What’s on the FxAT ™ Test?

posted by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom - April 3rd, 2015

Parents preparing their kids for the FxAT ™ test, or the Fairfax Abilities Test™, are often unsure of where to turn. The test is highly competitive, and parents across Northern Virginia begin preparing their little ones weeks or even months before the big day. Fairfax County is home to some of the nation’s best schools, and also to some of its most competitive parents! For that reason, it’s important to begin preparing for the FxAT test as soon as you can.

Children in second grade who take the FxAT test take some form of the CogAT® test. This test, also called the Cognitive Abilities Test™, is a popular test that’s given to children across the country who are applying for entry into a Gifted and Talented program. One point of confusion around the FxAT test is that it used a custom form of the CogAT test, so off-the-shelf workbooks aren’t the best preparation for the Fairfax exam. One of the great questions is whether kids taking the FxAT test are given the CogAT Form 6 test or the Form 7 test. The tests share many similarities, but the Form 7 is the newer and more commonly-used version.

It’s not 100% clear which version of the CogAT test is used to make the FxAT test. That said, several indications suggest it’s the Form 7. However, there are also signs that the questions on the FxAT test are actually harder than standard Form 7 questions. For that reason, it’s a good idea to have your child practice questions that are a few grades above their own level so they’re prepared for the difficult questions they’ll encounter on the test.

Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT®) is a registered trademark of Riverside Publishing, a Houghton Mifflin Company, or their affiliate(s), or their licensors. TestingMom.com is not affiliated with nor related to Houghton Mifflin Company or its affiliates (“Houghton Mifflin”). Houghton Mifflin does not sponsor or endorse any TestingMom.com product, nor have TestingMom.com products or services been reviewed, certified, or approved by Houghton Mifflin. Trademarks referring to specific test providers are used by TestingMom.com for nominative purposes only and such trademarks are solely the property of their respective owners.

Fairfax Abilities Test™ (FxAT™ Test) is a trademark of Fairfax County Public Schools, or their affiliate(s), or their licensors. TestingMom.com is not affiliated with nor related to Fairfax County Public Schools or its affiliates (“Fairfax County Public Schools”). Fairfax County Public Schools does not sponsor or endorse any TestingMom.com product, nor have TestingMom.com products or services been reviewed, certified, or approved by Fairfax County Public Schools. Trademarks referring to specific test providers are used by TestingMom.com for nominative purposes only and such trademarks are solely the property of their respective owners.