FCPS CogAT

[Anonymous]

Couldn't agree more. I personally prepped by older DS for both the NNAT and the Cogat, and he did quite well on both. Now he is in AAP and loving it. Being familiar with the format, knowing how to eliminate obviously wrong answers, and knowing when to guess between a few remaining choices is key. Also, being ready for the certain types of questions (patterns do repeat) and knowing what to expect go a long way in being relaxed and confident when taking the test. Managing time and skipping hard questions until the end are other strategies that raise scores. I applaud those parents who put forth the effort to help their children perform their best. Preparing is not so much about increasing knowledge, but rather assuring with what is being asked is not misunderstood (see PP).

I am not really sure why so many on this board are quick to criticize a parent for trying to help their child do their best. Is it wroing to help your kid prepare for his math or spelling test? Why should this be any different?

[Anonymous]

PP: The problem is the test is designed to have no prep. So, these things like figuring out to eliminating the wrong answer are the types of things they test is measuring.

With that said, any child that can prep to score well enough for AAP probably will do fine .

[Anonymous]

PP, where is it reported that "the test is designed to have no prep."? Is that the case with with SAT and all other standardized tests too?

Agree on your second point.

[Anonymous]

It's not just this OP wanted any Cogat to familiarize her child with the Cogat...she wanted to know the SPECIFIC test.

There is nothing wrong with familiarizing your child with the generalities of a test so they are comfortable. Either the child knows the answer to a test question, or knows how to figure it out, or the child doesn't know.

But finding out just which version of Cogat is being used, and using that to study? That's just cheating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know OP, and I don't want to join in the name-calling/judgmental postings. However, I can tell you that being familiar with what the test is asking can be a legitimate goal.

I know kids who are VERY normal kids who scored in the 1-5 %-ile on the NNAT (which is like one section of the CogAt). Now, I have a hard time believing these kids are at the bottom of all kids in this country. I think it is far more likely that they were not paying attention when the instructions were read, didn't understand the instructions, or left many questions unanswered. If these kids had seen an example prior to the actual test and had a chance to ask questions about it, they probably would have done a lot better, and the score probably would have accurately shown their ability.

In my own experience taking the WISC (as a college student getting extra credit for helping the grad students learn how to give the test), I can also attest that sometimes a test-taker doesn't understand what is being asked. I scored very average on one section (non-verbal or something that involved finding things that didn't fit in a picture). When the grad student went over the test with me (which he was required to do), and explained what he was looking for, I was like "oh, I get it" and then proceded to go over every question and answer it correctly. He then exclaimed, "well, you just ruined the reliability of this test!" That was the WISC.

My point is that a child who has a clear understanding of what the test is asking IS exactly what the test-giver wants b/c that makes the result more reliable and accurate. If doing a LITTLE prep helps a kid understand what to do with the test, I'm all for it.

were they doomed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: were they doomed?

yes

a low score on the NNAT limits one to a life of truck driving and toilet cleaning

the AAP program is the only way to avoid a life of poverty and strife

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: were they doomed?

yes

a low score on the NNAT limits one to a life of truck driving and toilet cleaning

the AAP program is the only way to avoid a life of poverty and strife

That's right. All scientists have gone through FCPS' AAP Centers and on to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Parents know their kids the best. Parents on this forum are smart enough to do what's best for their kids.

Do what you think is the best for your kids. Don't tell other parents what to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP: The problem is the test is designed to have no prep. So, these things like figuring out to eliminating the wrong answer are the types of things they test is measuring.

Provide your authoritative source telling what are the things not allowed and materials considered illegal 'prepping'.

[Anonymous]

There is no prepping police. However, the test is designed for no prepping. Now, there are different levels of prepping: kids familiarized with testing, to general increasing of knowledge to memorizing test answers.

Obviously, memorizing answers to past tests is not appropriate....general increase in knowledge is appropriate, but it should be done for the kids intellectual growth and not for the test.

The bottom line, though, is that while test prep can help the score, it will not make kids smarter. The test is used as a proxy for intelligence tests, and can be gamed...there is no real advantage to that. I read about parents that prep the kids all summer. That is just a lost summer.

With that said, from the evidence I have seen, being in the pool does not matter. The acceptance rate for parental referred is almost as high as in pool kids.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how you can get the kids memorize the answers.
I don't think it'll work. If you can get past tests, that's actually cheating and illegal.

I think the best prep is to just get the kids familiar with the type of questions.
This would make sure smart ones not make mistake, and help some of the borderline kids some boost.
Those borderline kids may do well in AAP or maybe not. If you somehow got your not so smart kid in AAP, the kid is most likely struggle and unhappy. Not really good for the kid overall. Some people even send their kids to private schools for the first two years to increase chance to transfer to AAP in 3rd grade. If yo have money and willing, why not...

Again you know your kids the best, do reasonable things to do what's best for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know OP, and I don't want to join in the name-calling/judgmental postings. However, I can tell you that being familiar with what the test is asking can be a legitimate goal.

I know kids who are VERY normal kids who scored in the 1-5 %-ile on the NNAT (which is like one section of the CogAt). Now, I have a hard time believing these kids are at the bottom of all kids in this country. I think it is far more likely that they were not paying attention when the instructions were read, didn't understand the instructions, or left many questions unanswered. If these kids had seen an example prior to the actual test and had a chance to ask questions about it, they probably would have done a lot better, and the score probably would have accurately shown their ability.

In my own experience taking the WISC (as a college student getting extra credit for helping the grad students learn how to give the test), I can also attest that sometimes a test-taker doesn't understand what is being asked. I scored very average on one section (non-verbal or something that involved finding things that didn't fit in a picture). When the grad student went over the test with me (which he was required to do), and explained what he was looking for, I was like "oh, I get it" and then proceded to go over every question and answer it correctly. He then exclaimed, "well, you just ruined the reliability of this test!" That was the WISC.

My point is that a child who has a clear understanding of what the test is asking IS exactly what the test-giver wants b/c that makes the result more reliable and accurate. If doing a LITTLE prep helps a kid understand what to do with the test, I'm all for it.

were they doomed?

To answer your question --- I assume they are not doomed. That's not the point. The point is to get a reliable test score that accurately reflects your child's analytical and intellectual abilities. While these were normal children, they were/are not in the league of AAP. However, their test scores, IMO, were not accurate measures of their abilities (for reasons I mentioned in the original post). The more accurate the test, the more parents/teachers/admin can rely on it to make decisions about who would fit in an AAP. When my child takes the CogAt this year, I want to feel confident that my child gave it his/her best shot. Then I feel more comfortable accepting the results (which will probably not be high enough for the pool -- my guess).

[Anonymous]

So there's also an appeal process. Have your kid take WISC if you strongly think your kid is a smart one but somehow didn't do well on CogAt/NNAT.

[Anonymous]

To the immediately prior poster -- why wait for your child to do less than enough and spend $400 on a wisc and an appeal? Why not just give the child a little exposure to the types of questions being asked so that he/she does his/her best on the CogAtt? The latter option makes much more sense to me.... and lots cheaper too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the immediately prior poster -- why wait for your child to do less than enough and spend $400 on a wisc and an appeal? Why not just give the child a little exposure to the types of questions being asked so that he/she does his/her best on the CogAtt? The latter option makes much more sense to me.... and lots cheaper too!

And where do you find this "exposure to types of questions being asked"?