3 Preparation Techniques That Yield Near-Perfect Scores
On The CogAT Exam
Tip #1: Consistent Preparation
It's no secret that your school district's gifted programs are highly selective.
That's why preparing 3-4 months for the CogAT Exam is highly suggested if you want your child to score above the 95th percentile, which happens to be a qualifying score for most gifted programs.
The CogAT Exam is comprised of 3 subjects that assess cognitive thinking.
Students who score above the 95th percentile on the CogAT, typically spend 1-month learning and perfecting each subject.
This is because gifted programs use a rigorous curriculum that exceeds the standard curriculum by one grade level, and so they admit students that are capable of performing well on advanced problems, as well as at-standard problems.
Takeaway:
Your child should should spend a solid amount of time on CogAT preparation if they intend on qualifying for a gifted program.
Tip #2: Using Strategies When Preparing
The CogAT has a reputation for being a challenging exam.
However, using strategies is a phenomenal way to minimize the number of potential errors your child may make on the exam.
For example, the most prevalent issue amongst young students is when they encounter a complex vocabulary word on the exam.
The solution is simple. If your child has a thorough understanding of how to use context clues in relation to the process of elimination, they can easily eliminate the wrong answer choices, in order to select the correct answer.
Understanding the science and structure of the exam is by far the most effective strategy for acing the exam.
If your child can identify scenarios in which they're able to identify when the exam is trying to deceive them into selecting the wrong answer choice, they can easily avoid being tricked, while their peers may get such questions wrong.
Takeaway:
Your child should use strategies for all 9 concepts that are assessed on the exam. This means that if your child is able to learn and master 9 strategies that help bypass challenging questions, they have a solid chance of qualifying for gifted programs, due to their outstanding CogAT score.
Tip #3: Practice Exams
Given that your child is probably going to spend 6 months preparing for the CogAT, it is important to administer practice exams at the end of each month, in order to assess their areas of potential improvement, and bridge any gaps they may have in their cognitive foundation.
6 months of preparation will equate to 6+ practice exams, which will position your child to easily score above the 95th percentile on the exam, without frantically cramming in content at the last minute.
However, there is an issue.
It is very difficult to find practice exams on the internet, as full-length practice exams usually cost anywhere between $50-$150, and many of the exams are often outdated.
But, we have your solution.
At ACE VL, your child can take a brief self-assessment, in order to understand which of the three subjects they need the most help with. The best part is, the self-assessment is completely free!
Simply click below and get started!