Review of Gifted Practice Tests

In this article, I'm going to review books on the market for the COGAT and OLSAT, with special mention for the NNAT.

The practice test is the very last step in test prep, unless you are thinking ahead, in which case you can do one 6 months before the test and the in the last few weeks leading up to the test.

A practice test is designed to familiarize the child with the format and rules of the test.  Research shows that familiarity is good for about 4 points.  With cutoff scores in many school districts at 98% and above, those are 4 important points.  I've found that really bright children can make up their own creative rules and associations during the test; I use a practice test correct this problem and potentially avert disaster.

A practice test is not a good way to increase cognitive skills, especially if you speed through it a few weeks before the test.  To teach cognitive skills to your children, see the basic curriculum on the Gifted and Talented Test Prep Curriculum page.  I don't use practice tests to build cognitive and academic skills.

There are a few subtle differences between these tests but I'm generally happy with all of them for their limited but important role.   In case you were wondering, I have no relationship with any publisher and don't get paid, and if you check the links in this blog, they are just regular old links.

Starting with the COGAT...

One of the strongest publishers on the market is Smart Cookie.   There material is slightly more creative than other test prep books that have been on the market for the last 10 years.  For grades K-2, the a great all around general purpose COGAT test prep book on the market in my opinion is their Form 7, 2 practice tests in one for $34.  Best is of course relative.  Each publisher has their differences and in diagnosing a student and their test strategy I might choose a different book for different puproses.  I also like their 3rd and 4th Grade NNAT book, again 2 tests in one.  The NNAT is a much easier test, much easier to prepare for.  It's not uncommon for Kindergartner's to work with 4th grade material (as long as it's non-verbal) because many cognitive skill are independent of age.

I had high expectations for the K-2 practice test from Big Brain Books in the "Crush The CogAT Series" but it's comparatively easy and the format isn't close enough to the test.  I'm going to do some more experimentation with this book because the price is less than $17.  The book covers K through 1, and I think it would be a good starter book (the one you use 6 months before the test) for at least K, especially at the price point.

Origin Publications has a K and 1st Grade test that is much more challenging.  Their number puzzle section (train questions) have subtraction, which is great.  This $17 book contends that it helps the child become familiar with the format and content of the test, but I think the authors are trying a little harder than that, and that is a good thing.  I'm going to start using this one.  I think it has a slight advantage.

Gateway Gifted Resources produces a test prep book for first grade that is suitable for use in a Kindergarten classroom.   The book is priced reasonably at $20 for a color book and contains the types of characters you would find in a Kindergarten text book that is not a gifted program.  I would use a book like this as early as Pre K, and my child would get most of the questions wrong, and it would take a long time, and thus it would provide some value.  Just because your child is 5 and practice test material is generally easy doesn't mean there is more value using a book for a 7 year old.  But in the case of Gateway Gifted Resources, there is value in doing their books at a very early age for the 3 verbal sections.  I like the fact that their graphics vary.  It's a small but nice touch.

The original COGAT practice test is from Mercer.  It's also the most expensive at $40.  This book is designed to look just like the test.  If you want to do a full dress rehearsal to deal with a shy child, this is a good book to use.

On now on to the OLSAT...

For many years, there was only one OLSAT test prep book on the market and it looked just like the OLSAT test and I hated it.   Way too easy.  An easy test does not give your child an experience like the test and might in fact prepare them to fail.  In 2014, 4Kids published an OLSAT Practice Test that I hate less and might use as a quick workbook before we start test prep, except that it cost $26.

For OLSAT, I prefer COGAT practice tests because both the books and the actual COGAT are harder than the OLSAT.  Practicing for the OLSAT is more about practice answering questions and I have a completely different approach.

And the NNAT...
I don't spend nearly enough time worried about the NNAT as I should.  There are 2 reasons.  Preparing for the COGAT is much closely aligned with the broad academic skill set you want your child to have, and I can't say that about the NNAT.  Secondly, the Smart Cookie NNAT book for 3rd and 4th grade is my favorite test prep book for any age.  In my opinion, test prep should be nothing more than taking time out to improve your child's cognitive and academic skills, and then blowing away the test is an after thought.  I feel pretty strongly that test prep for the NNAT should be 1 official looking test like Mercer and then heads down thinking and problem solving work, and finally back to the NNAT practice test like Smart Cookie's for the last month.

Now some parting advice...

First, if 100% of your test prep regime is just a practice test, go slowly and carefully.   Don't do more than a section a day, and I recommend 1/2 of each section first, and then go back and do the other 1/2 on the second pass.  Since the problems get harder in each section, 3 passes of 1/2, 1/4, and 1/4 might be in order if you have time.  If you are getting this book overnight because the test is in 2 days, all of these passes will be in a 24 hour period of insanity.

While the child is going through a practice test, scores of 50% or less are common.  This is not unusual.  Keep in mind you don't want to spend 2 weeks conveying your impatience and high expectations on your child.  That is not the goal.  The goal is cleaning up their confusion and reinforcing best practices going into the test.  Some of the test prep books provide some guidance on this, especially Origin Publications.

The core cognitive skill set is somewhat age independent.  There are a few questions in the kindergarten books that I found really challenging.  This means that some of the same material at the K and 1st grade level can be found in a slightly more advanced version for 2nd or 4th grade.  But the complexity, working memory demands, and tediousness of the questions will increase.

The amazon reviews for these books are not helpful at all.  5 stars from someone who bought a single practice test and their child is going to pass anyway because they've been reading 7 books a day from birth doesn't apply to the rest of us. Even worse, I've seen 1 and 2 star reviews because the questions are unclear and sloppy and poorly worded. These are the books I want to get for my own children because the last thing I want going into a really challenging thinking test is to spoon feed my kids clear problems expertly drawn.   The exception is Bright Minds publishing which appears to have been created by a non-english speaking author and which I didn't review above; I like the thought of my kids having to fix grammar to do a question or fix a question with wrong answers but I wouldn't trust other parents to be as excited as I am about the extra work, especially with the test approaching.

And what to do if your child doesn't pass...

There's been a huge shift in home education in the last 10 years.  Many come late to the game, especially with the first child.  For years schools have been measuring cognitive skills without bothering to teach them.  Then a few parents like Jessie Wise and home schoolers discovered that you can teach your child much more - way more, much earlier, and produce more capable students.  The gifted test prep industry started a rebellion against selecting a few lucky students into the gifted program, but trying to get a few extra points on the test is just the beginning.

So if things don't go well after one or two practice tests, you've got some more work to do, and that is the main focus of getyourchildrenintogat.com.