Prepping/Scamming the Cogat

[Anonymous]

The CogAT is a different type of test than the SAT. The SAT is a test of knowledge acquired and the CogAT is a test of ability.

Instead of your familiar sound bites, let's get a little deeper; tell us why the developers of the SAT test (and their psychologists, educators on the board) argued for many years they did not want students to prepare for their SAT aptitude test and preparation for the SAT aptitude test would not improve test scores based on studies they conducted over many years?

[Anonymous]

Is it acceptable to use the exact form of the CogAT being administered in FCPS so that students have seen that exact form before the day of the test?

I would advocate that every child taking that exam have access to the exact form of CogAT being administered in FCPS before the exam date. Then and only then we you sleep in peace that the playing field is relatively level!!

Some of my best teachers in high school, college and graduate school made sure the students had access to all the previous mid term and term exams (more than a decade's worth and counting with each year passing). Guess what, even with access to all this material, the exams were always challenging and students still failed or did poorly if they didn't understand the material.

Did you have any outstanding teachers and programs who operated this way? They understood what education was all about and always generated a challenging test for their students even though they all had access to the "exact test form" and the old exams.

[Anonymous]

I guess this is what happened with the SAT aptitude test years ago. Everyone now has access to the exact form after years of smoke screens and deception by County school systems, the College Board, and their educators and psychologists.

[Anonymous]

One can rationalize any way one wants to but doing what is right is important to many people and they adhere to higher standards. Some teachers allow students to study from old tests, some teachers do not. If an older student gives me a copy of a test from a teacher who does not allow her old tests to be distributed and I study from it, then I am cheating and I have done wrong. My college had very strict rules about plagiarism, for instance, and you were expelled if you were found to have plagiarized.In academia, honesty is of high value.

Parents who have no confidence in the school system should make other arrangements for their children's educations.

[Anonymous]

You completely missed the point.
Astute educators, with the students best interest at heart, are able to develop a challenging examination even when the students are aware of the exact form and format. In fact, to ensure internal and external validity, they make sure all students have access to test form and format.

This is the take home message. This is not cheating. To the contrary, it's the only fair and equitable way to administer a test to masses of test takers.

I'm not sure why this is a difficult concept to grasp in NOVA.

[Anonymous]

Heck, why are you so surprised? There are many Americans who don't understand why it is equitable for all citizens to vote?

[Anonymous]

Some teachers allow students to study old tests, some do not. It depends on the teacher. If teacher A does not allow it and I am found with a copy of an old test, I can't say, " Well, teacher B allows us to look at old tests, so I am not cheating!" I can't apply the rules of one teacher's classroom to another teacher's classroom.
It doesn't matter if I think that better teachers allow students to look at old tests, if my teacher does not, and I study from an old test that I have somehow acquired, then I have cheated. Sorry, I can't just change the rules around to suit me.

[Anonymous]

You continue to miss the point.

Transparency of form and format is the solution to FCPS test issue ... not FAT.

Older siblings, parents, and children in the neighborhood will always talk about the form and format of their test experience amongst each other. Your household is no exception.

[Anonymous]

The point is that we follow the rules of the program in which we are participating. We can't just decide we don't like the rules in place and different rules would be better, so we'll just follow the rules we like better.

If people want a change, they can advocate for a change in procedures, but until a change is made, we follow the rules as they exist at this time. No one makes us send our kids to Fairfax County schools. There are plenty of other options out there. But when we do choose to send our children to school here, we need to follow the rules as they stand.

[Anonymous]

Tell us what your rules are?

Try to be clear and crisp in the English usage.

If you use words like exact form and exact format and this is different from the exact copy of the test questions please define and explain?

Is it ok for children to receive tutoring for their studies that will give them an advantage in taking the test?

[Anonymous]

Take the specific CogAT prep materials and explain how frequently they are used to the AART at school and ask if they are appropriate.

[Anonymous]

You do have a problem with focus and answering specific questions? Do you have ADHD? I bet you were given special accommodation for all your your tests.

Don't worry I do support accommodation programs.

[Anonymous]

Just show the CogAT materials to the AART at your child's school and ask if they are appropriate for use before the CogAT is taken. It's an easy way to get an answer.

And the ad hominem comments are unnecessary, to say the least.

[Anonymous]

Everbody preps. Everybody who got into TJ was prepped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everbody preps. Everybody who got into TJ was prepped.

I happen to know for a fact that that is not true.