TranPhatQuoc
New Member
When I was an elementary school, I was a voracious reader, with me loving to read World History/US History textbooks in the middle school level, biographies, science textbooks, and the Encyclopedia Britannica during my spare time. I also developed an above average vocabulary for my age when I was in elementary, with me using words such as encyclopedia, renaissance, and vandalism at 8 years old, for example.
Even though I repeated preschool at age 5 and started kindergarten 5 months after turning 6 due to being diagnosed with autism (I was also placed on an IEP and remained on one until the end of 8th grade, when I moved to a private school), I excelled in multiple subjects, receiving straight A's in math, science, social studies (history, geography, politics, economics, psychology, etc.), foreign language, and music throughout my K-12 years. When I was a child, I teach myself math, science, social studies, information technology, and computer programming at 2-3 grades above grade level (1-2 grades above age level). For example, as a 4th grader, I teach myself 7th grade math and some Pre-Algebra. During school, I consistently receive B/B+ in English (my weakest subject), although that eventually improved to an A during my college years as I received an A in both English 101 and 102.
Now, onto standardized tests.
I took the NWEA MAP test at my school 9 times (during 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade). The test was taken on the computer, and I took the test in a mainstream setting with other students. I scored very highly on the math section (99+ percentile each time), with my highest being a 266, during the spring of 4th grade. Due to the fact I received a math MAP score of 222 in the beginning of 3rd grade, I was promoted to a 4th grade math class during the 3rd grade.
Now, onto the English part. I feel like I might be dyslexic. During the fall of 3rd grade, I scored a 213 on the NWEA MAP test, and even though my scores are solidly above the average for all MAP test takers, which is higher than my school average, my MAP scores fluctuate between the 65th and 95th percentiles. Despite this, I was not allowed to be grade skipped, and not skipping a grade made me socially isolated (due to the fact most of my peers were younger than me) and intellectually stunted. I felt like if I was in a higher grade, I would have learned more, possibly influencing my scores and showing my true potential a little bit more. I mostly scored in the "high" category (80+ percentile) when it comes to vocabulary and in the informational text and literature, I scored in either the "high" or the "HiAvg" category (60-80th percentiles).
As for the MCAS, I typically score in the advanced score brackets (260-280) when it comes with math. I remember scoring a 276 during the 3rd grade. However, things take a different turn for the English Language Arts. Due to the fact I have an IEP, I was pulled out to another room with other IEP students to take the English test. And my scores end up in the needs improvement range (around 230-240) despite the fact I have an aptitude for reading. Years later, when relooking at some of the released questions online, I felt like many of them are easy and that I could do them succinctly.
What's ironic was despite the fact by 5th grade, I knew of concepts such as atomic mass, isotopes, extraterrestrial planets, electromagnetism, gravitation, the laws of motion, and the half life of a substance, I received a 236 on the Science MCAS. That is despite the fact I received an A in 5th grade science and won a regional science fair.
I felt like the IEP was not so helpful to me in later years due to the fact I could make reasonable academic progress (in fact, I excel in many classes) and I also exhibit exemplary behavior in classes. I felt like the IEP hindered my social skills because even though my only goals is social skills, that meant I was forced to eat with higher needs kids in Lunch Bunch, and that wrecked my self esteem and I was bullied by neurotypical peers for that. Add in with the fact I am gregarious to slightly older peers and more intellectually compatible, and it made me alienated and not able to develop the social skills I need to thrive.
Fast forward another few years, due to the adverse home environment, I was not able to thoroughly practice for the SAT. That made me struggle in the English part, especially with the intricate comprehension questions that made no sense to me, even though I understand all parts of the passages I read. I received a 480 in the reading section, and I ran out of time halfway through the reading section. I thrived in the math part however, receiving an 800.
