Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for all the replies. DC scored in the average range for IQ (104), but low average for working memory (91) and high-average for GAI (116). All the other scores were average. I feel silly complaining about average scores, but DC has always excelled in school, which makes me wonder about the discrepency. We are also applying to some very competitive schools, and I don’t want DC’s chances to be jeopardized...

OP, the fact that so many of the scores are close together suggests that the test is accurate and that you and your wife's perceptions may be of a well-nurtured, well-prepared child who is of average intelligence. This is not a terrible fate, despite what DCUM may make you think. Further, there are many different kinds of intelligences, and the WISC measures only a very narrow kind.

Are you and your wife gifted? Intelligence has a hereditary component, with some researchers suggesting about 50%, others suggesting that it is closer to 85%.

Most of the time, people are not surprised when their children turn out to be gifted. Our DCs score in a tight IQ range that is also inhabited by DH and me.

While test scores are not the be-all and end-all of admissions, in a very competitive admissions game, it can matter. If a school like Sidwell or NCS is looking at two girls who are otherwise fairly similar in background, personality, race, etc., then the test score is what distinguishes one over another.

I agree with previous posters that you don't want to put a child into an environment where they can't keep up.

Giving this a +1. You can have a kid whose “brightness” shines in ways beyond test scores. And I hate to say it, but you and your husband are inherently biased. And that’s ok! In my “objective” eyes, my DS is also an amazing athlete. When we “objectively” look at it (stats, awards), I’d say he is the best on his HS baseball team. And alas, not one college coach has come knocking. THAT’S OK!!

You have to be open to the reality that your kid may not be test-taking smart (or fast or some of the other things others have suggested). I think it’s a worse and potentially more damaging message to send to your kid to say “your dad and I thought you were smart til we got your test results and now we’re going to have you keep taking it until you live up to the standards we’ve set for you in our head.”

Is having your kid live up to arbitrary standards you’ve set the kid of parent you aspire to be? I hope the answer is no.

Maybe that means DC won’t get won’t get into the school YOU wanted them to. Maybe that means YOUR ego is a little bruised. Again, all of that is about you and DH, not the kid.

As many have pointed out on this thread, that doesn’t mean DC is headed to a life of underachievement.

The scores change and might be inconsistent. My child appeared very bright but scored 67 percentile on her NNAT test at Grade 2, which made me doubt my judgement. One year later she scored 97 percentile on her WISC-IV. I know she is not a genius, but I am happy that she handles school work with ease and can enjoy more extra curriculum activities. She could be pushed a bit more, like some of her friends whose parents are more obsessed with competition prizes, but I think she should be given the chance to develop her interest now as the time will come when she finds little time available to do it.

Let me put something into perspective. I have 3 kids. Kid A 127 wisc w low processing at a big 3. Kid B 141 WIsC and my “smartest” child rejected from big 3 and is at magnet public and thriving. Kid C 126 Wisc and dyslexic at a big 3. Take it how you want. Just pick what’s best for your child and where they will thrive and don’t sweat the little details. If anything this time is teaching me is family is so important and not to push the kids somewhere they don’t belong.