Giftedness Testing

A child is considered gifted when they exhibit an ability that is significantly above average for their age. Giftedness can be identified in almost any domain, including creativity, intellectual or problem-solving abilities, and academic skills, and some children are gifted in more than one area. Specific cutoffs often vary by program but a child would typically need to score in the top 3-5% on any given domain to be considered gifted in that ability.

Giftedness testing is a systematic assessment process designed to identify individuals with exceptional intellectual and academic abilities. Testing includes cognitive assessments, creativity tests, and evaluations of academic achievement. The goal is to recognize and nurture the unique strengths of gifted individuals, enabling them to access specialized educational programs that cater to their advanced learning needs.

Traditional academic settings may be insufficient for gifted students to excel. Many gifted students feel “bored” or are not challenged in their work. Additionally, giftedness is often associated with emotional and sensory sensitivity and difficulties with executive functioning that can make it even harder to perform in a traditional academic setting. Giftedness testing is a crucial step in ensuring that these individuals receive appropriate educational support, allowing them to reach their full potential and excel in their areas of giftedness.

Why do giftedness testing?

We work with children and adults across all grade levels, from kindergarten through high school. Giftedness testing may be helpful if you feel as though your child is highly advanced in one or more areas of intellectual or academic ability, including:

Verbal skills, such as vocabulary or ability to solve word problems
Visual problem-solving, such as puzzles or ability to build or put things together
Math, reading, and writing abilities
Creative thinking and ability to generate ideas

Many children who are gifted perform exceptionally well in only one or two areas, and they may be average or even below average in their performance in other areas. This can make it difficult to identify some children who are gifted, especially when their strengths don’t shine in a traditional classroom setting. For example, children with exceptional verbal or math skills are likely to stand out as potentially being gifted, but a child with exceptional visual-spatial or divergent problem-solving skills may not stand out the same way.

Giftedness can also be associated with some features that may actually make traditional classroom settings more difficult for the child, such as perfectionism, emotional intensity, or difficulties with attention or organization. Some gifted children also meet criteria for a specific learning disorder (commonly referred to as ‘twice exceptional’ students). These associated features can make it harder to identify a child as being gifted because teachers (and sometimes even parents!) may notice the challenges more and overlook the exceptional abilities that the child has.

Meet the Testing Team