The CogAT, explained for parents
A calm, plain-language guide to what the Cognitive Abilities Test measures, how scores are reported, and what kind of practice is appropriate.
Confirm your district’s rules.
Last checked: July 1, 2026
Riverside explains what CogAT measures and how scores are reported. Your district decides whether CogAT is used for gifted screening, which level or form applies, what cutoff or review process is used, and whether retakes are allowed.
The three CogAT batteries
The CogAT has three batteries — Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal — with nine subtests in all. The exact formats vary by level: primary levels (younger grades) use picture-based items (for example Picture Analogies and Picture Classification), while upper levels use word-based items (for example Verbal Analogies, Sentence Completion, and Verbal Classification). Quantitative covers number analogies, number puzzles, and number series; Nonverbal covers figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification.
Verbal reasoning
Verbal reasoning asks students to notice relationships in pictures or words, depending on the test level.
Quantitative reasoning
Quantitative reasoning covers number analogies, number puzzles, and number series.
Nonverbal reasoning
Nonverbal reasoning covers figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification — each has a free skill page with practice.
What the publisher says about levels, time and format
Levels. CogAT has a separate test level for each grade from kindergarten through grade 6, and banded levels for grades 7 to 12. In the publisher’s tables for Forms 7 and 8, Levels 5/6 to 8 cover kindergarten to grade 2 and Level 9 is grade 3, so Level 8 is the grade 2 level. The school decides which level and form your child takes.
Pictures or words. For kindergarten to grade 2 the tests are picture-based. In Sentence Completion, each sentence or question is read aloud, in English or Spanish, and the child chooses a picture. From Level 9 (grade 3) up, the Verbal and Quantitative items are text-based.
Time. The publisher estimates 10 to 15 minutes for each primary-level test: 13 to 15 for Picture Analogies, for example, and 10 to 11 for Paper Folding. Across all nine tests that is about 107 to 125 minutes of testing time.
Paper or online. Schools can give CogAT on paper or online. Audio directions in eight languages are available only online.
The Screening Form. There are also two short Screening Forms. They use only the analogies part of each battery (Verbal or Picture Analogies, Number Analogies and Figure Matrices) and take about 30 minutes. When it’s given online, a school can add the other six tests afterwards to complete the full CogAT. Ask the school whether your child will take the full test or a Screening Form.
Source: Riverside Insights CogAT overview brochure, checked October 15, 2026.
How CogAT scores are reported
The CogAT commonly reports a Standard Age Score (SAS), percentile rank, and stanine. The SAS is age-normed with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 16. A percentile rank compares a student with same-age peers. A stanine is a broad 1–9 band, with 9 as the highest band.
Districts decide how to use these scores. Many gifted and talented processes combine CogAT results with classroom performance, teacher input, other assessments, or local criteria.
How CogAT is used in gifted screening
When a district uses CogAT in gifted screening, treat it as one input in that district’s process. The publisher describes the test and its score types; the district sets the cutoff, level or form, review factors, retake rules, and current-year timeline.
That means a CogAT percentile or stanine should not be read as an automatic placement decision. Check your district’s current gifted, AAP, TAG, or enrichment page before acting on a number.
What this page will not pretend to know
- District gifted cutoffs are local policy, not a national CogAT rule.
- The CogAT level, form, battery configuration, and retake policy for a child should come from the school or district.
- Future-year screening rules can change, so a prior year’s cutoff or window should not be treated as evergreen.
Keep preparation calm and finite.
You cannot control your district’s cutoff or review process. You can control whether your child has seen the reasoning formats, knows how to slow down, and practices in short sessions without pressure.
Original verbal and quantitative items with worked explanations.
Grade 2 PDF CogAT Grade 2 practice testOriginal Level 8 style items across all nine subtests, with a direct printable PDF.
Scores CogAT scores explainedSAS, percentile ranks, stanines, and ability profiles without fake cutoffs.
Parent routine Practice without anxietyA short, calm way to prepare without turning screening into a second job.
How to prepare without pressure
Good preparation is short, spaced, and format-focused. The goal is for the child to recognize the question types, slow down enough to reason, and recover calmly from misses.
Avoid leaked items, frantic drilling, or anything that teaches the child the test is a high-stakes emergency. For a parent-facing routine, see how to practice without anxiety.
CogAT parent questions
Is the CogAT an IQ test?
The CogAT is a reasoning and ability test used for gifted screening, not a clinical IQ test. Schools use it as one piece of a broader placement picture.
What is a good CogAT score?
Districts set their own cutoffs for gifted and talented programs, so what counts as a qualifying score depends on your district's policy — check your district's guidelines. The CogAT reports a Standard Age Score (SAS), mean 100, SD 16, plus a percentile rank and a stanine (1–9).
Can you study for the CogAT?
Children can build calm familiarity with the question formats. They should not use real test items or drill for hours; short, spaced practice is the safer path.
What grades take the CogAT?
The CogAT is used across K–12, with the test level matched to the student’s grade or age range.
Does Riverside set my district’s gifted cutoff?
No. Districts decide how to use CogAT scores in local gifted screening, including cutoffs, levels or forms, retake rules, and review factors. Confirm those details with your district.
Official sources used
CogAT® and Cognitive Abilities Test™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Riverside Assessments, LLC (Riverside Insights), used here for identification purposes only. Reasonwell Press is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or licensed by Riverside Insights, and Riverside Insights was not involved in producing our materials. Our practice materials are original CogAT®-style items, not actual test questions, and do not guarantee any score or placement outcome.