I can't think of anything interesting to blog while I try to test 150 open issues on our web project, so here are some snippets from Jacob's evaluation at Northwestern last week:

Dear Mr. & Mrs. JT's Family Name:
    Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you and your child, Jacob, recently. I have enclosed for your review and use two copies of the Center's report detailing the results of the assessments we completed.
    The results indicate that Jacob could benefit from the special opportunities for academically talented chidlren offered at Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development. We hope Jacob will enroll in a language arts, mathematics, or science class in the Leapfrog program.
[...]
    The RAVENS (RCPM) raw score of 22 places Jacob at the 90th percentile for children in his age group. This reflects an excellent ability to reason by analogy and form comparisons. A capacity for observation and clear thinking is also suggested by his strong performance on this assessment. Jacob showed good task persistence on the test items, maintaining his concentration and attention throughout even the most difficult patterns and seemed to enjoy the challenging work. He demonstrated the ability to understand complex instructions in a difficult and novel problem-solving situation. His problem-solving skills represent a relative strength.
[...]
SUMMARY:
    Jacob ___, a 5 year 2 month old boy, was seen at the Center for Talent Development to determine his elibility for special programs offered by the Center in areas of academic enrichment. Jacob was a very cooperative, expressive, and attentive youngster who seemed to enjoy the challenge of the tasks and the novelty of the occasion. He easily separated from his parents and interacted quite well with the unfamiliar examiner.
    Results of all assessments indicate that Jacob has good potential for success in early academic areas of learning. He performed well above average (81st percentile and above) on most measures administered. Furthermore, his achievement test score in the area of Mathematics (84th percentile) reflects a grasp of material several years beyond his current placement. Jacob demonstrated a fine understanding of the world and how it works.
    Jacob is socially adept and able to hold his own in an adult conversation. [ED. "Or completely take it over."] He seemed motivated and congenial throughout the testing session, accepting the presence and directions of the examiner.

They basically go on from there to encourage us to spend lots of money on academic enrichment, blah blah blah. Okay, they don't say that. To me, the unwritten text is "keep this kid occupied or he's going to drive you completely insane. Oh, and by the way, he's already smarter than you, so you're totally fucked if you think you can stay ahead of him."

The bottom line to me is that this explains well why Jake had a tough year in preschool -- he is really smart, but wasn't really in the best environment to keep him challenged. Additionally, while he's bright, sometimes it's hard to realize that he's only just five, and therefore not as mature as his brains might indicate.

I gave my dad our completed applications for Leapfrog this weekend, and he's turning them in for us. We're really hoping Jake gets the science programs, which I think will really be exciting for him. And hopefully, this will keep him busy enough to stay emotionally stable this summer!

["Daughters," John Mayer]