Parent guides
Every guide to the CogAT and gifted testing
Calm, practical guides for parents of children in kindergarten to 5th grade: what the CogAT is, how to prepare, sample questions, how to read the scores, and how it compares with the OLSAT, NNAT, MAP and Iowa tests.
Start here
What the CogAT is and how to get ready without pressure.
- CogAT guideThe CogAT test, explained for parentsBatteries, subtests, levels by grade, timing and how to prepare.
- Parent guideHow to prepare for the CogAT: a calm plan for parentsHow to prepare your child for the CogAT: learn the nine question types, practice a few minutes a day, try a practice test or two, then rest.
- Test formatHow long is the CogAT test?How long the CogAT takes: untimed and teacher-paced in K–2, 10 minutes per subtest from 3rd grade (90 minutes in all), question counts, paper vs. online.
- Screening FormThe CogAT Screening Form, explainedThe CogAT Screening Form has three subtests: Verbal Analogies, Number Analogies and Figure Matrices. How it differs from the full test and how to prepare.
- Parent guideShould you prepare your child for gifted testing?Should you prepare your child for gifted testing like the CogAT? An honest look at familiarity vs. coaching, how much is enough and signs it’s too much.
- Parent guideCogAT test day tips for parentsCogAT test day tips for parents of K–5: the week before, the night before and the morning of, what to say to your child, and what to do after the test.
- ReferenceCogAT glossary: the terms parents meetA plain-English CogAT glossary for parents: batteries, levels, Form 7 and 8, the Screening Form, raw scores, composites, stanines and Standard Age Scores.
Practice
Real-format sample questions, a printable test and games.
- Try itTry ThinklingFive real-format puzzles from the app, right in your browser: read aloud, with explanations.
- PracticeCogAT sample questions for every question typeFree CogAT sample questions for kindergarten to 5th grade: one of each of the nine question types, answers explained, plus grade 3+ versions.
- Free printableFree printable CogAT practice testA free printable CogAT practice test: 9 picture questions for K–2, 5 word and number questions for grades 3–5, and an answer key. Print or save as PDF.
- Practice testsCogAT practice tests: how to use them wellWhat makes a good CogAT practice test, how many to take and when, how to read the results without stress, and how practice tests differ from daily prep.
- Parent guideLogic games for kids: screen-free ideas for K–5Screen-free logic games for kids in K–5, sorted by age, with how to play each one, the thinking skill it builds and links to related CogAT question types.
- Parent guideCritical thinking activities for kids, from dinner to car ridesEveryday critical thinking activities for kids in K–5: dinner questions, sorting at home, comparing, predicting and learning from mistakes, with examples.
By grade
The level, format and what to practice for each grade.
- Grade guideCogAT for kindergarten: a calm guide for parentsWhat the CogAT looks like in kindergarten (Level 5/6): read-aloud picture questions, all nine subtests, and calm, playful ways to prepare at home.
- Grade guideCogAT for 1st grade: what to expect and how to prepareA parent’s guide to the 1st grade CogAT (Level 7): how the read-aloud test works, what each subtest looks like, and short, playful ways to prepare.
- Grade guideCogAT for 2nd grade: the last read-aloud levelHow the 2nd grade CogAT (Level 8) works: the last read-aloud level, what all nine subtests look like, trickier rules, and a calm prep plan for parents.
- Grade guideCogAT for 3rd grade: the switch to reading and timingWhat changes on the 3rd grade CogAT (Level 9): children read on their own, each subtest takes 10 minutes, and pictures become words and numbers.
- Grade guideCogAT for 4th grade: Level 10, explainedA parent’s guide to the 4th grade CogAT (Level 10): timed 10-minute subtests, word and number formats, and practical ways to prepare without stress.
- Grade guideCogAT for 5th grade: what Level 11 looks likeWhat to expect on the 5th grade CogAT (Level 11): timed 10-minute subtests, word and number questions, harder figures, and prep an older child can own.
- KindergartenGifted tests for kindergarten: what to expectWhat a gifted test for kindergarten looks like (CogAT, OLSAT or NNAT), sample picture questions, and a gentle prep plan for your five-year-old.
Question types
All nine CogAT subtests, with a sample of each.
- Verbal batteryCogAT Verbal Analogies, explained for parentsHow CogAT Verbal Analogies work, from picture analogies in K–2 to word analogies in grade 3+, with question counts, tips and two samples.
- Verbal batteryCogAT Sentence Completion, explained for parentsHow CogAT Sentence Completion works: read-aloud picture questions in K–2, written fill-in-the-blank sentences from 3rd grade, tips and a sample.
- Verbal batteryCogAT Verbal Classification, explained for parentsHow CogAT Verbal Classification works, from picture classification in K–2 to word groups in grade 3+, with common categories, tips and a sample.
- Quantitative batteryCogAT Number Analogies, explained for parentsHow CogAT Number Analogies work, from picture amounts in K–2 to number pairs in grade 3+, with question counts, common rules, tips and two samples.
- Quantitative batteryCogAT Number Puzzles, explained for parentsHow CogAT Number Puzzles work, from picture puzzles in K–2 to missing-number equations in grade 3+, with question counts, tips and two samples.
- Quantitative batteryCogAT Number Series, explained for parentsHow CogAT Number Series works, from bead abacus patterns in K–2 to rows of numbers in grade 3+, with common patterns, tips and two samples.
- Nonverbal batteryCogAT Figure Matrices, explained for parentsHow CogAT Figure Matrices questions work, the shape changes they use, how many there are at each level, and tips for K–5, with a sample.
- Nonverbal batteryCogAT Paper Folding, explained for parentsHow CogAT Paper Folding questions work, the folding rules behind them, question counts by level, and hands-on tips for K–5, with two samples.
- Nonverbal batteryCogAT Figure Classification, explained for parentsHow CogAT Figure Classification questions work, the shape rules they use, question counts by level, and practical tips for K–5, with a sample.
Scores & results
Read a CogAT report calmly, number by number.
- ScoresCogAT scores, explained calmlyCogAT scores in plain terms: age and grade comparisons, percentile ranks, stanines and Standard Age Scores, plus how to read a report and what to ask.
- ScoresWhat is a good CogAT score?What a good CogAT score means: average, above average and very high ranges by stanine and percentile, why grade matters less, and what to ask your school.
- ScoresCogAT stanines, explainedWhat a CogAT stanine is, the nine bands with their percentile ranks, what stanines 9, 8, 7 and 6 mean, and how age stanines differ from grade stanines.
- ScoresCogAT ability profiles, decodedHow to read a CogAT ability profile such as 9A, 7A or 8B (V+): what the number, the letter and the plus and minus signs mean, with worked examples.
- Parent guideIs the CogAT an IQ test?Is the CogAT an IQ test? No. How it differs from IQ tests like the WISC-V, and why a CogAT percentile or Standard Age Score can’t be converted to an IQ.
- Parent guideIs my child gifted? A calm guide for parentsIs my child gifted? A calm guide to the signs parents often notice, how schools identify gifted students, and how to support a curious child at home.
Other tests
OLSAT, NNAT, MAP and Iowa, next to the CogAT.
- Other testsOLSAT test guide for parentsOLSAT test guide for parents: what the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test involves, how prep overlaps with the CogAT, and calm, practical tips for K–5.
- Other testsNNAT test guide for parentsNNAT test guide for parents: what the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test involves, its kinds of figure questions in plain words, prep tips and CogAT overlap.
- ComparisonCogAT vs. OLSAT: what parents should knowCogAT vs. OLSAT for parents: what each test covers, a side-by-side table, how to find out which one your child takes, and how to prepare for either.
- Test comparisonCogAT vs. NNAT: how the two tests compareCogAT vs. NNAT for parents: what the Naglieri test measures, how its shape-based questions compare with the CogAT’s three batteries, and how to prepare.
- Test comparisonCogAT vs. MAP Growth: what each test tells youCogAT vs. MAP test for parents: how a reasoning test differs from the MAP Growth achievement test, how each is scored, and why the results can differ.
- Test comparisonCogAT and the Iowa Assessments: how they fit togetherCogAT and Iowa testing explained: a reasoning test and an achievement test from the same publisher, why schools give them together, and how to prepare.