Midwest Academic Talent Search
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Welcome to the Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS), a program that offers above-grade-level testing to bright students. MATS provides students and parents with assessment and counseling tools that enable them to make wiser academic decisions about courses to take and paths to choose.

To learn more about MATS, view or order the MATS video.

MATS Update

May 2008

Registration for the 2008 Midwest Academic Talent Search has ended.

Please check this Web site in June for information about registering for the 2009 Midwest Academic Talent Search.

Follow-up packets were mailed to the homes of all students by May 2.

Follow-up packets were sent to schools via UPS by May 2.

Test-taking Information for MATS Students

Students should take the following items to the test:

If you do not have an admission ticket, call the testing agency to ask for your registration number and the test center to which you have been assigned.

  • ACT: (319) 337-1270
  • SAT: (866) 756-7346
  • EXPLORE: (319) 337-1369

For answers to your questions about admission tickets, student ID forms, inclement weather on test day, rescheduling and more, please use the following links to Frequently Asked Questions for

Rescheduling

MATS students who are unable to take the ACT or SAT on their scheduled date should call the testing agency as soon as possible to reschedule for a later test date.

  • ACT: (319) 337-1270
  • SAT: (866) 756-7346

Score Reports

MATS students will receive official score reports directly from the testing agency approximately four to five weeks after taking the test.

MATS Follow-up Materials

The 2008 Educational Program Guide will be mailed to MATS students in March.

The following information is mailed to MATS students in April:

  • Long-range academic plan
  • Planning and Resource Guide
  • Statistical summary
  • Talent newsletter

Schools receive students' scores and certificates in April.

MATS Award Ceremony

MATS students in grades 4 to 8 who have the highest scores (approximately 1% to 2% of all MATS test-takers) on the EXPLORE, ACT and SAT tests taken in January and February are invited to the CTD Award Ceremony on May 17. The ceremony is held on the campus of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. View scores required to be invited to the 2008 CTD Award Ceremony.

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Student Profile:
Trevor Davis, 13
Eden Prairie, MN
Central Middle School
Why I participated in Midwest Talent Search: My school invited me to take part, and I was curious to see how I would do.
How I benefited from Midwest Talent Search: I received a tuition scholarship award and I got to participate in an award ceremony where I got to meet Dr. Lederman, a Nobel Physics Prize winner.
How I pursue my talents: I take part in math league as an extracurricular activity. I play strategy games online. I have attended computer camp for two summers to learn programming and one summer on robotics. I took a two-week 3D animation workshop in Redmond, Washington.

Academic Interests: Math league
Future career: Game designer
Hobbies: computer and video games, downhill skiing
Favorite books: The Ender Wiggin books by Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game, etc.), the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, the Dark Tower series by Steven King, and anything by Michael Crichton
Book currently reading: The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

What’s important to me: Having a lot of time to play and having good friends who share my sense of humor.
Largest impact on my talent development:
My parents because they give me so many opportunities to explore different things. I don’t play any sports right now, but I played soccer, hockey, baseball, and basketball for a time. They read to me from an early age, and we’ve always had lots of books in the house. We make regular trips to the library. We are members of the Science Museum, which I liked to go to all the time when I was younger. We have gone to the zoo many times, the Raptor Center and the Wildlife Science Center (wolves). In 3rd grade I played the violin, and I switched to the alto saxophone in 5th grade and still take private lessons. I was in scouts for a number of years and went camping and learned lots of things for different merit badges. We’ve always had art supplies at home – sketch pads, colored pencils and markers, clay, etc. I’ve been able to take some art-related classes, including woodcarving. I’ve been able to go to computer camps during the summer. My dad has spent a lot of time and money getting and maintaining our computers. We have traveled a lot in the US and have gone to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
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