Reviewing OLSAT Test Results

Can Parents Review the OLSAT After the NYC Gifted & Talented Test?

One of the questions we’re asked most often by New York City parents is whether they can actually see the OLSAT after their child completes the NYC Gifted & Talented admissions test.

Back in 2010, the answer was yes—and no.

Parents were allowed to review portions of their child’s testing record, but only by scheduling an appointment with the New York City Department of Education.

At the time, parents needed to visit the Department of Education offices at 400 Chambers Street in lower Manhattan for a scheduled review session.

What Happened During the Review?

The review process was very structured.

Parents were given a limited amount of time—typically around 10 minutes—to review their child’s testing materials once the appointment began. Because appointments were tightly scheduled, arriving on time was essential.

There were also strict rules about what parents could do during the review.

Generally, parents were not permitted to:

• Touch the testing materials
• Make written notes
• Take photographs
• Copy questions or answers
• Remove any testing materials from the room

The purpose of the appointment was simply to allow parents to review the assessment, not to reproduce or distribute copyrighted testing content.

Was It Worth Scheduling an Appointment?

In my opinion, absolutely.

If your child’s score was close to the admission cutoff, reviewing the assessment could provide valuable insight into areas where they struggled.

For example, parents might notice that their child had difficulty with:

• Verbal reasoning
• Listening comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Pattern recognition
• Following multi-step directions
• Quantitative reasoning

Understanding these areas could help guide future learning and preparation.

Looking Beyond the Score

One thing I always encourage parents to remember is that a single test score doesn’t tell the whole story about a child.

Gifted assessments provide one snapshot of performance on one particular day. Factors such as fatigue, attention, confidence, illness, or simply having an “off day” can all influence results.

Rather than focusing only on what questions were missed, use the experience as an opportunity to understand how your child approaches learning and problem-solving.

Policies May Change

It’s important to note that this information reflects the New York City Gifted & Talented admissions process as it existed in 2010.

Over the years, New York City’s gifted admissions procedures, assessments, review policies, and program structure have changed several times. Families participating in current admissions cycles should always consult the New York City Department of Education for the most up-to-date information about score reports and review procedures.

Whether or not parents have the opportunity to review testing materials, the most valuable takeaway is identifying the thinking skills children can continue to develop. Building vocabulary, reasoning, listening, memory, and problem-solving abilities will benefit children not only if they test again in the future, but throughout their academic careers.