The quizzes on this web site provide approximate measures of aptitude in given subject areas. They are not intended as precise tests of student knowledge or ability; and therefore, they should not be used as such. Getsmarter.org is intended to provide practice and guidance in given subject areas. It helps students, parents and teachers see how well students are performing compared to other students around the world.

The REAL Challenge attempts to simulate the conditions under which the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was conducted. TIMSS was a large-scale, cross-national comparative study of national education systems. Getsmarter.org cannot guarantee that TIMSS-testing conditions will be replicated. An online workspace of this type is not a proven match to a paper test-taking environment. It is unlikely that a student's performance on an item, upon first encountering a question on this website, would differ significantly from performance on the paper and pencil version. However, this has not been unequivocally established.

The practice quizzes provide guidance and immediate feedback on an item-by-item basis, dramatically altering the test-taking environment.

With the exception of The REAL Challenge Top Ten, the international averages shown on this web site are not real-time results. All international comparative data used on the site, in The REAL Results and in the practice quizzes, is taken directly from the TIMSS results.