Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

What should I know about the STB?
The STB is a test that measures some of the abilities associated with visualization and spatial orientation. Taking the STB offers your child the opportunity to gain eligibility for CTY’s summer and online math and science courses. Additionally, it can identify a previously unrecognized talent, one that is not assessed by most standardized tests; provide a more comprehensive profile of your child’s cognitive abilities when combined with scores from assessments of verbal and mathematical ability; and ultimately help you and your child make more informed decisions.

What does the STB measure?
Research has shown that spatial ability is not a single trait, but one composed of several subskills. That is why the STB includes multiple subtests. The Surface Development subtest addresses the component of the mental construction of three-dimensional objects. The Block Rotation subtest measures the subskill of three-dimensional mental rotation. The Visual Memory subtest measures the ability to recall visual images. The Perspectives subtest (only for 7th grade and above) assesses the proficiency to imagine corresponding objects from various viewpoints.

What are some examples of how one might use spatial skills in daily activities?

• Mental Construction of Three-Dimensional Objects: Suppose you want to give someone a gift wrapped in paper. You will need to figure out how much paper to cut so that it completely covers the box. Then, you will need to fold the paper to cover the gift. Thinking about how to fold the paper to cover the box is an example of the mental construction of three-dimensional objects from a two-dimensional form.
• Mental Rotation: Suppose you are moving into a new house. You are not sure how to get a heavy cabinet up to the second floor to your room. Before you move the cabinet up the stairs and around corners, you need to mentally rotate the cabinet in space. This will help to assess whether, and in what orientation, the cabinet can be carried up the staircase and into your room.
• Visual Recall: Perhaps you are taking an economics class and you need to study for an exam. One question might require you to draw a supply-and-demand chart. While taking the exam, you may remember an example of the chart your teacher wrote on the board. By remembering the visual image of the chart while you are taking the test, you are utilizing your visual memory.
• Imagining Viewpoints: Suppose you are working on a group project to build a tabletop model of your classroom. You might need to explain how to place the teacher’s desk to a classmate that is sitting on the opposite side of your table. To provide the most effective instructions, you will need to think about how the model looks from your classmate’s perspective, using your skills in imagining viewpoints.

What about lower test scores?
If your child did not do as well on the STB as you expected, it could be for several reasons. These include: unfamiliarity with the content, task types, fatigue, exhaustion, or test anxiety. A frequent observation on the STB is that students with low scores often do not use the full time available to look at every question. Please keep in mind that spatial ability can be improved through practice, training, and learning. Retesting could be a viable option if the score is within a close proximity of expectations.

INTERPRETING YOUR CHILD’S TEST RESULTS

Percentile (whole battery, as well as for each of the subtests): Percentile is the portion of test takers who received the same score or lower. It is not the portion of questions answered correctly.

Scaled Score (whole battery): A scaled score is a transformed raw score that CTY uses to determine eligibility for programs/awards. The minimum and maximum values are 200 and 800 respectively. 

ELIGIBILITY LEVEL 

Please note that CTY summer and online courses have age and grade requirements and some have prerequisites. For more information, visit cty.jhu.edu.

The scaled score requirements for students who test between July 1 and December 31 are:  

The scaled score requirements for students who test between January 1 and June 30 are: