Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, there are not many kids affected by CogAT vs. FxAT norming differences. I also agree that this is just one score and one aspect of the process only. On the other hand, the point was whether this discrepancy affected scores or not, and whether this specific test and the generated percentiles were still usable, comparable, or even understandable this year. Just because something is only one of many things to consider doesn't mean that it can be wrong. If the test, for lack of past data or any other reason, cannot be administered and analyzed the way it should, maybe it should not be given this year, and maybe we should wait until we have everything in place to do it right. After all, there are many other elements in the application process for the committee to consider, so what's the point?

it's not a meaningful discrepancey, that's the point

+1

"Meaningful discrepancy"? What does that even mean? Anyone who has ever taken even a high school statistics course can understand the inability to directly compare statistical measures (like percentiles) referring to different populations (the proverbial "apples and oranges"). That's the point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, there are not many kids affected by CogAT vs. FxAT norming differences. I also agree that this is just one score and one aspect of the process only. On the other hand, the point was whether this discrepancy affected scores or not, and whether this specific test and the generated percentiles were still usable, comparable, or even understandable this year. Just because something is only one of many things to consider doesn't mean that it can be wrong. If the test, for lack of past data or any other reason, cannot be administered and analyzed the way it should, maybe it should not be given this year, and maybe we should wait until we have everything in place to do it right. After all, there are many other elements in the application process for the committee to consider, so what's the point?

it's not a meaningful discrepancey, that's the point

+1

^ discrepancy

Anonymous wrote:I agree, there are not many kids affected by CogAT vs. FxAT norming differences. I also agree that this is just one score and one aspect of the process only. On the other hand, the point was whether this discrepancy affected scores or not, and whether this specific test and the generated percentiles were still usable, comparable, or even understandable this year. Just because something is only one of many things to consider doesn't mean that it can be wrong. If the test, for lack of past data or any other reason, cannot be administered and analyzed the way it should, maybe it should not be given this year, and maybe we should wait until we have everything in place to do it right. After all, there are many other elements in the application process for the committee to consider, so what's the point?

it's not a meaningful discrepancey, that's the point

I agree, there are not many kids affected by CogAT vs. FxAT norming differences. I also agree that this is just one score and one aspect of the process only. On the other hand, the point was whether this discrepancy affected scores or not, and whether this specific test and the generated percentiles were still usable, comparable, or even understandable this year. Just because something is only one of many things to consider doesn't mean that it can be wrong. If the test, for lack of past data or any other reason, cannot be administered and analyzed the way it should, maybe it should not be given this year, and maybe we should wait until we have everything in place to do it right. After all, there are many other elements in the application process for the committee to consider, so what's the point?

seriously though, how significant an issue is this. A) there aren't that many private school applicants relative to the FCPS tested kids and B) there are places for everyone who qualifies, they aren't in competititon with each other for spots.

So what do you want?

Let's add a "we don't have age-based norms this year" fudge factor and add 25 points to every FxAT score for this year. Or let's be even more generous and add 30 points.

And what will this do?

It will add 30 points to ONE TEST SCORE.

The screening committee still has everything else to look at. So if one item is "off" it won't matter a lick when the committee considers the screening file as a whole.

But you'll get your 30 point fudge factor which will make you happy.

Better?

So the

I just don't get the anger here... A question was made by the OP and it was a reasonable one. If your kid did well anyway and this doesn't affect you, then, great, kudos to you and your kid, so leave us to our discussion. You don't have to show off or be angry at the parents who feel differently.

The bottom line is whether you all like it or not, norming changes things dramatically, and unless you have a direct comparison of scores, nobody can speculate as to the breadth and magnitude of this effect. I am assuming that people who do this for a living know better than all of us sharing our 2 cents around the threads whether tests like these need to be normed or not.

I am also positive that the experts might have heard the argument that "smart kids will do well no matter what" once or twice, and yet, they are still not convinced enough to leave these tests unadjusted. On the other hand, there are still many among us who, not only share unfounded proclamations with conviction, but also do so with a self-righteous anger, as if they are the experts on the issue and the rest of us (who dare to express different opinions) are the ignorants who do not want to take their word for it...

Anonymous wrote:new poster here -- everyone has the right to their own opinion. and everyone has their thing that they feel strongly about. unless it's hurting you, no need for people to be rude here. i like tom-ah-toes, you like tom-a-toes. this is why we thankfully life in the u.s. of a.

meant "live"

new poster here -- everyone has the right to their own opinion. and everyone has their thing that they feel strongly about. unless it's hurting you, no need for people to be rude here. i like tom-ah-toes, you like tom-a-toes. this is why we thankfully life in the u.s. of a.

Anonymous wrote:They are at a disadvantage because they are compared to a regional and non age adjusted norm compared to private kids who are compared to a national age adjusted norm.

You do realize that your absolute obsession with the FxAT score norms is inane, don't you?