The Academic Center test is the gifted test. I would suggest looking at OLSAT and/or CogAT test prep resources.

Quick question on grades importance – if a child is at RGC or Classical, will his grades be treated differently from grades received at regular CPS schools for purposes of high school/academic center review/applications?

If the grades are treated the same (i.e. A is the same A at regular CPS and RGC/Classical), then this is a big problem, and maybe someone can prove me wrong? The issue I see is this: we are preparing children to get into Classical or RGC elementary and middle schools, they get in, then they have to keep up with 1-2+ years of studies compared to other kids in regular CPS schools, and it is much harder for them to get an A compared to a student in the same grade at a regular CPS school, and then the moment comes when they have to apply for high schools where grades for 7th grade matter… So the gifted / classical school kids have to work much harder to get all As than regular CPS students… and I wonder whether in the long run it would be better for a child to be a top student at a regular CPS school and then just hire a tutor and prepare him for Academic Center testing… If someone can share their thoughts on this, I would appreciate it.