Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment CogAT for a 4 year old?

My DS4.5 recently took the CogAT for admission into a K gifted program in a neighboring school district. This is the only test they will allow for getting into the program. Is this test even designed for children under 5? Would it be difficult for a gifted 4 year old to score in the 97% on this test? They administered the test to a group of 11 pre-k kids - yikes!

We have our own private testing scheduled in a few weeks to qualify for services in our own district (which is a whole other story). We have not been having much luck being able to get this whole thing taken care of. All I need is one completed test with scores (tester issues - not my DS's issue)!

The publisher states that they have levels starting at kindergarten but that kids who are suspected to be of high ability should be given the 1st grade level in K. Maybe they are operating under the same premise -- giving the next grade up to pre-k kids. Either way, that sucks that a group test is all they'll take for admission. My dd, when she took the CogAT, took it in a similar set-up -- 27 kids in the room and parents walking in and out as the test was going on. That isn't ideal at all.

I can't even imagine 27 kids taking the test, maybe our 11 is not so bad (and they kept the parents out)! When I asked my ds how the test went, he said it was easy and that he only "played" for a little bit - just great. I am not going to get too worked up over this one.

I was told by our previous tester (who was unable to complete the testing) that he had scores on the completed parts in the 130's/140's range. So I really think he will qualify (maybe not on the CogAT), if I can just get some final scores in my hands! I am trying to get this taken care of with enough time left to do some planning for next year with the school.

I hope he does well. Not to worry you but I have one kid with gifted and maybe highly gifted IQ scores (two testings -- one IQ MG and one IQ HG+) who didn't come out even in the 90s on the CogAT. If your child is an out of the box thinker, multiple choice often isn't the best type of test.

I'm going to hope that your experience is better, though!