About Gifted & Talented Tests
Gifted and talented programs are designed to move at an accelerated pace, allowing gifted children to excel in school and reach their full potential. These programs are very competitive, so schools will use a variety of methods in their selection process. This may include some combination of interviews, meetings, and written tests.
Popular gifted and talented tests include the CogAT, CCAT, SCAT, OLSAT, NNAT, and Iowa Assessments, to name a few. Each of these tests offers something unique, but they serve the same purpose of measuring your child’s critical thinking abilities. These tests generally do not test material covered in the classroom, but rather assess more abstract abilities such as recognizing patterns, making connections, and following instructions. The unique structure and content of these tests makes preparing for them a crucial step toward getting into a gifted and talented program.