Thinking about prepping

[Anonymous]

I never in a million years thought I’d say this but I am thinking about doing some light CogAT prep with my first grader over the summer. More and more it seems like everyone preps and I should do the same to put him on a level playing field. Never prepped my older who had a NNAT in the low 120’s but then a CogAT in the high 140’s. I want to “trust the process” but I know DS2 would do well in the program and he really wants to be in it like his older brother. His NNAT score is a bit lower than DS1. I can’t believe I am considering this. Anyone else think they’d never do it and then change your mind?

[Anonymous]

Why all the hand wringing and angst? Do you make sure your kid is fed and clothed? Work with him to learn his letters? Help him with his homework? Doing a few COGAT worksheets isn't much different.

[Anonymous]

I work in an FCPS ES and I promise you that most kids don’t get prepped for CogATs. And we know the kids who do because most will blurt it out that they’ve been practicing with their parents. The only practice needed is done in class before the test. I promise you that it is sufficient. In fact, extensive prepping invalidates the result; that’s why you can’t take it twice in a calendar year.

Believe me, when we get a kid who has been extensively prepped and gets an unexpectedly high score, we know it and essentially dismiss it. Last year we had a kid with the hugest NNAT we’ve ever seen but she finished the test in less than 5 minutes and said these were the exact puzzles she’s been practicing with her mom for months. We all know that’s not her real score, and the sad thing is we’ll never know what her real score is since her mom basically invalidated the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why all the hand wringing and angst? Do you make sure your kid is fed and clothed? Work with him to learn his letters? Help him with his homework? Doing a few COGAT worksheets isn't much different.

If you say so.

No, OP, prepping doesn't make much sense. Your DC will do how he will do. And off course most people don't prep.

[Anonymous]

It’s your child. You don’t need some idiot strangers approval. Do whatever you think best for your child including prepping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in an FCPS ES and I promise you that most kids don’t get prepped for CogATs. And we know the kids who do because most will blurt it out that they’ve been practicing with their parents. The only practice needed is done in class before the test. I promise you that it is sufficient. In fact, extensive prepping invalidates the result; that’s why you can’t take it twice in a calendar year.

Believe me, when we get a kid who has been extensively prepped and gets an unexpectedly high score, we know it and essentially dismiss it. Last year we had a kid with the hugest NNAT we’ve ever seen but she finished the test in less than 5 minutes and said these were the exact puzzles she’s been practicing with her mom for months. We all know that’s not her real score, and the sad thing is we’ll never know what her real score is since her mom basically invalidated the test.

Do the school disqualified the student or she is admitted to AAP with very high NNAT? Just curious how the school or FCPS handle this kind of cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in an FCPS ES and I promise you that most kids don’t get prepped for CogATs. And we know the kids who do because most will blurt it out that they’ve been practicing with their parents. The only practice needed is done in class before the test. I promise you that it is sufficient. In fact, extensive prepping invalidates the result; that’s why you can’t take it twice in a calendar year.

Believe me, when we get a kid who has been extensively prepped and gets an unexpectedly high score, we know it and essentially dismiss it. Last year we had a kid with the hugest NNAT we’ve ever seen but she finished the test in less than 5 minutes and said these were the exact puzzles she’s been practicing with her mom for months. We all know that’s not her real score, and the sad thing is we’ll never know what her real score is since her mom basically invalidated the test.

Do the school disqualified the student or she is admitted to AAP with very high NNAT? Just curious how the school or FCPS handle this kind of cases.

Schools can't disqualify a student who prepped. They can, however, give a poor GBRS, which often is enough to cause an in-pool kid to be rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You don’t need some idiot strangers approval. Do whatever you think best for your child including prepping.

+100%

Buck up and do whatever is best for your child. Who the he'll cares what these opinionated strangers think. No need for all this angst you are creating for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You don’t need some idiot strangers approval. Do whatever you think best for your child including prepping.

+100%

Buck up and do whatever is best for your child. Who the he'll cares what these opinionated strangers think. No need for all this angst you are creating for yourself.

Is it best to cheat on the test? The math is fast-paced. I wouldn't want my DC to struggle or flounder in 3rd grade. I'd take cruising over flailing in elementary school, given a choice

[Anonymous]

Don’t do it. It’s unnecessary, counter-productive and most do not prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why all the hand wringing and angst? Do you make sure your kid is fed and clothed? Work with him to learn his letters? Help him with his homework? Doing a few COGAT worksheets isn't much different.

If you say so.

No, OP, prepping doesn't make much sense. Your DC will do how he will do. And off course most people don't prep.

NP with a kid in AAP (who was not prepped). It’s probably true that most kids overall haven’t been prepped, but I bet a lot of the kids in AAP were. There are so many local places that offer services, not to mention books, and they wouldn’t be in business if no one used them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You don’t need some idiot strangers approval. Do whatever you think best for your child including prepping.

+100%

Buck up and do whatever is best for your child. Who the he'll cares what these opinionated strangers think. No need for all this angst you are creating for yourself.

Is it best to cheat on the test? The math is fast-paced. I wouldn't want my DC to struggle or flounder in 3rd grade. I'd take cruising over flailing in elementary school, given a choice

You do you with your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You don’t need some idiot strangers approval. Do whatever you think best for your child including prepping.

+100%

Buck up and do whatever is best for your child. Who the he'll cares what these opinionated strangers think. No need for all this angst you are creating for yourself.

Is it best to cheat on the test? The math is fast-paced. I wouldn't want my DC to struggle or flounder in 3rd grade. I'd take cruising over flailing in elementary school, given a choice

AAP math isn't that fast. Any child who is above average at math should have no trouble at all in AAP math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You don’t need some idiot strangers approval. Do whatever you think best for your child including prepping.

+100%

Buck up and do whatever is best for your child. Who the he'll cares what these opinionated strangers think. No need for all this angst you are creating for yourself.

Is it best to cheat on the test? The math is fast-paced. I wouldn't want my DC to struggle or flounder in 3rd grade. I'd take cruising over flailing in elementary school, given a choice

AAP math isn't that fast. Any child who is above average at math should have no trouble at all in AAP math.

Agree. OP here. I’ve changed my mind. This post was just the result of hearing about a bunch of people I know prepping all in a short time frame. That said, I have zero concerns about my DS handling AAP math or any other part of AAP. I have a kid on the program already. DS2 is very smart and can handle it easily. My only concern is his ability on standardized tests. I’m just going to hope that, like DS1, he does much, much better on the CogAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Agree. OP here. I’ve changed my mind. This post was just the result of hearing about a bunch of people I know prepping all in a short time frame. That said, I have zero concerns about my DS handling AAP math or any other part of AAP. I have a kid on the program already. DS2 is very smart and can handle it easily. My only concern is his ability on standardized tests. I’m just going to hope that, like DS1, he does much, much better on the CogAT.

If your kid is bright and can handle AAP, I'm sure you can get him in one way or another. Keep in mind that many kids get in with CogATs in the 120s and high GBRS. If your kid is a solid student and above grade level in both math and language arts, it's likely that he'll get a high GBRS and have good work samples. That's likely to be enough to get him in. And if he gets rejected, you can always appeal with a WISC. Just relax and trust the system.