What is a SCAT Test?
The SCAT (School and College Ability Test) is a standardized test used by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) to identify 2nd – 12th graders for their gifted program. The SCAT is an “above grade level” test and measures math and verbal reasoning abilities.
The SCAT is a timed, two-part test that contains math and verbal sections in a multiple-choice format. Since 1985, the Center for Talented Youth (CTY) has identified talented students in elementary grades using the SCAT. In 1996, CTY computerized the SCAT and made it available at Prometric test centers.
Watch this in-depth presentation about the SCAT test!
How should I prepare my child for the SCAT?
Because SCAT is an above grade level test, we recommend that you start preparing with resources that are one to two grade levels below your child’s current grade level. This will help your child build confidence in their learning abilities and encourage them to continue practicing.
Once your child is able to successfully complete test prep at their current grade level, you will want to move onto the grade level above their current one. Because the SCAT tests above the child’s current grade level, you should try and work your child up to test prep for 2 grade levels above their current one. That way they will be ready for any question that comes their way!
Here are some things to expect for your child’s grade level:
- Children in 2nd – 3rd grade take the Elementary Level, which has questions created at the 3rd – 6th grade level of achievement
- Children in 4th – 5th grade take the Intermediate Level, which has questions created at the 6th – 9th grade level of achievement
- Children in grade 6 and above take the Advanced Level, which has questions created at the 9th – 12th grade level of achievement.
After the test, parents will be given a comparison of how their child’s scores compare to other children in their grade level, along with how their scores compare with students from higher grades for which the questions were originally designed. Above grade level testing identifies students who have the greatest need for advanced and fast-paced coursework. This will help in determining if your child is prepared and qualifed for a CTY program.
What are the Sections of the SCAT?
The two sections of the SCAT test are Verbal and Quantitative. The verbal section tests verbal reasoning in completing analogies, while the quantitative section tests mathematics ability to complete questions. All questions in both sections are multiple choice.
Breakdown for the SCAT Test
The SCAT has a verbal and quantitative section, each with 55 questions. On the test, 50 questions from each section are graded and 5 are experimental items that do not count towards the final score. Students have 22 minutes to complete each section. They are given a 10-minute break between sections. There is no penalty for wrong answers so it is okay to guess. Be sure your child knows how to eliminate answers that are clearly wrong before making his or her best guess.
Prepare your child to tackle both the verbal and quantitative sections of the SCAT with ease. TestingMom.com can help! We have hundreds of questions, organized by grade level, to help your child build the confidence and familiarity to ace the SCAT and qualify for CTY programs.
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Verbal
The verbal section measures your child’s understanding of the meaning of words and verbal reasoning ability. Verbal questions are multiple-choice analogies, which require a student to choose the best pair of words to complete an analogy. It may appear that more than one answer fits the analogy, but the correct answer is the one that best completes the analogy. To do well on this section, your child will need strong vocabulary, verbal reasoning, and knowledge/information abilities.
Quantitative
The quantitative section measures your child’s understanding of foundational number operations. The quantitative questions are multiple-choice mathematical comparisons, which require a student to compare two mathematical quantities and determine which is greater. Problems are intended to measure mathematical reasoning ability, so they do not require computation. To do well on this section, your child will need to have a strong understanding of mathematical reasoning, math facts, calculations and number operations.
Is the SCAT test timed?
Yes, the SCAT is a timed test given to children in grades 2-12. Children will have 22 minutes per section to complete the test.
If my child is in the 2nd grade, should I have them practice 4th grade materials?
Our test prep is already set at the advanced level. This allows you to pick your child’s current grade level when practicing test questions.
Skill Assessment
The SCAT has two sections, verbal and quantitative. Each section contains 55 questions, including five unidentified experimental items that do not count toward the student’s score.
Verbal
- Vocabulary – This sub-section measures a student’s understanding of word meanings and their ability to recognize relationships between words. Students are presented with a target word and multiple-choice options. They must choose the word that is most closely related to the target word in meaning.
- Verbal Reasoning – This sub-section assesses a student’s ability to comprehend and analyze information presented in sentences or short passages. Students must read the given text and answer questions based on their understanding, drawing logical conclusions and making inferences.
- Analogies – In this sub-section, students are required to identify relationships between pairs of words and apply that understanding to complete analogous pairs. By doing so, this sub-section evaluates a student’s critical thinking, pattern recognition, and problem-solving abilities.
Math
- Mathematical Reasoning – This sub-section evaluates a student’s ability to analyze and solve problems using their understanding of mathematical concepts. Students must apply logical reasoning and critical thinking skills to identify patterns, relationships, and rules in mathematical situations.
- Mathematical Comparison – In this sub-section, students are presented with sets of numbers or mathematical expressions and are required to compare them. This sub-section assesses a student’s understanding of number properties, the order of operations, and their ability to identify the relative values of given expressions.
- Math Facts and Calculations – This sub-section tests a student’s fluency in basic arithmetic operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Students must apply their knowledge of math facts to solve problems quickly and accurately.
- Number Operations – This sub-section evaluates a student’s understanding of various number operations, including fractions, decimals, and percentages. Students must apply their knowledge of these concepts to solve problems, convert between different forms, and perform operations with mixed numbers.
The SCAT measures specific abilities in verbal and quantitative areas and provides information essential for making general decisions concerning level and pace of instruction. Because its focus is on aptitude, the SCAT should not be used in isolation to make decisions about specific educational objectives.
Since 1985, the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth has identified talented students in elementary grades using the SCAT. In May 1996, CTY purchased all rights to the SCAT from Educational Testing Service (ETS) and entered into an agreement with Prometric to computerize the SCAT and make the test available at computer test centers. Prometric says, “CTY identifies and develops the academic talents of the most promising young people of the next generation. The founder of Facebook and the cofounder of Google are CTY alumni—proof that self-described “CTYers” grow up to lead their generation and shape the course of history.”
To learn more about the Johns Hopkins CTY, visit http://cty.jhu.edu
Want to help your child build the confidence and familiarity they need to score higher on the SCAT? Join TestingMom.com! In addition to hundreds of practice questions, we also have lessons for parents to help you understand the best way to help your child prepare for this important test.
SCAT Test and CTY in the News
- Canada: 8-year-old Canadian among top scorers on the SCAT test – March 2023
- Ireland: Student in Ireland gets recognized by Centre for Talented Youth Ireland’s (CTYI) 2023 Talent Search Awards – June 2023
- India: Ei Partners With The Prestigious Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth – May 2023
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Looking for more resources to help your child approach the SCAT with confidence? TestingMom.com can help with:
- Hundreds of SCAT verbal and quantitative practice questions, organized by grade level, to help your child build confidence and familiarity for Test Day.
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- Over 100,000 practice questions for the most popular tests for Pre-K to 8th Grade, including gifted and talented, private school admissions, state tests and more—all for one low price.
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