Reply to FCPS CogAT

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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.

[b]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). [/b] 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.  [/quote]

[b]were they doomed?[/quote][/b]

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).[/quote]

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