Enrollment Process and Fees

Talent Search Fees

ACT testing—$60; SAT Testing—$73. Covers the costs associated with the Talent Search application processing as well as test registration fees for either the SAT or the ACT.

Important Note: Students are only allowed to sign up for one test (either SAT or ACT) and one date for that test. The electronic application will not allow you to select more than one test or test date. Paper applications with multiple tests or dates will be assigned one test and one test date.

What to Expect After Enrolling

Visit this page for more information.

How To Enroll

For information, please read the Student Guide. Click here for 2007-2008 Student Guide. Adobe Reader file

Each August brochures and applications are mailed to all schools in the Duke TIP database. School personnel are asked to distribute application materials to eligible students. Some schools choose not to participate in the search. Qualifying students attending schools that do not participate in the 7th Grade Talent Search may contact Duke TIP directly to request an application.

Selecting which test to take

Either test is acceptable for purposes of the Talent Search. See the comparison page for considerations when deciding whether to register for the SAT or ACT.

Talent Search Fees and Test Dates

Registration for the 2007-2008 7th Grade Talent Search has now ended. To become a part of the TIP program, please see the TIP Option: Independent Registration page.

ACT: Deadline was December 5, 2007

  • Talent Search Total Fee: $60
  • Test Dates:
    • December 8, 2007
    • February 9, 2008

SAT: Deadline was December 5, 2007

  • Talent Search Total Fee: $73
  • Test Dates:
    • December 1, 2007
    • January 26, 2008

Online Application

Benefits of Online Registration

  • You can pay with credit card (MasterCard or Visa).
  • You get faster service.
  • You receive immediate registration confirmation.

Exceptions: You must register by mail if:

  • You are requesting services for students
    with disabilities.
  • You are requesting a Sunday test date.
  • You are requesting financial aid.

Paper Application

  • Fill out a paper application.
  • Choose one test and one test date.
  • Mail the completed TIP application with the appropriate fee to Duke TIP by the following postmark deadlines:
    • November 19, 2007 for January SAT or February test dates.

Test Sites

Click on links below for test site information:

SAT test sites (*pdf)

ACT test sites (*pdf)

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Financial Aid

Duke TIP offers a fee grant to offset the cost of participation for any student who is eligible for the free or reduced lunch program.  Eligible students must submit the Fee Grant Letter, in writing by a designated school official that should be included with the completed Duke TIP paper application along with a processing fee of $20.00 for the ACT or $30 for the SAT. See the Financial Aid pages of our Web site for more information.

Special Needs

Services for students with Disabilities

If a student is receiving special accommodations for testing in school, then he/she is eligible to apply to receive these same accommodations while taking the SAT or ACT.  Eligibility is based on currently documented disabilities that have been professionally diagnosed.

For SAT test takers: The Students with Disabilities application process is a two-step process for all accommodations. The student should fill out the Talent Search application, not select a testing site, and bubble in 8c. He/she should then mail the application to Duke TIP with a check for $30.00 only. When the application is received, Duke TIP will mail him/her a Students with disabilities packet that the student will complete and send directly to College Board, the organization that administers the SAT.  The special accommodation being offered at school must be verified on school letterhead by school personnel.  College Board has strict guidelines for these services and requires significant documentation from doctors addressing the specific disability.

For ACT test takers:  ACT offers both standard time with accommodations and extended time national testing.  Standard time with accommodations is a one-step process and extended time national testing is a two-step process.  Specific instructions for each are provided below.  The requested accommodation must be confirmed by a psychologist, learning disabilities specialist/team, or other qualified professional with direct knowledge of the student's disability.

Standard Time with Accommodations -- Examples are wheelchair accessibility, large-type test booklet and answer sheet, marking answers in the test booklet, permission for diabetics to eat snacks, sitting near the front to lip-read spoken instructions, and having a sign-language interpreter to sign instructions.  Students should complete the application leaving 8d blank.  Then he/she should mail the application to Duke TIP with a check for $60.00.  Application must also have a letter from school personnel documenting the accommodation that is provided in school testing situations.  This type of accommodation is available at all national test center

Extended Time National Testing -- Tests at a regularly scheduled test center but student requires up to 50% additional time using a standard or large-type test booklet.  Student should fill out the Talent Search application, not select a testing site, and bubble in 8d.  He/she should then mail the application to Duke TIP with a check for $30.00 only.  When the application is received, Duke TIP will mail the student a Students with Disabilities packet that he/she will complete and send directly to ACT.

Special Testing

For special testing situations that cannot be accommodated at national testing centers, SAT and ACT allow a student to be tested at his/her school with a member of the school staff administering the test.  The staff member is compensated for administering the test by the testing organization.

For ACT and SAT test takers:   This option is appropriate if the disability requires more than time-and-a-half testing time, testing over more than one day, or other test formats such as braille, audio cassette, or a reader.  Student should fill out the Talent Search application, not select a testing site and date, and bubble in 8c or 8d depending on which test he/she is selecting.  He/she should mail the application to Duke TIP with a check for $30.00 only.

Non-Saturday Testing

For students whose religious convictions prohibit them from testing on Saturday.

  • Must complete a paper application to request a non-Saturday test date;
  • Decide on either the SAT or ACT;
  • For non-Saturday SAT, bubble the appropriate date in section 8e, and then enter 01-000 in section 8a on the application;
  • For non-Saturday ACT, bubble the appropriate date in section 8f, contact the school Duke TIP coordinator or call the Duke TIP office at 919/668-9100 for a list of non-Saturday site choices, and enter that code in section 8b;
  • Enclose a letter from clergy on official letterhead requesting non-Saturday testing; and
  • Send application, letter from clergy, and appropriate fee ($60.00 for ACT or $73.00 for SAT) to Duke TIP.