IQ Testing

I complete IQ testing for local private school admission applications, including The Evergreen School, University Child Development School (UCDS), Seattle Country Day School (SCDS),  and Open Window School. I usually schedule the testing closer to the deadline to get the best results from your child. 

These evaluations take 1-2 hours of in-person, one-on-one testing with your child. Parent(s) will wait outside of the office. My fee is $900 for the whole evaluation. The fee includes the 1- to 2-hour in-person testing session, and 2-3 hours for scoring, interpreting, creating the report, and sharing the results with the parents via a virtual meeting. I'm happy to send it directly to the school for you.  Insurance does not cover the cost of these evaluations. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What IQ tests do you provide?

I use the KABC-II NU (ages 3-18), the WPPSI-IV (under age 6), and the WISC-V (ages 6 and up) tests.

Which test should I choose for my child?

The WPPSI-IV/WISC-V is accepted by most private schools in the area. Activities in the KABC-II NU are less linguistically- and culturally loaded, which may help more accurately assess the cognitive ability of a child from multilingual/multicultural backgrounds. Feel free to email me directly if you are unsure of which test to choose for your child.

What if my child is exposed to languages other than English?

The standardized assessment tool used during this process uses national norms to compare your child's scores to their same-age, mostly English-speaking peers. The tests required by the school are offered in English only, and unfortunately, do not take into consideration whether the child taking the test is bilingual or whether their native language is anything other than English. 

I do use the less linguistically- and culturally-loaded cognitive assessment instrument, the KABC-II NU. I also speak Mandarin Chinese to help bilingual Mandarin/English children understand the instructions of the testing items if needed, as permitted by the testing manual.

我可以用中文/普通话，帮助双语(普通话/英语)的孩子理解测试题目。

How should I help my child study for the IQ test?

Please DO NOT try to prep your child or have them study for IQ testing. There are no special procedures or preparations needed for the IQ test. Continuing to have your child engage in daily enrichment activities (e.g., preschool, playing, reading books with a parent etc.) is sufficient. Unlike testing in school, IQ tests are designed to measure children’s problem-solving and reasoning abilities on novel tasks. Any prior exposure to the testing materials will invalidate the results. 

How should I talk to my child about the in-person testing?

Say something like:

"You'll be going to Ms. Vivian's office to do some activities that help the adults understand how you learn the best. You'll be working with Ms. Vivian one-on-one in her office. Mom/dad will be waiting for you right outside. You can let Ms. Vivian know if you miss mom/dad and she'll find the right time for you to check in with mom/dad. You and Ms. Vivian will be doing many tasks, like looking at pictures and answering questions. Some may be easy for you and some may be hard. There's no way to fail in your work. As long as you are trying your best, you're doing a great job. Make sure to tell Ms. Vivian if you need a break. Ask questions if you're not sure what you're supposed to do." 

Try to avoid using the word "test" since the word might provoke anxiety. Also, try to avoid using the word "games" because some of the tasks might be boring and not fun like games for your child, which might impact their mood when completing the activities. 

How should I prepare my child on testing day?

On testing day, try and make sure your child is well rested, had a balanced meal beforehand, and is wearing comfortable clothing. Your child is also welcome to bring along some snacks and water for breaks and comfort items with them to my office.

What if my child is shy around unfamiliar adults?

I will help your child feel comfortable before starting any testing activities. I usually make small talks to get to know them and share something about myself with them. I also use a visual schedule to show them what to expect and have stickers and small toys as prizes for them to earn at the end.  You can arrange a reward for your child ahead of time (e.g., favorite meal, shopping for a new toy etc.) to increase engagement and motivation during testing. Some parents also found that showing their child pictures of me on the website ahead of time to be helpful.