Developed by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, the Spatial Test Battery is a collection of subtests that measures various types of visual-spatial ability. The STB is open to students in the 5th to 11th grade. The test is given on a computer because of the dynamic and 3-D nature of some of the test questions and examples. The STB is a nonverbal (pictorial) test except for instructions given.
The test is given at all of the hundreds of Prometric Testing Centers across the country. This is not an open test; families must have an eligibility number given to them by CTY to call Prometric and schedule a test. The computerized STB contains four subtests: Visual Memory, Surface Development, Block Rotation, and Perspectives. 5th and 6th graders do not take the Perspectives subtest. All four sections open with a tutorial so the student knows how to proceed. There is also a general tutorial that explains how to use the computer and the overall layout of the test. Within the subtests, easy tasks will come first and more difficult ones later. All items are multiple choice, and each item has only one correct solution. Students may also skip tasks within a sub-test and go back to change an answer. Once a sub-test is exited, however, it can’t be re-entered to change answers. Before you start the test, you will be asked several background questions. The data collected from these questions will be used for informational purposes and will have no effect on your STB score. Each sub-test is timed separately. A screen timer shows the time remaining as students work through the items. Total time depends on whether the Perspectives subtest is given, how fast a student works and the time needed to complete the tutorials. Some students manage to take the entire test in under 30 minutes. Testing times of more than 90 minutes are the exception. Prometric will schedule you for two hours, but the test will not take this long. A complete outline of the number of questions per sub-test and the maximum time allowed for each tutorial and sub-test is available. Because 5th and 6th graders take a shortened version of the STB, score results from those grades cannot be combined with SAT results from 7th and 8th grade tests to qualify for CTY’s academic courses.
For information on how to use your STB scores to qualify for our programs, please review the STB option for 5th and 6th graders and for students in the 7th grade and above. Call (410) 735-6277 for more information.
Last updated on 2/8/2007 top
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