prepping for cogat test .. is it cheating?

[Anonymous]

Let me start by saying I'm not US-educated, so I have no hands on experience on this education system.

For an outsider like me, tests look like tests, Cogat in elementary looks just like the SAT test for college or the GRE test for post grad.

Are you suppose to also not study for those?

Where's the guide to know for which test to prep and for which you are not allowed? Not joking, I just don't get the US education system.

[Anonymous]

schools does the CogAT prepping for the kids, for NNAT as well... if school does it, how is it cheating?? WISC you are not suppose to prep.

[Anonymous]

The Cogat cannot be "prepared" like the SAT or GRE, in that it's not knowledge-based. It purports to test your innate critical thinking skills, rather like an IQ test. Now of course, critical thinking skills can be honed with practice, but you cannot get significantly better than what your innate intelligence allows. So an intense amount of prep for Cogat isn't going to increase the score in a huge way. It might increase it a little bit, and most importantly, it will reduce any anxiety your child may have, when faced with an unfamiliar test.

So it's perfectly FINE to familiarize your child with the test format, or even to do multiple rounds of prep, because, contrary to what some people believe, there's only so much you can improve. This also means you don't need to overdo the prep.

[Anonymous]

16:16.

You are allowed to prep for any and all tests! We're not in a Communist country here

[Anonymous]

Yes, it cheating. No, there’s no penalty if you cheat, except internal, but most ppl who cheat have no moral compass and aren’t phased by doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Let me start by saying I'm not US-educated, so I have no hands on experience on this education system.

For an outsider like me, tests look like tests, Cogat in elementary looks just like the SAT test for college or the GRE test for post grad.

Are you suppose to also not study for those?

Where's the guide to know for which test to prep and for which you are not allowed? Not joking, I just don't get the US education system.

definitely cheating!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it cheating. No, there’s no penalty if you cheat, except internal, but most ppl who cheat have no moral compass and aren’t phased by doing it.

So prepping for SAT or GRE is cheating to you as well? Ask anyone who got accepted to a college see if they prepped? I guess your moral compass is so high you did not prep for SAT then...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it cheating. No, there’s no penalty if you cheat, except internal, but most ppl who cheat have no moral compass and aren’t phased by doing it.

99% of kids who get into these special programs had some form of test preparation at a minimum they became familiar with the test format and question types

Some will swear they didn't do this, but 99% are lying. Really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The Cogat cannot be "prepared" like the SAT or GRE, in that it's not knowledge-based. It purports to test your innate critical thinking skills, rather like an IQ test. Now of course, critical thinking skills can be honed with practice, but you cannot get significantly better than what your innate intelligence allows. So an intense amount of prep for Cogat isn't going to increase the score in a huge way. It might increase it a little bit, and most importantly, it will reduce any anxiety your child may have, when faced with an unfamiliar test.

So it's perfectly FINE to familiarize your child with the test format, or even to do multiple rounds of prep, because, contrary to what some people believe, there's only so much you can improve. This also means you don't need to overdo the prep.

Agree, this is a test that prepping cannot increase the score significantly. For the people believe this is cheating, have you look at the questions yourself? if you have no clue what the answer is then you have no clue, it's all dependent on your mental capacity... there are no special methods can magically bring you the correct answers to these questions...

[Anonymous]

IT IS NOT CHEATING.

A lot of families buy a textbook and go over a test with their kid.

I lent mine to all my friends.

There is absolutely no shame or guilt involved in familiarizing, or intensely preparing (not that that's useful in any way, but whatever), a child for a test.

Only on DCUM is there a vocal minority who yells cheating every time this is mentioned. They will be the same group who then pays for tutors for their kids, and test prep for the SAT, as well as private college counselors, possible, and check their own kids' college essays.

There are also families who don't engage in ANY of this, and their kids go on to happy and successful lives.

So everyone is perfectly entitled to do their own thing.

But it's just entirely ridiculous to call Cogat prep cheating. It's not. You lose all credibility when you claim that, because it shows you don't understand how the Cogat works.

[Anonymous]

I didn't prep my DC and while they did well they didn't get into AAP, perhaps because enough families are prepping that it's raising the bar for local schools and making the cut off higher. There's definitely a risk in doing things the way you're supposed to. At the same time, I didn't want to force AAP if it's not an appropriate fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't prep my DC and while they did well they didn't get into AAP, perhaps because enough families are prepping that it's raising the bar for local schools and making the cut off higher. There's definitely a risk in doing things the way you're supposed to. At the same time, I didn't want to force AAP if it's not an appropriate fit.

Another poster who doesn't get the first thing about Cogat.

[Anonymous]

It's cheating. And FCPS has figured out the solution: they are unimpressed by high test scores and may even penalize students. Now the GBRS, which is somewhat subjective, is much more heavily weighted.

There's no "punishment" for cheating. They're just little kids. But there are solutions. And FCPS has found one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
IT IS NOT CHEATING.

A lot of families buy a textbook and go over a test with their kid.

I lent mine to all my friends.

There is absolutely no shame or guilt involved in familiarizing, or intensely preparing (not that that's useful in any way, but whatever), a child for a test.

Only on DCUM is there a vocal minority who yells cheating every time this is mentioned. They will be the same group who then pays for tutors for their kids, and test prep for the SAT, as well as private college counselors, possible, and check their own kids' college essays.

There are also families who don't engage in ANY of this, and their kids go on to happy and successful lives.

So everyone is perfectly entitled to do their own thing.

But it's just entirely ridiculous to call Cogat prep cheating. It's not. You lose all credibility when you claim that, because it shows you don't understand how the Cogat works.

Who lost credibility?

SMH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it cheating. No, there’s no penalty if you cheat, except internal, but most ppl who cheat have no moral compass and aren’t phased by doing it.

99% of kids who get into these special programs had some form of test preparation at a minimum they became familiar with the test format and question types

Some will swear they didn't do this, but 99% are lying. Really.

The above is how cheaters rationalize cheating and try to make themselves feel better about it.