Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment About to pick up Cogat Scores UPDATED :(

So today we get the Cogat results. So curious but very skeptical it is the best tool and resigned that in the spring we need to do private testing regardless. Also beginning to second guess myself. Is dd6 really *that* gifted? She seems to be leveling out and looking more like a regular bright first grader. (which is fine if that is what she is--I just don't want to deprive her of more of a challenge if she needs it). And prob. because I let her watch too much TV and she is mathy/sciencey and we are not and so she doesn't get to do all of the great stuff that other parents on here seem to be doing with their kids. It would be nice though if Cogat were high enough that I could argue school should do further testing to complete IAS. Will update later.

Some kids do great on the CogAT. If they actually finish the test and put effort into it, the result is probably somewhat accurate. The problem with my DD was that she only answered 50 percent of the quantitative questions and about 2/3 of the non-verbal--the rest of the test was left blank. The test should have been immediately invalidated and they should have offered to give her something else. But they didn't. I had to scrutinize the score report to figure out she didn't finish it. DD scored over the 99.9th percentile on the WISC for non-verbal and her GAI was 150 (without extended norms). The look on the psych's face when I handed over the CogAT report was priceless! It also took her a minute to figure out DD left so many questions unanswered. Since I knew NOTHING about the CogAT when I got the score report I was horrified as well--the scores did not align at all with DD's achievement testing and the abilities that we see at home.
And BTW, NO, she does not appear to be THAT gifted. I was hoping she would just squeak by with the WISC. So many people on this site talk about their highly motivated kids who obviously operate several years ahead in all areas and that is not what I see with DD. If someone gave her a "Rainbow Magic" book, she would happily read it. She watches "My Little Pony." In fact I think her teacher would describe her as "slow" in some areas, but that is because she has 2e issues. I think kids with high non-verbal as opposed to verbal do not appear to be as obviously bright, it is more hidden. My DS is the same way. You would never know talking to him that his GAI on the WISC is above the 99th percentile. Regardless of what the CogAT tells you, get more testing done so you know for sure what you're dealing with. We paid $400 for a WISC for DD. I was worried about paying that much but it was worth it.

I know a girl who was told she was allowed to read a book when she was done with the CogAT. So she did the first third, decided she was done, and read for the rest of the session. No appeal - she went to private school because she was not going to be allowed into the public gifted program.

Many children who do well on other tests (IQ, achievement), seem to not score as high as expected on the CogAT. There are many things that could cause a bright child not to do well on a group test. So remember, it is just one day and one test. Some DC might do better on another type of test.

My DD got lucky and did well, but I'd mentally prepared for the worst because CogAT is so much trouble for so many bright kiddos around here. Still, DD's Q scores were far below her achievement scores in math, so this is a different kind of test. Honestly, though, her verbal abilities are probably her strength and her scores were quite high there - so maybe the test was right about her. Still...just one test! If you think your DD is bright, she probably is!

I completely understand. Actually, after ds took Wisc last spring; I asked principal what would happen if Cogat score was low. She made it seem like it wouldn't be a big deal- not so sure now. (Now, we are just hoping he'll get in the program even if its for the rest of the year.)

What I do think is YOU are a better judge of your child. You know.

My ds can seem like any other silly 1st grade boy sometimes. Other times, he amazes me with the ideas/ theories he is contemplating. Not to mention, he is so intense and sensitive- more than your avg 1st grader.

Since receiving our Cogat scores, I am so thankful we have those Wisc scores, because otherwise I would be doubting everything! I would probably have a really hard time, honestly.

As others have said, the Cogat is one not so great test on one day. If it does not give you the answers you are looking for; get private testing.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

Thanks everyone. I have been following posts on CogAt for awhile, and my dd12, who has done great with a skip, had a significant gap between CogAt and WISC. Dd6 seems like she could be the kind of divergent thinker that the CogAt would be good at underestimating. OK, I really am heading out now to pick the scores up!

Well S^&*. If I am reading the report correctly this is useless. Dd's grade percentile rank:
Verbal 40
Quant 88
Nonverbal 62
Composite 67

That is not my kid. I have experience teaching kids in pre-k through 5th and I know what is typical, she is not typical and the verbal score in particular is just shocking. I can't imagine the reasons that would lead to those scores. I believe the teacher read the questions out loud so she couldn't have rushed. Maybe she bubbled wrong? Or completely overthought? Anyone who knows her, including the school secretary when I picked up the scores, was like, wha??? That can't be right. She has a huge vocabulary etc.

Argh.

I thought she would at least qualify for the gifted 1 day/week pull-out that starts in Jan. and that we would go ahead and test in the spring for more info. I hate that she will now not start the gifted pull-out and wonder what she will think when a significant number of kids from her class go. We don't have the money until the spring anyway, but this is so frustrating! No easy answers with this kid.

Edited to add: these scores are also not consistent with her classroom performance. Grrrr. Stupid CogAt.

Oh, how frustrating and disappointing!

Does the school just use CogAT as a screen? Will they take the Q subtest score that is well above-average? Are your DD's age-normed scores perhaps higher than grade-normed scores?

Some schools appear to take decent subtest scores. Our school uses the CogAT V+Q composite as a screen, and the student needs a 120 SAS or above. Then your DC gets to take more tests.

For the record, I'm personally not a fan of cut scores for single tests with young children (um, do children under 10, even the brightest of them, REALLY not have "off-days"???). I'd rather have them really LOOK at/evaluate all of the data available (I realize the desire for objectivity, but some of these tests are flawed/imperfect).

Your DD also may be one of those kids who does a spectacular job on the WISC - go with your gut, and don't give up!

I'm sorry, deacaongirl. I'm glad you were prepared though,knowing it is a dumb test, and not totally shocked like I was. I have to wonder how many parents take the results at face value and give up on their kid.

I'm not sure if the school has minimum cut-offs for a composite or you can just use one score, but you could try to make a case about math, like Loy says, until you can get other testing. DD was accepted into the gifted program (for cluster grouping in the normal classroom) based on her 130 verbal score. Ironically, on the WISC, she is so much higher for non-verbal (as well as being over 130 for verbal) but the CogAT test did not pick up on the non-verbal abilities at all.

I wonder if they still have your DD's score sheet and if you could look at it, or at least see how many questions she answered.