SCAT Advanced (6th–8th Grade): Samples, Tips & Questions

• About the Advanced SCAT
• Why Take the Advanced SCAT?
• Test Format & Content
• Eight Tips for Preparing the Advanced SCAT
• SCAT Practice Tests for 6th-8th Grade

About the Advanced SCAT

The SCAT is a test administered by the Johns Hopkins Center in order to determine qualification for its Talented Youth Program. Students in 6th-8th grade take the Advanced SCAT. The test-taker’s results are then compared to average 9th to 12th grade level scores.

For 6th graders specifically, high SCAT scores can be used to apply to John Hopkins’ Talented Youth Program after they’ve completed 7th grade.

Why Take the Advanced SCAT?

Scoring well on the Advanced SCAT can mean not only admission to John Hopkins Center’s Talented Youth Program, but also solid proof of your child’s academic strengths and abilities. Concrete evidence such as this can help pave the way to a successful high school and even college experience.

Whatever the results on the test end up being, the score reports you receive after your child takes the SCAT can give you a far better understanding of where his or her academic strengths and weaknesses lie.

Test Format & Content

The Advanced SCAT is a computerized test that consists of 55 multiple-choice questions on a 9th-12th grade level. The maximum amount of time permitted for completing the test is 90 minutes, though most students complete the exam in approximately 60-75 minutes. The students receive 22 minutes for each portion of the test, with a 10-minute break in between.

There are two sections on the test, including quantitative and verbal. The verbal section is based on verbal analogies, while the quantitative section is based on mathematical comparisons. Read more about the test sections on our SCAT FAQ page.

Eight Tips for Preparing the Advanced SCAT

Why prepare for the SCAT Advanced Test? Preparing for the test can give your child a significant leg-up on the actual day of the test. By helping your child know what to expect, you are decreasing the likelihood of testing anxiety and lack of confidence. Here are eight tips to help ease your advanced SCAT prepping process:

• Create a reliable studying schedule. When preparing for the SCAT, or any test, it is very important to ret reasonable scores. Your child can only handle so much at a time with new information, as it natural. Therefore, make sure to create small and attainable goals for every day. This can include covering a subsection of the test, working through ten questions together, or setting a goal of an hour a day. Try TestPrep-Online’s practice packs, which offer hundreds of questions to work through, as well as timed and untimed modes for working through them.
• Add variety to your preparation. Variety helps the brain stay focused. Therefore, mix up your studying both in terms of where you choose to study and what you choose to study. Switch regularly from verbal questions to math questions. Hard to stay focused at your desk? No problem! Switch your location to the local library, or even a nice quiet café.
• Find out what type of learner your student is. There are several sorts, including verbal, auditory, kinesthetic and visual. Before structuring your study plan, perhaps take a quiz to find out which.
• Take breaks. Breaks are a great way to make sure your child has time to refresh his or her brain and process the information more properly. By allowing and incorporating breaks, your child will have a chance to learn more- both in quality and quantity.
• Don't forget about nutrition. Staying properly fueled is essential for optimizing performance for your child’s mental ability. Opt for nuts, fish high in omega-3, and fruits and veggies. Avoid processed foods, and sugary treats: The energy in these are quick to come, but also quick to go.
• Don’t forget about sleep. Nutrition is not the only fuel your child needs to operate properly- remember to make sure your child gets the right amount of sleep.
• Add rewards. Sure, studying is always rewarding at the end. But it can be hard to see the end goal sometimes- especially when it’s far away. In the meantime, try making studying more fun, and more satisfying by adding small prizes throughout your studying process.
• Use SCAT Advanced practice tests. Using practice tests is a great way to avoid chances of anxiety during the actual test day. By supplying practice tests during your prepping time, your child will become more accustomed to the testing format, and will therefore not be taken aback by the actual exam questions when s/he sees them.

Learn more about Elementary and Intermediate SCAT testing.

SCAT Practice Tests for 6th-8th Grade

To succeed on the Advanced SCAT Test, it is important for your child to be properly prepared. To help your 6th-8th grader’s preparation process, TestPrep-Online offers its Advanced SCAT Test Preparation Pack. All TestPrep-Online’s SCAT products are designed to simulate testing conditions as much as possible, while still offering user-friendly practicing material, and an opportunity to study online at a pace that best suits your child’s needs. Start practicing with free sample questions today!