past I thought itwas a version of COGat that was adjusted to focus on the top end of the spectrum.

"non-cognitive" is the word I was looking for

I thought admissions was now going to be more based on non-testable (not the word MCPS used) items like organizational skills and focus.

In the past I thought itwas a version of COGat that was adjusted to focus on the top end of the spectrum.

Anonymous wrote:I thought they used the CogAt which is a standardized test.

CogAt tests take at least 90 minutes to complete so it seems like this can't be the case if the letter specifically states "1 hour".

I thought they used the CogAt which is a standardized test.

HGC tests in the past seem to have taken 2 hours to complete by 3rd graders. This year, the letters sent to parents specifically indicate that the test will take "one hour". Could it be that MCPS is altering the test to accommodate their new goal of diversification? Perhaps removing some verbal sections? Or maybe a new type of test all together?