Duke TIP 7th Grade Talent Search
Academic talent searches help families find out how advanced students' abilities truly are. Traditional testing often fails to measure the variation among many gifted students who reach the upper limits of scoring on grade-level exams. By taking advanced above-level testing (at least two years above a student's current grade placement) through Duke TIP's talent search, gifted students and their families gain a far better understanding of where the student stands in relation to his/her gifted peers and what level of educational challenge is appropriate.
Now in its 30th year, Duke TIP's 7th Grade Talent Search is the largest program of its kind in the nation, representing participation from 6,000 junior high and middle schools in the Duke TIP 16-state region. Over 2 million students have participated in the Talent Search since its inception in 1980.
Duke TIP's 7th Grade Talent Search identifies academically talented 7th graders based on standardized test scores achieved while attending elementary or middle school. Candidates are then invited to take the SAT or the ACT as 7th graders, which allows them greater insight into their academic abilities. In addition, they gain valuable benefits and resources for gifted students.