The School and College Ability Test (SCAT), is a standardized test conducted in the United States that measures math and verbal reasoning abilities in gifted children.

The SCAT is used by the Center for Talented Youth (CTY) as an above-grade-level entrance exam for students in grades 2–8. Students in grades 2-3 take the Elementary SCAT designed for students in grades 4-5. Students in grades 4-5 take the Intermediate SCAT designed for students in grades 6-8. Students in grades 6 and above take the Advanced SCAT designed for students in grades 9-12. ^[1] There are 55 questions per section, 5 of which are experimental.^[1] The percentile ranks for the SCAT have not been updated since 1979. So, when your child takes this test, your child is being compared to a national sample of children who took the test in 1979.^[2]

Qualification

Qualification for the test requires a 95th percentile or higher score on a national standardized exam or a teacher recommendation with exceptional grades.^[3]

Scoring

Scoring is based on a three-step process in which a child’s raw score is scaled based on the test version and then compared to the results of the test scores of normal students in the higher-level grade. Please keep in mind that the group of normal students took this test in 1979. So, your child’s percentile ranks could be different if compared to a more recent group of test takers. ^[4] The minimum scores required for qualification for the 2nd to 10th grade CTY summer courses are below:^[5][6]

• Grade 2 ≥ 430 SCAT Verbal or 435 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 3 ≥ 435 SCAT Verbal or 440 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 4 ≥ 440 SCAT Verbal or 450 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 5 ≥ 445 SCAT Verbal or 465 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 6 ≥ 450 SCAT Verbal or 470 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 7 ≥ 455 SCAT Verbal or 475 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 8 ≥ 460 SCAT Verbal or 480 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 9 ≥ 465 SCAT Verbal or 485 SCAT Quantitative
• Grade 10 ≥ 470 SCAT Verbal or 490 SCAT Quantitative

References