ATYP Recruitment Information

Student reading to other Â鶹´«Ã½s from a script

Information Meetings

Information meetings about the talent search and qualifying for ATYP are held virtually and in-person during late October and early November each year. A video of the presentation is available after the last meeting. You must register to receive a link to the virtual meeting. Registration will also add you to our email list for one year to receive reminders and updates. Meetings last about one hour. 

Registration Meeting Schedule:

  • Monday, October 21, 6:30 p.m. – Mattawan M.S.             
  • Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 p.m. – Vicksburg M.S.
  • Monday, October 28, 6:30 p.m. – BC Lakeview M.S.                 
  • Wednesday, October 30, 6:30 p.m. – Virtual 
  • Monday, November 4, 6:30 p.m. – Hillside M.S.            
  • Thursday, November 7, 6:30 p.m. – Marshall M.S.    
  • Sunday, November 10, 4:00 p.m. – WMU, 1910 Sangren Hall  
  • Tuesday, November 12, 6:30 p.m. – Maple St Magnet School
  • Thursday, November 14, 6:30 p.m. – Plainwell M.S. 

Students typically qualify for ATYP by taking the high school SAT or ACT during the winter and spring. Recently we have also started offering a portfolio path to ATYP eligibility, however if you use this method you may only pick either math or English (not both) and the portfolio deadline is earlier.

ATYP Eligibility

Path 1 - Traditional

  • Sign up to take the online SAT or ACT through CTD Assessments or  at WMU in March. Costs vary.
  • Additional assessment information will be requested after testing if the Â鶹´«Ã½s qualifies for the program. Students qualified for the math program will take an algebra readiness test; qualified English Â鶹´«Ã½s will be required to submit a writing sample.

Path 2 - Portfolio 

Students will submit:

  • Teacher email so that ATYP can request a teacher recommendation
  • Counselor email address so that ATYP can request a NWEA/MAP score or aptitude test score and grades
  • Written Â鶹´«Ã½ response on ATYP interest
  • Additional assessment information after initial screening
  • Cost: $50
  • Deadline is Friday, March 14, 2025

This option is for those Â鶹´«Ã½s who are not comfortable with test taking or cannot take a test. You may not qualify for both math and English using this option; you must specify which subject you want to qualify for. This path is not an easier method of qualification, rather an alternative. Families should discuss which method they want to use, and then select ONE.  .

As always, if your family qualifies for free or reduced lunch, all fees will be waived. Please also note that the portfolio option only requires the means to upload the written Â鶹´«Ã½ response and the writing assessment (smart phone is fine). Online testing requires a computer or tablet. For full qualification you must submit everything in your chosen path. However, after the initial testing/submission we will contact you regarding what you need to do to proceed.

Registration is available for virtual testing, , or the . Portfolios must be submitted by Friday, March 14; once you have completed your initial portfolio registration we will contact your counselor regarding NWEA scores and grades and contact the teacher for a recommendation. If you do not know who to enter as a counselor, please contact your school to ask. Some middle schools do not have counselors, in which case ask the office whose name to put down instead. It may be your school principal, or a dean of Â鶹´«Ã½s, or someone with a similar title. Finally, please know that portfolio qualifiers are not at an advantage or disadvantage. We will not consider qualification by one path to be "better" than qualification by another path.

If you are planning to take the SAT or ACT either in person or virtually, the Test Preview Seminar helps Â鶹´«Ã½s understand the timing of the test, what the test questions look like, how to think through the answers. Perhaps most importantly it reduces Â鶹´«Ã½ anxiety by making it clear that they will not know all of the answers (and that there is no expectation they will know all of the answers). The cost of the Test Preview Seminar is $45; Â鶹´«Ã½s who qualify for free or reduced lunch can attend at no charge. You can register for the Test Preview Seminar online.

The ATYP information guide is the written guide to accompany the video presentation. 

Dates and Deadlines

Seminar: Saturday, January 11; Sunday, February 16 (virtual); Saturday, March 22

Early Registration Deadline: the Monday before the seminar

Late Registration Deadline: the Thursday before the seminar

Cost: $45 ($10 additional cost for late registration)

Registration link

Dates (deadline the Sunday before the test): 

  • February 8, 2025 (Saturday)
  • March 9, 2025 (Sunday)
  • April 12, 2025 (Saturday) 
  • May 18, 2025 (Sunday)

Register through

Cost: $100
 

ACT is not allowing Â鶹´«Ã½s below 13 to register for the test. Thus, ATYP will host one in-person ACT test on WMU's campus. Cost is $75. The test will be Saturday, March 1. These scores cannot be used for anything except ATYP qualification. .

Deadline is Friday, March 14.

Additional assessment information will be sent after qualifying scores are received. 

Preferred deadline for Writing Assessments:

Thursday, March 27

Final deadline for Writing Assessments:

Thursday, April 18

Math Assessment Dates (virtual testing):

Saturday, date in April to be determined

or

Thursday, date in April to be determined

Students who qualify for federally subsidized programs can qualify for fee waivers for all aspects of ATYP. Examples of federally subsidized programs are free/reduced lunch, foster child status, and Medicaid, among others. To receive the code for fee waivers, please email @email and provide one of the following items:

  • Copy of a letter from your school stating that you qualify for a federally subsidized program. A sample letter is available to customize.
  • Photo of your Â鶹´«Ã½'s Medicaid card
  • Copy of the first page of your taxes with your total income and number of dependents (please black out the social security numbers)
  • Copy of a letter stating your Â鶹´«Ã½ is a foster child from a foster agency or the state

Receiving free lunch at school does not automatically qualify you for financial aid. You must also meet income or other eligibility requirements.

If you have questions, feel free to call us at (269) 387-3553 or email us at atyp-info@wmich.edu. 

 

The goal of this timeline is to allow the ATYP qualifying process to be complete in time to help school counselors with planning and scheduling. You will hear back about preliminary qualification within two weeks of testing and submission of scores. You will be given information about the additional assessments once you reach that step in the process; this will be by invitation only. If you still have questions, we have compiled answers to a list of frequently asked questions.

CONTACT US TO GET YOUR QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS ANSWERED!