Mind Matters

Icon of someone speaking, emphasizing the importance of IQ testing in San Francisco, CA for school placements. We also offer IQ testing in Berkeley & Silicon Valley, CA.

Intelligence (IQ) Testing in Berkeley and San Francisco:

IQ testing provides an overview of your child’s cognitive strengths. IQ Testing is most useful for parents who are making school placement decisions. Also, parents whose children are applying to schools or extracurricular programs that require the test for admissions.

IQ Tests We offer in Both Locations

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale series (WPPSI-IV, WISC-V, or WAIS-IV) – the most common test requested by gifted programs and private schools.

Also Offered in San Francisco:

The Stanford Binet-V (SB-V) is an alternative intelligence measure for children who have already taken part or all of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale within the past twelve months. The SB-V does not include timed measures and extends up to adulthood. So, it can be a better measure for kids who don’t do well under time pressure, or who need a test with a very high “ceiling.”

Need a weekend appointment? To book with Dr. Dylan Morris on Sundays, use this link for the WPPSI (ages 3-5) OR use this link to book the WISC-V (ages 6+).

The Purpose of IQ Testing

At Mind Matters, we provide standalone IQ testing only for admissions purposes as required by schools or other gifted programs (e.g. Mensa, Davidson, public school GATE programs, etc.). IQ testing results can also help parents decide whether they should consider these types of programs. Parents need to know these limitations to IQ testing before deciding to schedule an appointment for their child:

IQ Testing may not show whether your child is gifted.

IQ testing measures some areas of intelligence, but not all. Thus, if your child’s exceptional abilities lay in another area, their gifted abilities won’t show up on the test. Additionally, other factors can affect how a child performs on an IQ test, such as anxiety, language ability, and exposure to the dominant culture. So your child’s score may reflect these factors as well as their intelligence.

IQ testing won’t show how your child learns best.

While testing might show types of reasoning and problem-solving activities that your child does easily, results don’t show your child’s academic progress or how they tackle academic tasks. Nor do they predict what career your child should pursue or what they should study in college.

IQ testing won’t show whether your child is Twice Exceptional (2E).

Twice-exceptional (or 2E for short) is when someone is both gifted and faces certain challenges. These challenges might include things like ADHD, autism, or dyslexia. Testing for twice exceptionality is a bit more complex. If you have concerns or questions about learning, attention, or behavior, your child may be Twice-Exceptional (2E). may want to consider a screening or evaluation. These evaluations allow time for a combination of tests, observations, and interviews with you, your child, and your child’s teachers. This allows us to share a much more holistic view of your child, including both strengths and challenges that may mask their strengths.

IQ Testing Process

Preparing for IQ testing in San Francisco and Berkeley:

Your child should not prep or practice for an intelligence test at all. Practice will invalidate the results. Rather, focus on helping your child sleep well the night before. Also to eat a nutritious breakfast and encourage her or him to have a relaxed and positive attitude.

When talking to your child about the session, describe the experience in the way that you think works best for your child. For some kids, the word “test” might make them nervous. If so, describe the session as an opportunity to play some thinking games and learn more about their brain. For other kids, knowing they are being “tested” will motivate them to try their hardest.

Many children enjoy the testing experience, especially if they like to think about ideas or try to solve new problems. Please let us know if you think your child might feel worried or stressed about the idea of testing. We always take time at the beginning of testing sessions to make sure our clients feel comfortable, but we can take extra time if needed.

Behavioral Screenings are for parents of children who are struggling with behavior at home and/or at school. Parents may wonder if their child school environment suits them, or whether internal factors (e.g. attention, language, anxiety) contribute to the behavior.

ADHD Screenings are for parents who are wondering whether their child’s struggles with attention and/or restlessness indicate an underlying condition like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Kindergarten Readiness Screenings are for parents wondering whether their child is ready to begin kindergarten. For example, they may feel their child needs more time or support to develop readiness skills. Likewise, a screening can be particularly helpful for a child with a summer birthday as parents weigh whether to wait another year for kindergarten.

Setting:

Testing occurs at one of our office locations in (San Francisco or Berkeley). Parents are expected to wait in our waiting area or be nearby accessible by cell phone.

Session:

Testing requires between 90 and 120 minutes, depending on your child’s age, the test being administered, and how many breaks they need. Our clinicians administer the core subtests for each test, plus any additional tests required by the Nueva School Admissions. For the WISC-V, this includes verbal reasoning, visual-spatial reasoning, fluid reasoning, memory, and processing speed. Please let us know if you are applying to a program that requires additional tests beyond the core subtests.

Covid-19 Precautions for IQ Testing in San Francisco and Berkeley, CA:

The Department of Public Health still requires clinicians to wear masks in most jurisdictions. We will notify you if your clinician prefers or requires that your child wears a mask. Of course, they are welcome to wear a mask too if they prefer. We are still sanitizing and running HEPA air filters before and during sessions.

Results:

Should your child be applying to an academic or gifted program, our clinicians can share your child’s Full Scale IQ score directly with you within 48 hours of testing. We send a detailed written report of scores to parents about a week after the session. Please let us know if you need an expedited report due to a school deadline. We’d be happy to check if we can accommodate the request.

Feedback Meeting:

Sometimes parents read the report and want to discuss the results more in depth. Other times, parents would like advice on what type of school setting or activities might suit their child best. If so, parents can opt to schedule a 25 minute follow up phone call with their child’s clinician. Since not every family wants this discussion, we charge separately for this feedback phone call ($150)

Fees

Our Fees for IQ Testing in San Francisco & Berkeley depends on the clinician and the test:

For WISC-V/WAIS-IV/SB-V

$450 with our Advanced Trainee (supervised by Dr. MurrayMetzger)
$900 with Dr. MurrayMetzger
$800 with all other licensed clinicians

For WPPSI-IV

$750 with Dr. MurrayMetzger
$650 with all other licensed clinicians

NOTE: a $25 cash discount offered for clients paying on or before the day of service by cash, check, or Zelle

The flat fee for intelligence testing includes a 90-120 minute testing session and a written report of scores. The report includes some general information about your child, behavioral observations, your child’s scores and explanation of what the tasks measure.

For further discussion about results and recommendations, parents can opt to schedule a 25 minute follow up phone call with their child’s clinician. Since not every family wants this discussion, we charge separately for this feedback phone call ($150)

Next Steps

Schedule IQ Testing in San Francisco or Berkeley, CA today!

Is your child a curious explorer, a budding problem-solver, or a creative thinker? Uncover their unique cognitive strengths and empower their educational journey with our comprehensive IQ Testing in San Francisco or Berkeley, CA. Follow these few steps to get started:

Explore our services and compassionate psychologists.
Schedule IQ testing in Berkeley or San Francisco, CA here.
Empower your child’s talent and skills.

Other Services our Psychologists Offer:

We know that every child’s life experiences are different. That’s why we offer a range of services including psychoeducational evaluations, neurodevelopmental screenings, Autism testing, and parent guidance consultations to help better support and understand your child.