Participants receive:

• A Student Guide, sent prior to taking the test, it offers test-taking strategies, test information, and career planning suggestions
• The Educational Program Guide, a listing of schools and programs for academically talented students in the Midwest and the United States
• A Planning and Resource Guide, with guidelines and suggestions in selecting coursework and extracurricular activities in math, science, social science and the humanities matched to students' scores
• Talent, a CTD newsletter that contains articles and research geared toward gifted students, their parents, and teachers
• A Statistical Summary and Interpretation Report, which summarizes the scores of all students who participated in the Midwest Academic Talent Search so students can compare their scores to those of other gifted students and to those of older students who typically take the tests
• An Individualized Long-Range Academic Plan based on the student's scores and MATS percentile that will help students and their families plan their coursework through the end of high school
• For qualifying students, an invitation to the CTD Summer Program at Northwestern University, as well as to other summer programs in the Midwest
• A Certificate of Recognition for participation in MATS
• Mailings throughout high school from summer programs and special schools
• An invitation to participate in future talent searches
• For highest scorers, an invitation to a prestigious award ceremony held at Northwestern University
• For highest scorers, scholarships for academic programs
• The College Guide, a magazine which features articles on college admissions and will help students get started on the college planning process

Midwest Academic Talent Search above-grade-level testing enables you to:

• Practice taking tests used for high school and college admissions
• Receive test scores that reflect an accurate assessment of your abilities
• Jump-start your academic planning and talent development activities
• Participate, upon qualifying, in special academic programs at Northwestern University and other colleges and universities throughout the United States
• Receive informational booklets that prepare you for taking the tests, as well as guides that help you interpret your scores
• Gain access to a variety of educational opportunities, such as correspondence courses and resources and information specifically for talented teens.

Here is what some parents said about their experience with Midwest Academic Talent Search.

• "Midwest Academic Talent Search provides tools to enhance your child's talent."
• "If our son had not done SO well on the EXPLORE test, we would not have tried the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth programs."
• "You offered us an opportunity to learn about the level of our child's academic progress to date and about advanced programs for her academic enrichment."
• "The Midwest Academic Talent Search offers testing experience and additional access to educational programs to supplement curriculums offered in standard public education."
• "Through participation in the MATS 'We now have tangible scores to show prospective high schools what we mean when we say our child is gifted'."
• "Although I would rank taking the test as the most valuable experience from participating in the Talent Search, the most helpful were the recommendations for academic planning for the next six years."
• "Showing the average test scores per age group and where my child fell in that group, as well as the performance of older students and where my child fell in that group was extremely valuable."
• "The sample testing information was helpful for my child before she took the test. She knew what sort of questions she would have to answer and how to fill out the answer sheet."
• "The most valuable benefit is that the Talent Search shows my child there are a lot of excellent students and there are many excellent programs out there."
• "The practice material was beneficial because they told my daughter what to expect and as a result she was less apprehensive about going in there to test."
• "A benefit is taking the test before it actually counts."
• "The Statistical Summary gave me an objective measure of my child's academic progress to date as compared with a great number of students her age."
• “The Talent Search informed us of summer programs at the university that were open to our child.”
• “MATS has provided our family with the tools necessary to help our child obtain the most from his secondary education and beyond.”
• “Our child has benefited from MATS by acquiring a new sense of intellectual confidence that has encouraged her to expand her current interests as well as to seek out new academic challenges.”
• "The testing experience was good for his confidence."