What is SCAT Test?

The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) uses the School & College Ability Test (SCAT) as an entrance exam for students in grades 2 through 9. The Center for Talented Youth is renowned for nurturing and advancing gifted people before college.

The SCAT tests students one level above their actual grade, so for example- if your child is in the second grade, they would take the Elementary SCAT, which is intended to test students in grades 4-5.

According to the student’s grade level, the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth offers accelerated programs to qualified students.

It might seem intimidating to your child because it is an exam one level above their grade level, but with enough practice and the right materials, your child will feel well prepared for it.

Let’s explore the structure & levels for the test in detail

Also Read: What is SCAT Test and How to Prepare for it?

Parts of the SCAT

There are 55 questions in each of the SCAT’s verbal and quantitative sections. 50 questions from each section of the test are graded, and 5 of them are experimental questions that don’t factor into the final score.

Each section must be finished in 22 minutes by the students. A ten-minute break is provided in between each section. Guessing is acceptable due to the lack of penalty for incorrect answers. Before making the best guess, ensure your child understands how to rule out answers that are incorrect.

• Verbal: The verbal portion of the test gauges your child’s vocabulary knowledge and verbal reasoning skills. In multiple-choice analogies, the student must select the most appropriate set of words to complete the analogy. Although it may seem as though more than one answer is appropriate for the analogy, the right response is that that best fulfills the comparison. Your child will need to have a powerful language, verbal comprehension, and knowledge/information abilities to perform well in this section.

• Quantitative: The quantitative portion assesses your child’s knowledge of the fundamental operations with numbers. A student must compare the two mathematical quantities to decide which is greater in the multiple-choice quantitative comparison questions. Problems don’t involve computation because they are designed to test students’ capacity for mathematical reasoning. 

How is the SCAT Test Scored?

The scaled SCAT scores are determined by how many of the 50 scored questions in each section the student correctly answers (with the 5 extraneous ones thrown out).

A child’s raw score is scaled according to the test version, and then the results are compared to the test results of typical students in higher-level grades. Scoring is based on a three-step process. Since the founding of the Center for Talented Youth (CTY) in 1979, the percentile ranks for the SCAT have not been updated. The youngster is being contrasted with a representative national sample of kids who took the exam in 1979

Given the level the students can take, the SCAT Scaled Scores can range from 401 to 514. This is the range:

a.  Raw Score: The total number of correctly answered questions out of the 50 scored questions is totaled to determine the raw score. A child would receive a raw score of 27/50 if they correctly answered 27 out of 50 questions, for instance.

b.  Scaled Score:  A common scaled score is created after the raw score has been determined. Administrators can properly compare different scores to one another thanks to this. According to the test version, scaled scores range from 400 to 514. A scaled score is used to compare a student’s performance to that of other students in the same grade level. SCAT Score Percentiles are the final scaling conversion.

c.  SCAT Percentile: SCAT percentiles are used to assess academic performance and to contrast it with that of students in higher grades. Students take a test that is intended for higher grades because the SCAT is above grade level, and now the scaled scores are matched to the performance standards of students in advanced grades. For instance, the scores of second and third-grade students who took the Elementary SCAT version, which is intended for students in third through sixth grades, were compared to the norms for fourth and fifth-grade students, respectively.

Also Read: Preparing for SCAT – Top Tips for High Scores

What is a good SCAT Score?

The SCAT percentile determines what constitutes a high SCAT score. Here are some potentially high percentiles :

50th Percentile: Students with percentile scores in the range of 50 to 75 may be given consideration for gifted programs at their school. They might also be given consideration for talented programs at other institutions and schools. Some schools may also provide students with enrichment materials outside of the scope of the classroom to aid them in this score segment.

75th Percentile: The 75th percentile and higher require special instruction in the classroom. Students who achieve this mark are eligible for all the advantages mentioned above and can work with a mentor or tutor. Since they are regarded as gifted, instruction can be leveled appropriately for them. The 75th percentile of students is therefore exempt from having to adapt to the curriculum of their current grade; instead, they are free to look ahead and learn in accordance with their aptitudes rather than their age or grade.

90th Percentile: With excellent marks on both the verbal and the quantitative portions, a student achieves the 90th percentile and above. All of SCAT’s advantages at the school and CTY levels are available to 90th percentile students.

SCAT Test Prep at eTutorWorld

SCAT preparation necessitates a thorough understanding of the subject matter as well as the exam structure and time management.

You can support your child by setting up a suitable practice schedule and giving them the necessary equipment. Consider enrolling your child in eTutorWorld if you’re unsure how to balance the SCAT curriculum only with the school curriculum. We provide SCAT test preparation for students in all grades using highly qualified tutors and a carefully thought-out, individualized lesson plan.

Visit our website right away to learn how we can help prepare your kid for SCAT.

Cynthia Thompson

Cynthia Thompson is a school teacher from North Carolina. She believes that accessibly written academic content is critical, and writes it in her unique style to educate the next generation of American school children. Read More

SCAT is a standardized assessment that open the doors to gifted programs at Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (JHCTY). If you think your child is gifted and will do better with specialized instructions, you should encourage your child to take the test and become a part of some of the most coveted gifted programs of the country.

Preparing for SCAT

SCAT is a multiple-choice, times that test language and mathematical skills through its verbal section and quantitative section. Both the sections have 55 multiple choice questions and students get 22 minutes per section. Too many questions to be solved in 22 minutes? Don’t worry, it’s doable but yes, SCAT definitely needs some disciplined preparation.

Here are some important tips that result in high scores in SCAT. These tips work for all levels and some of them come straight from the JHCTY.

1. Start Early and Put in Consistent Work

SCAT is a standardized test that needs preparation. Especially because it has a huge curriculum divided into verbal and quantitative batteries. The best approach to do well in SCAT is to start prepping for it as soon as the decision to take the exam is taken. Students should avoid last-minute prep and spread the prep across several months to put in consistent practice and yield good results.

2. Read a Lot and Read Everything

The verbal section in SCAT tests the English skills through different types of questions. For good performance in this section, students need a lot of reading hours under their belt. They should read books, newspapers, magazines and more. And it is important to read material on different subjects. Students must be aware the usage of words and other writing etiquette from different industries and verticals.

3. Learn Time Management

SCAT is a timed test, therefore students have to learn time management, so that they can attempt maximum number of answers in the given time. This tip is very important for younger kids, who do not have a decent understanding of time and may end up spending a lot of time on one question and missing out on other questions that they could have answered correctly. Time management can be best learned with practice. Students must take practice tests/mock tests to improve and optimize their timing.

4. Put in Truck Loads of Practice

As already discussed, practice is imminent to getting high scores in SCAT. It improves time management skills tremendously and also improves students’ chances of answering the questions correctly. A lot of practice makes students familiar with different types of questions and gives them the ability to quickly solve a question and find the right answer easily. So, practice should begin from day 1 of prep and the progress should be monitored closely to identify weak areas and put in extra efforts.

5. Professional Help

Preparing alone for a standardized test can get daunting given its huge curriculum and sophisticated exam format. Professional help in the form online tutoring can provide students with the right amount of guidance and support needed to ace the test. eTutorWorld offers online tutoring for all levels of SCAT. It has a team of expert tutors who cover the whole curriculum through online, one to one sessions.

And that’s not it, every tutoring session is followed up with a personalized worksheet for practice. Tutors also offer help with the worksheets and clear doubts as and when they arise.

Quick Tips for SCAT Prep

• SCAT does not have negative marking. So, students must attempt all the questions.
• Students should always start with solving the questions they are sure about. Because even though there is no negative marking in SCAT, there is a time limit.
• Questions can be solved faster, if the child is familiar with the type of the question. Therefore, it is important to build a perception through sample test papers.
• Practice is the key to ace SCAT. It improves both the speed and perception. Parents must encourage children to start early and practice a lot.
• Vocabulary is crucial for SCAT. Parents and students must give importance to synonyms, antonyms and idioms.

Conclusion

Preparing and acing SCAT requires a clear understanding of the format of the test, time management and practice. All these 3 factors are tightly connected with each other. That is if you practice a lot, you will automatically improve your understanding of the test format and the timing of individual segments. Similarly, if you work hard on your timing, you will automatically practice more and understand the nuances of different question types.

So, run with these three points and make sure that your practice resources are of good quality. That’s it, you are all set for top score in SCAT.  

School and College Ability Test (SCAT) is a standardized test conducted by the John Hopkins Center for students in grades 2 to 8. Elementary SCAT, Intermediate SCAT, and Advanced SCAT are the three levels of the test administered to 2nd and 3rd graders, 4th and 5th graders, and 6th to 8th graders, respectively. This above-grade-level test is used to measure the verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities in talented youth/gifted children.

The test contains two sections, verbal and quantitative, with 55 multiple choice questions each. SCAT scaled scores for the Advanced level range from 410 to 494 for the verbal section and from 424 to 514 for the quantitative section. The test duration ranges from less than an hour to 90 minutes, depending on the test-takers’ comfort level. Ideally, it takes 22 minutes per section with a 10-minute break.

Advanced SCAT Prep through Online Learning

Preparation for Advanced SCAT can be done through online learning. Online learning has become the new norm this year due to brick-and-mortar classrooms closing down as a result of a global pandemic. Teachers and students have adapted to the online learning environment out of necessity and with ease with the help of digital learning tools.

You can register with an online test prep service for Advanced SCAT practice test programs and worksheets to help your child prepare for Advanced SCAT 2020-2021. The practice tests are prepared by experienced tutors and what’s more, you also get performance reports and correct answers with explanations for each test.

Here are some tips to help 6th to 8th graders with their Advanced SCAT prep.

5 Tips for Successful Advanced SCAT Prep

1. Go through sample SCAT test questions: Familiarizing your child with the SCAT question format will make it easier for him or her to take the actual test. Take printouts of the sample SCAT questions (which are available online) in verbal and quantitative sections and give them to your child along with scrap papers to work out the answers.
2. Don’t expect to know the answers to all the questions: As an above-grade-level test, your child is not expected to know all the answers since the test is designed for students in a grade or two above your child’s. Therefore, advise your child not to panic for not knowing all the answers.
3. Read each question carefully: Your child must answer all the questions, especially in a multiple-choice question paper. There is no negative scoring for wrong answers in SCAT. Advise your child to read each question carefully and select the best answer but also not to spend too much time on any one question and neglect the rest.
4. Make use of Advanced SCAT practice test programs: Practice taking Advanced SCAT online to perfect your child’s test-taking skills. Focus on familiarizing him or her with the question format and the test duration. Choose a reliable online tutor service for your child’s SCAT prep and to get access to worksheets and SCAT practice tests prepared by experienced tutors.
5. Be thorough when answering multiple-choice questions: In multiple-choice questions, first, always eliminate the least likely options and choose the best option left as the probable answer. Before submitting the test, it’s good to go through all the questions and answers once again but do not second-guess too much at the last moment.

            In addition to the above-mentioned tips, there are a few things that students and parents should keep in mind, such as:

   • Creating a study schedule/timetable for SCAT prep with breaks to stimulate the mind.
   • Getting proper rest the night before the test date.
   • Eating a healthy and nutritious breakfast before taking the test.
   • Ensuring the system (desktop, laptop, or tablet) and Internet connection are in working order before taking the test.
   • Staying calm and taking deep breaths when having panic attacks before or during the test.

    

   Here’s wishing you all the very best for Advanced SCAT preparation!

The John Hopkins SCAT Test is a standardized test conducted by the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. Its purpose is to identify students in 2nd to 8th Grades for their talented and gifted program and to measure the students’ ability to make general decisions. The test itself has its challenges, and because of this, the child needs to prepare to overcome them. Calculation of SCAT practice test scores allows parents / tutors to create a useful SCAT test prep schedule

It is recommended that a student completes a SCAT practice test at one or two grade levels below her current grade level to start getting comfortable with the content. These practice tests helps the child to gain confidence. The practice test has students answer similar questions as the actual test.  They will thus be able to identify areas of their strengths & weaknesses and gradually progress towards the above-grade level practice tests.

The SCAT prep worksheets are also a vital part of ensuring that students succeed on the SCAT. SCAT Practice tests from eTutorWorld simulates the actual test as it includes sample questions to be answered within the specified time. SCAT test itself has a time limit of 22 minutes per section with an optional break of 10 minutes in between. Each section has 55 questions including 5 experimental ones. Every question must be answered in less than thirty seconds to complete the paper in time. These constraints make it especially challenging and increases the need for student to work on well designed prep worksheets.

When the child is registered for the SCAT test, they will have to be placed in either the Elementary, Intermediate, or Advanced Levels. These levels are based on the student’s current Grade at school with the student having to take a test that is two or three grades above her own. For example, students in the 4^th grade would take the Intermediate SCAT designed for students of Grades 6-Grade 8. Once the test begins, the child will find the test divided into two sections that assess verbal reasoning skills and quantitative reasoning power. This is particularly challenging as the students need to practice regularly to hone their inherent skills instead of studying  extensively before taking it. The SCAT test questions includes a combination of mathematical comparisons where they need to determine the greater amount and  verbal comprehension where they combine words to form analogies and test the breadth of their vocabulary can be challenging unless they get adequate help with the test prep.

There is no need to visit a tutor and study face to face.  etutorworld provides well designed SCAT test prep online sessions for students who aspire to take SCAT tests. The personalized live tutoring with subject matter experts is sure to help the student find success despite the challenges.

STAY AT HOME…LEARN FROM HOME.

“Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)” utilizes the SCAT test (“Scholastic and College Ability Test”) to scrutinize the talents of children who are not averse to competing with other gifted children by taking grade above tests conducted by the center. Being able to qualify is indeed a great way of being assured that your child is talented academically. Sure, the school has an assessment process of its own but acing the class by taking the same level tests is no way to gauge their ability as the marks obtained will not demonstrate the actual level of intelligence that your kid possesses. Taking the Johns Hopkins SCAT test, on the other hand, will enable you to understand how gifted your child is since he/she would be taking the above grade test this time.

Surprisingly, SCAT test questions are also employed by certain schools to check the progress of their students. Yes! You do want your kid to improve that is why you are so eager to have her take the test. You would be well advised to have your child take the elementary SCAT test if she is currently in Grade 3, 4, 5 or 6. Intermediate level of SCAT test has been designed for Grades 6 to 9 while the Advanced test offered by the “Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth” is meant for students of Grades 9 to 12.

Remember that the University provides sample questions for every level of the test. So, help your children prepare perfectly by going through the website properly in order to obtain total information pertaining to SCAT test prep. Simply getting a high score is not going to be enough though. You must make sure that your child bests the competitors successfully. You do not have to goad the kid to study hard as your little kid is well aware of the challenges in front.

However, you can always ensure the following thereby enabling your child to better herself…

• Prioritize– While it would be commendable to spend an equal time practicing for both the verbal and quantitative sections, you might ask your kid to focus on the area that appears to be a trifle more challenging initially. However, it is important to time the SCAT practice test in order to be able to solve all 55 questions at one go without losing track.

• Vocabulary– It would also be helpful to master the affixes as well as the roots of words in order to enhance her vocabulary. Being able to decipher the meaning instantly makes it easier to comprehend and that is half the battle won.

• Mathematical Operations– Comparing quantities and identifying the answer perfectly can be done within minutes once your child has mastered the concept behind the Math
questions properly

• Forgo Night Study– Ask your kid to rest adequately and help her to relax and take some time off by playing a physical sport. Cramming throughout the day and then studying well after midnight is a strict no-no. The age-old adage of practice makes perfect works here as well. Introduce your kid to SCAT Practice test so that the prep time is vastly reduced while the outcome remains assured with the help of SCAT prep worksheets.

Are you bewildered and constantly wondering, ‘How do I help my child prepare for  advanced SCAT or School and College Ability Test?’

Time and tide wait for no man. Taking a test can pose to be a big challenge with time
ticking through tedious preparations. Since students in Grades 6 and above take the
‘Advanced SCAT’ designed for students in grades 9-12, they need to work much harder.

Children who take enough number of advanced SCAT math practice tests and
English tests perform better in the advanced SCAT. The key to success lies in the
following:

1) Good Planning. It is imperative that you as parents have a laid out plan for your child’s preparation. Check on the number of days left for SCAT test and allocate hours per week for English and Math. You can off load this task to professional home tutoring organizations that recognize the child’s needs and can tailor packages accordingly. For some students, advanced SCAT math practice test initially may be more time consuming than English practice tests, however.

2) Familiarity With The Test Format. You must equip your child with the correct
SCAT test format so that he or she knows what to expect and prepares
accordingly. The advanced SCAT consists of two sections,quantitative and
verbal. This requires trying the SCAT advanced practice tests multiple times.

Each of the sections has 55 questions including five unidentified items that do not count towards the student’s score. The student must be aware that final run would have 55 questions in both sections because the advanced practice test sessions may require answering just one section per day.

3) Access To Relevant Study Material. Quantitative Section requires
students to compare Math quantities given in the 2 columns. While in the
Verbal Section, students need to select the most appropriate pair of words
related the same way as the question pair to complete an analogy. You
can approach tutoring organizations that offer free tutoring sessions to
help gauge your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on it you can
opt for number of sessions for enhancing verbal and quantitative abilities.

4) Adequate Runs Of SCAT Advanced Practice Tests. Websites like
www.eTutorWorld.com have downloadable free worksheets for practice.
Repeated runs help the child in thinking quickly, responding faster and
enhancing their confidence level.

Once you start helping your children to prepare for the exam, the next query on your
mind could be, ‘Does math and English tutoring help students better their
performance?’. Students and tutors walk forward by splitting the available time between advanced SCAT math practice tests and English practice tests based on individual’s skill in these two sections. eTutorWorld is proud to announce that 80% of its students have scored 90% or above SCAT percentile. Since SCAT is an above grade level test, exposure to good personalized tutoring will definitely enhance the students’ abilities. This gets reflected in students’ scores with higher chances of making the cut.

For a free SCAT advanced practice test log on to www.eTutorWorld.com and
accelerate your child’s academic progress. Register now and start right away!