The Imperial College of Genealogy is highly respected and a crucial part of life in the Imperium.  The College is consulted before every marriage and after every birth.  One important function of the College is to test every child of the nobility or middle classes (or who has a patron from those classes) for their magical potential.  

Alchemists and technical mages of the highest talent and moral character are recruited from the University for this career.  Once trained, they also become sworn and tested agents of the Emperor.  They determine the degree of magical talent inherent in the children at a fairly young age, typically 5-7 years.  Once tested, a child will have their Power Sign created on their dominant hand.  It will reflect their bloodlines and their magical potential.  It changes slightly over time as that potential is realized, but remains fundamentally the same.  This process is carefully overseen and can not be "faked."

If a child has the ability to work magic, they will keep track of him/her and possibly arrange for appropriate training. In the case of extremely talented young people, particularly of the lower classes, it is rumored that the state (the Eyes) may actually take them from their families to be educated in special schools in order to maximize their potential. This is occsionally done openly, but only with the parents' approval.  There is no proof that it is done without the parents' approval.

Degree of Talent	Grade	Potential
zero	none	none for spells, little or none for magical skills and high magic
insignificant	1st circle	little for spells, little or none for high magic
minor	2nd circle	some for learning simple spells, skills, and occasionally high magic
moderate	3rd circle	significant in one area, variable for skills, high magic
high	4th circle	signif. in two or more areas, varying for skills, rituals
great	inner circle	signif. in three or more areas, especially difficult ancient magics, almost always talent high for skills, rituals

Once a talented individual has received some formal training in one or more colleges of magic, their ability to use magic from that college is also rated. As that individual progresses in their education, those ratings are updated with examinations and tests. Imperial mages use these ratings as part of their professional title (i.e. M. Cornelius Bernardian, MPe, MdeS). There are seven rating steps:

Rank	Title	Minimum Qualifications
1	Novicus	nothing
2	Auctor	basic skills at 5+ ranks (Research. Power Perception, etc)
3	Initiate	many discipline-specific skills (5+ ranks) & beginning to learn spell lists
4	Medius	knows many core spells/lists, mastery of all core skills, beginning to learn rituals, as appropriate*
5	Adeptus	Many peripheral spells/lists as well as more difficult core magics, mastery of most relevant skills, proficient at 1 or 2 types of ritual magic, where appropriate
6	Magister	mastery of core magics and many peripheral as well, Expert level of knowlege in all relevant skills, mastery or near mastery of two or more ritual forms
7	Magister Grandis	the best in a given field, generally awarded after lifetime achievement