IQ & Gifted Testing

Understanding how someone thinks, how they learn, reason, process information, and apply knowledge, is one of the most practically useful things a psychological assessment can reveal. Whether you are seeking to understand a young child’s readiness for an advanced program, identify a school-age child’s cognitive profile, support an adult navigating career or academic decisions, or simply gain a clearer picture of intellectual strengths and challenges, IQ and gifted testing provide objective, reliable answers grounded in decades of research.

At Old Town Psychology, we offer expert IQ testing, gifted testing, and admissions testing for children and adults in Alexandria, VA, using the most trusted and widely accepted assessments available. We have immediate openings, so results are in your hands well before any school or program deadline.

What Is IQ & Gifted Testing?

IQ testing, also called cognitive or intelligence testing, is a standardized evaluation that measures an individual’s intellectual functioning across multiple domains of cognitive ability. Rather than measuring accumulated knowledge, IQ tests measure the underlying cognitive capacities that drive learning: how efficiently a person processes information, how well they reason through novel problems, how effectively they hold and manipulate information in working memory, and how quickly and accurately they integrate visual and verbal information.

Gifted testing refers specifically to IQ and cognitive assessments administered for the purpose of identifying intellectual giftedness, whether for admission to gifted and talented programs, advanced academic placement, private school applications, or organizations such as Mensa that require documented evidence of intellectual ability.

Admissions testing, sometimes used interchangeably with gifted testing, refers to specialized assessments used by students applying to independent schools in Virginia, DC, and Maryland, or seeking admission to programs such as the Fairfax County Public Schools Advanced Academic Program (AAP). These assessments evaluate a student’s academic potential and readiness for a rigorous curriculum, measuring multiple cognitive abilities, including logic, memory, language, critical thinking, perception, problem-solving, reasoning, and verbal communication.

At Old Town Psychology, our evaluations go beyond a single overall score. We provide a detailed cognitive profile, including a breakdown of performance across the specific domains that assessments measure, so the results are genuinely informative rather than simply a number. You will understand not just where you falls overall, but where your specific strengths and challenges lie and what those patterns mean in practical terms.

Our assessments are widely accepted by schools, gifted and talented programs, individualized education programs (IEPs), private schools, and gifted organizations throughout Northern Virginia, the Washington DC metro area, and Maryland, as well as by international organizations including Mensa.

Who Is IQ & Gifted Testing For?

IQ and gifted testing are appropriate for children and adults across a wide range of circumstances. At Old Town Psychology, common reasons individuals and families seek these assessments include:

Gifted and talented program placement:

Many gifted and talented programs, in public schools, private schools, and specialized academic settings, require a formal IQ evaluation as part of the application or admissions process. Our assessments provide the documented cognitive profile these programs require, delivered in a report format accepted by schools throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Admissions testing for independent and private schools:

Many independent and private schools use cognitive assessments as part of their admissions process to evaluate a student’s academic potential and readiness for a rigorous curriculum. Our evaluations provide the objective data these programs request, assessing the full range of relevant cognitive abilities, including. logic, memory, language, critical thinking, perception, problem-solving, reasoning, and verbal communicatio. This will all be paired with a detailed written report and dedicated feedback session.

Fairfax County AAP and similar advanced programs:

Students applying to the Fairfax County Public Schools Advanced Academic Program and similar county-level advanced programs often require a formal cognitive assessment as part of the application. Our assessments meet the documentation requirements for these programs and are delivered in time to meet application deadlines.

Understanding a child’s learning profile:

When a child is performing above or below expectations or when there is a significant gap between what they seem capable of and what they are actually producing, IQ testing provides the cognitive baseline needed to understand why. This is especially valuable when learning disabilities, ADHD, or twice-exceptionality (giftedness alongside a learning or attention challenge) may be a factor.

Early childhood cognitive assessment:

For young children, cognitive testing can identify developmental strengths and areas for enrichment early, providing parents and educators with the information needed to build the most supportive learning environment from the start.

Mensa qualification and high-IQ organizations:

Adults and children seeking membership in Mensa or similar organizations require a qualifying IQ score documented through an accepted standardized test. Our assessments meet Mensa’s documented score requirements.

Career and academic planning for adults:

Adults seeking a clearer picture of their cognitive profile for career decision-making, academic planning, or personal understanding benefit from the same detailed, objective data that IQ testing provides.

Establishing a cognitive baseline:

For individuals who want to track cognitive performance over time, IQ testing establishes a documented baseline that can be compared with future assessments to measure growth or identify change.

What Does IQ, Gifted & Admissions Testing Look Like?

At Old Town Psychology, the testing experience is designed to be clinically rigorous and genuinely comfortable, because the conditions under which a test is taken directly affect how well someone performs. A child who is anxious, rushed, or poorly prepared will not produce results that accurately reflect their abilities. Our process is built around changing that.

Pre-Testing Consultation

Before the testing appointment, we schedule a call to discuss your goals, understand your child’s or your own needs, and answer any questions about what to expect. This conversation allows us to personalize the experience in advance and provide guidance on how best to prepare for the day of testing. Knowing what to expect significantly reduces test anxiety and helps ensure the results reflect true ability.

The Testing Session

Testing is conducted one-on-one with one of our licensed psychologists in our Alexandria, VA office. Sessions are interactive and paced to the individual, including breaks as needed to maintain engagement and avoid fatigue. For children, our clinicians take time at the start of each session to build rapport so that the child feels comfortable and at ease before formal testing begins. Testing sessions typically run 90 to 120 minutes, though this varies depending on the scope of the evaluation.

Assessment Instruments

At Old Town Psychology, we administer trusted and widely accepted cognitive and achievement assessments, selected based on the individual’s age and the purpose of the evaluation:

• WPPSI-IV (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition): The gold standard for measuring cognitive ability in young children ages 2 years 6 months through 7 years 7 months. The WPPSI-IV provides an overall IQ score as well as domain scores across verbal comprehension, visual spatial ability, fluid reasoning, working memory, and processing speed, giving a detailed picture of early cognitive development.
• WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition): The most widely used and respected measure of childhood intelligence for ages 6 through 16. The WISC-V provides a Full Scale IQ score along with index scores across verbal comprehension, visual spatial, fluid reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. It is the most common assessment required for gifted program applications, admissions testing, and school placement decisions in Northern Virginia and the DC metro area.
• WAIS-5 (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition): The definitive standard in adult intelligence testing, appropriate for individuals ages 16 and older. The WAIS-5 provides a comprehensive cognitive profile across verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.
• WJ (Woodcock-Johnson Tests): A broad-based cognitive and achievement assessment that complements Wechsler testing by providing additional depth across a wide range of cognitive and academic domains. The WJ is particularly valuable when a more comprehensive academic profile is needed alongside IQ scores.
• WIAT (Wechsler Individual Achievement Test): An assessment of academic achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics that identifies the grade-level at which a person is currently performing in each subject area, both overall and within specific skill components. The WIAT is particularly useful when the goal is understanding academic strengths and weaknesses alongside cognitive ability, or when supplementing application materials for advanced programs or private schools.

Results and Feedback Session

After testing is complete, we prepare a clear, detailed written report that includes the full cognitive profile, domain scores, comparison to age-based norms, and practical interpretation of what the results mean. We then schedule a dedicated feedback appointment to walk through the findings with you, answer your questions, and ensure you leave with both a thorough understanding of the results and specific, research-based recommendations for how to use them. For children, recommendations focus on fostering identified strengths, addressing any areas of challenge, and optimizing the learning environment. Reports are delivered well in advance of school application or program deadlines.

What Our Patients Say

"We brought our daughter in for testing and the OTP team was amazing. They were so kind, caring and great with children. My daughter is shy and takes a little time to warm up when first meeting someone new. The Doctor was patient and encouraging and my daughter had a wonderful time. They also provide fast results and meet with you to explain everything in the report. I would definitely recommend them."

"Very prompt response to our inquiry. Welcoming environment and very professional, thorough communication. The staff genuinely seems to care that your needs are met."

"Excellent service, knowledgeable staff, incredible responsiveness, diligence and follow through -- we feel lucky we found such a great therapy practice. We cannot recommend them highly enough!"

“My daughter took WISC-V test there and we are very pleased with our experience. They are professional, patient and wonderful throughout the entire process. My daughter had such a great time that she hardly felt that was a test - she even asked when she could take it again. I would highly recommend them to whoever needs child IQ testing services.”

“I took my children here for TAG testing. Both of my kids actually enjoyed their assessments. I was very pleased with the time and care taken to assess my children, the thoroughness of the report, and the fact that there was a follow-up session to discuss any questions that I had relative to the assessment included. Also-- the tea selection in the waiting room is top tier :)”

“Very prompt response to our inquiry. Welcoming environment and very professional, thorough communication. The staff genuinely seems to care that your needs are met.”

Take the Next Step

Whether you are preparing a child for gifted program placement, applying to an independent school, seeking Mensa qualification, or simply want a complete and accurate picture of cognitive ability, Old Town Psychology delivers results you can trust, with the personalized attention and clinical expertise that make the difference. We have immediate availability for IQ, gifted, and admissions testing appointments, and our results are delivered promptly so you are never racing to meet a deadline.

Old Town Psychology is a trusted, boutique psychology practice in Alexandria, VA, committed to delivering exceptional, personalized care for children, teens, and adults at every stage of life.

To schedule an IQ, gifted, or admissions testing appointment or to ask any questions, contact us today.