CTD Assessment

The Academically Talented Youth Program uses Center for Talent Development Assessment at Northwestern University to search for qualifying students. CTD Assessment is a highly-regarded program that has been in existence for more than 30 years.

According to their website:

"Imagine that you’re measuring a roomful of kids with a yardstick. That’s fine for the kids who are shorter than three feet, but for those who are taller, the yardstick is an inadequate tool. The same is true for gifted kids—to measure their abilities, you need a better tool than a grade-level test, one that can measure above that 99th percentile where the yardstick ends.

That better tool is Northwestern University’s CTD Assessment. Started in 1982, CTD Assessment is a program of the Center for Talent Development that offers above-grade-level testing for high-performing students in grades three through nine. This Talent Search approach is an extremely well-researched and respected program model in gifted education.

CTD Assessment uses tests intended for older students to provide a more accurate measurement of aptitude, because studies show that students who score in the top 10 percent on school achievement tests differ widely from average students in their abilities and educational needs. In-grade achievement tests just don’t accurately represent these gifted students’ potential.

After students test, parents receive comprehensive information about how their student measures up to other gifted students. This valuable feedback helps families plan for the future."

To learn more about how CTD Assessment works, please visit their website.