How to Prepare for the CogAT

posted by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom - December 26th, 2013

Cognitive Abilities Test  

Many parents first learn about the CogAT when their children bring home papers on the Gifted and Talented test. It is natural for parents to want to know everything they can about the CogAT! There are many different sites, like this one, with information on the Cognitive Abilities Test, that help inform parents on what their children will be expected to know. The CogAT is a standardized exam that measures reasoning abilities, with children as young as four given this assessment.

The Cognitive Abilities exam is often given to children to determine seats for Gifted and Talented programs or for private schools, however the test can also be gives to assess a student’s progress. Thankfully many school have informational sessions for parents about the dates of the CogAT and how to apply to Gifted and Talented programs. At this information session you might learn which form of the CogAT your child will be given.

CogAT Form 7

There are two different forms of the CogAT, Form 6 and Form 7. Form 7 is among the current forms of the CogAT that is widely used. Form 7 differs from Form 6 in the form of the questions. The questions are more picture based and there is less requirement for the teachers to read the questions each time.

Becoming accustomed to the testing format and the structure, presentation, and focus of exam questions for the CogAT form 7 is often a part of parent’s prep plans for their children. Exam readiness can potentially improve performance on assessment tests and it can additionally put children more at ease with their exams as well. It is a cognitive test that assesses your child’s thinking and reasoning abilities in areas of language, math and spatial relations. The abilties assessed on the CogAT are not specifically taught in school. For that reason, practicing the types of questions that children will see when they take the CogAT is very helpful in building the underlying skills, experience and confidence they will need to do well.