What level question would a student see if they were given the wrong grade-level test and there were no previous RIT scores for the student?

If a student has no previous RIT score in the subject being tested, the system identifies the grade that the student is currently in, and starts the student with an item slightly easier than the average RIT in the grade. The grade-level of the test won't influence the starting point for the student unless the student's grade is unknown (which is a rare occurrence). NWEA tests adjust very quickly to the actual performance of the student, so the particular starting point used is only noticeable for the first few questions.