Minnesota School Entrance Exam Prep Guides

We publish 3 in-depth prep guides covering 3 selective enrollment and competitive admission schools in Minnesota, including Dimensions Academy (DA) — Middle School Gifted Program, Dimensions Academy High School (DAHS) — STEM & Humanities Program and Nobel Program — High School Cohort (Kennedy High School) — covering essays, exam strategy, and application timelines.

How to Get Into Dimensions Academy Bloomington: The 2026 Parent's Complete Guide (CogAT, FastBridge & IQ Testing)

Dimensions Academy (DA) — Middle School Gifted Program

June 10, 2026 11 min read

How to Get Into Dimensions Academy Bloomington: The 2026 Parent's Complete Guide (CogAT, FastBridge & IQ Testing)

Dimensions Academy Bloomington uses three parallel testing pathways — FastBridge achievement, CogAT, and IQ testing — to place gifted middle schoolers. This guide explains every threshold, deadline, and prep strategy your child needs for the ISD 271 gifted program. Find out how STEM critical thinking practice directly builds CogAT Quantitative and Nonverbal scores.

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MAP Test Scores for DAHS Gifted Admission: What 90th Percentile Really Means for 8th Graders in Bloomington (2026)

Dimensions Academy High School (DAHS) — STEM & Humanities Program

June 19, 2026 9 min read

MAP Test Scores for DAHS Gifted Admission: What 90th Percentile Really Means for 8th Graders in Bloomington (2026)

If your 8th grader is aiming for Dimensions Academy High School in Bloomington, you need to know exactly what MAP test scores — down to the RIT number — actually qualify them. This guide translates the 90th and 98th percentile thresholds into concrete benchmarks and explains every step of the DAHS admissions process for in-district and out-of-district families.

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Torrance Test of Creative Thinking: A Parent's Prep Guide for Nobel Program Admissions at Kennedy High School

Nobel Program — High School Cohort (Kennedy High School)

July 08, 2026 9 min read

Torrance Test of Creative Thinking: A Parent's Prep Guide for Nobel Program Admissions at Kennedy High School

The Nobel Program at Kennedy High School (Bloomington ISD 271) admits students using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking — not a traditional academic exam. This guide explains exactly how the TTCT Verbal and Figural forms work, how MAP Reading scores function as the eligibility gateway, and what your 8th grader can do right now to build genuine divergent thinking skills before testing day.

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