Anonymous wrote:No prep is necessary. Just go to class and do the regular homework for 6th grade adv. math. The IAAT is not a hard test. I think it is sad that parents push their kids to think that they must score high on IAAT and get into Alg.

One of my son's classmates answered a survey for the Dec. newsletter (what are you going to do over Xmas break? --- study for the IAAT.) There is no reason your child NEEDS to take Alg in 7th grade. If they qualify, it still might not be a good idea. The only reason for pushing IAAT is to try to position your child to apply for TJ. And, in my mind, that is a terrible thing to do to a kid. If they need to prep for IAAT (which, as I mentioned, is not hard), then they are NOT going to breeze into TJ and not going to be the kind of kid who can thrive at TJ.

Anonymous wrote:It's an aptitude test, not a skills test. I teach middle school algebra. PLEASE don't prep for this test. If your child has to prep to score high enough, algebra is probably going to be a rough road.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you need to prep, you shouldn't apply. Prepping is basically cheating. That spot should go to a kid with natural ability.

Spots? IAAT is used to determine readiness for Algebra. There are no spots to take away from anyone else.

That being said, you shouldn't prep. The bar for being permitted to take Algebra is generally pretty low (91st percentile in FCPS, which is around 43/60 correct). The IAAT tests fairly basic pre-algebra concepts and should be a trivial test for kids who are good at math and will do well in Algebra. If you have to prep to overcome this very very low bar, then Algebra is likely to be a nightmare. The goal should be to be placed in the correct math level, which isn't necessarily the highest and fastest one.

+1 I'm not against test prep generally -- I think it's good to prep for SAT/ACT; I can understand why people who think their child will get a more appropriate education in AAP prep for the Cogat. But prepping for the IAAT really doesn't make sense. It's not a hurdle to get over; it's a diagnostic for readiness. It's a really easy test for any kid who is ready to take algebra--the 91% bar is really too low. There are only disadvantages if you take algebra before you're ready and no upside--you'll struggle in that class, get lower grades (that go on your HS record) and then have to take a higher sequence of math to meet the 4 year requirement many colleges want and likely get lower grades in that. Taking algebra in 7th vs 8th doesn't make a difference in whether your child is deemed having taken "the most rigorous course offerings" in any FCPS high school. Colleges want to see kids that take calculus, don't care about beyond, so 8th grade algebra is acceleration enough for elite college admissions. Pushing an unready kid ahead in algebra is far more likely to result in worse college options due to low grades or a long-term unsteadiness in algebraic thinking that reduces math opportunities. This is why you're getting such pushback on the prep--it's not just the usual people who are against all prep, it's actually not a good prep. There are a lot of kids who are getting 4s all the years in AAP math who still just aren't developmentally there for algebra and it's good to know that. They might be math whizzes and yet just need a bit more time for brain development to be ready for algebraic forms.
I work in a STEM field and my eldest qualified for Algebra 7 Honors (with a 93% on the IAAT and 10 points above the SOL) but I didn't think they were quite ready (I think the cut-off should be >95%) so waited until 8th. DC is now a first year in a STEM oriented major at a top school. That extra year of solidifying pre-algebra concepts was really needed. So sorry you deem our answers unhelpful, but a common opinion--even among those not against test prep generally--is that this is not a test you should prep for.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you need to prep, you shouldn't apply. Prepping is basically cheating. That spot should go to a kid with natural ability.

Spots? IAAT is used to determine readiness for Algebra. There are no spots to take away from anyone else.

That being said, you shouldn't prep. The bar for being permitted to take Algebra is generally pretty low (91st percentile in FCPS, which is around 43/60 correct). The IAAT tests fairly basic pre-algebra concepts and should be a trivial test for kids who are good at math and will do well in Algebra. If you have to prep to overcome this very very low bar, then Algebra is likely to be a nightmare. The goal should be to be placed in the correct math level, which isn't necessarily the highest and fastest one.

Anonymous wrote:If you need to prep, you shouldn't apply. Prepping is basically cheating. That spot should go to a kid with natural ability.

Anonymous wrote:DC did the spectrum Algebra workbook the summer before 6th grade. DC didn't do the practice IAAT, but I'd recommend it, not necessarily for content (I don't know if it's any good) but for timing. I think the biggest issue is the time pressure. Have your DD do the Algebra workbook and at the end take the IAAT practice test you can buy on Amazon and make sure you time your DC. Also, even if your DC misses the IAAT or SOL cutoff, you can still ask for your DC to be placed in Algebra in 7th at some schools. My DC ended up with a 98 percentile on the IAAT and basically got 100 percent or in the high 90s on all tests in Algebra 1 and geometry. DC had no interest in TJ. You know your child best and what your child can handle. Do the prep and keep your DC's options open. You can decided with input from the 6th grade teacher next summer whether your DC should take Algebra if the scores are within range. I'd ignore the naysayers here, but would definitely talk to your DC's 6th grade math teacher at the end of next year and listen carefully to that recommendation. There's a lot of growth that can happen in a year.