The CogAT in FCPS: Gifted Test Prep & Information

Is your child taking the CogAT? Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will be administering the CogAT to all 2nd graders in October, as well as to eligible students in grades 3-7. Learn how you can ensure that your child is ready to go on test day with our CogAT Online Courses.

Who Takes the CogAT in FCPS?

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) uses the CogAT to identify students for their gifted and talented program. The test is administered to all students in 2nd grade, as well as to eligible students in grades 3-7. The test will be administered throughout the month of October in 2023.

Start preparing your child for the test with our online OLSAT courses today.

Elm Academy's Online CogAT Courses

Our CogAT courses are entirely online and can be done at your own pace. In addition to our full courses, you also have the option to buy our Last-Minute courses, which are designed for those who are short on time.

$45

$ 29

Hundreds of practice questions (see table below)
1 full-length CogAT practice test
9 quizzes
9 detailed lessons covering each question type found on the CogAT
Thorough explanations for every question
Audio instructions for Sentence Completion questions (K-2 only)
Parent guide with recommended study schedules & tips
Suitable for the CogAT Form 7 and newer Form 8
Instant online access via desktop, smartphone, or tablet
1-year license

$29

$ 19

1 full-length CogAT practice test
Thorough explanations for every question
Audio instructions for Sentence Completion questions (K-2 only)
Suitable for the CogAT Form 7 and newer Form 8
Instant online access via desktop, smartphone, or tablet
30-day license

The exact number of practice questions found in each course is shown in the table below.

Grade	Full Course (1 Test & 9 Quizzes)	Last-Minute Course (1 Test)
Kindergarten (Level 5/6)	208 Questions	118 Questions
1st Grade (Level 7)	226 Questions	136 Questions
2nd Grade (Level 8)	244 Questions	154 Questions
3rd Grade (Level 9)	260 Questions	170 Questions
4th Grade (Level 10)	266 Questions	176 Questions
5th Grade (Level 11)	266 Questions	176 Questions
6th Grade (Level 12)	266 Questions	176 Questions

Full CogAT Courses

Includes 1 full-length CogAT practice test, 9 detailed lessons, 9 quizzes, and a parent guide.

Last-Minute Course

Start Practicing

$19

Great experience! My son who is 10 y.o. and gifted in math, enjoyed practicing all tests (verbal, quantitative, and non verbal). He had fun going through the lessons and quizzes (especially the long quizzes at the end of each category) over one weekend prior to taking the real CogAT tests at his school the very next week. He was well prepared and very excited to take the real tests. He was the only one who actually finished the real CogAT nonverbal test (the hardest, in my opinion) in his testing group at school. I loved how the lessons were structured and easy to follow. I highly recommend this program. Being prepared makes a big difference even for highly gifted children as my son.

As a tutor, I have used this course as a resource to prepare students. I would highly recommend, one of the best resources I’ve seen for this type of test. The curriculum is well-designed, clear strategies and a good amount of practice problems. I would recommend this to other tutors to supplement resources as well as to parents working with their children.

I have used several books and online courses to prepare my child for the CogAT and this one is hands down the best. The lessons included on how to answer the questions are very thoughtful and helpful. I would recommend this course to any parent looking to prepare their child for the CogAT.

This course was very helpful for my son. Lots of practice questions. I liked that there were quizzes for all the question styles.

Product Tour

Watch this video for an inside look at our CogAT courses. Some features available only in the Full CogAT Course.

Features

Realistic Practice Test

Practicing with realistic, timed, full-length tests is the best way to prepare for a test like this. It allows your child to become familiar with the question types so that they aren’t seeing them for the first time on test day. This is especially true with the CogAT, which has many unique and potentially confusing question types that your child is likely not familiar with.

Our full-length practice test is timed and includes audio instructions for Sentence Completion questions to make it as real of a simulation as possible. At the end of the test, you’ll be able to see a score report which includes a breakdown by question type.

Elm Academy CogAT Course Test Results — Test results include breakdown by question type and option to view feedback per question.

Elm Academy Detailed Lesson Plan — Detailed lessons help children learn specific concepts.

Elm Academy Helpful Parent Guide — Helpful Parent Guide includes study schedules, tips, and more

Course Structure & Lessons

Available only in Full CogAT Course.

Too often, test prep companies will sell you the materials and let you figure out the rest. Young children may struggle when faced with preparing for such a daunting test without any instruction. As parents, it’s difficult to know how to guide them through the process.

This is why we’ve designed a detailed course outline, with topic-specific lessons for every question type found on the CogAT. The course also begins with a helpful parent guide, which includes recommended study schedules based on how far in advance you are starting your preparation and additional study tips.

Quizzes Per Question Type

Available only in Full CogAT Course.

Each lesson is followed by a 10-question quiz to review and reinforce concepts covered in the lesson. Quizzes are not timed, and you’ll be able to view the correct answer with a detailed explanation for each question before continuing to the next one.

Questions also include optional hints that you may use if you find your child feeling stuck on a question.

CogAT Sentence Completion Sample with Audio Instructions — Audio instructions included for Sentence Completion questions.

Elm Academy CogAT Course Explanations — Detailed explanations for every question.

Elm Academy CogAT Course Hints — Quiz questions include optional hints to help reinforce concepts covered in lessons.

Audio Instructions

Available only in grades K-2 (Levels 5/6-8)

The CogAT for grades K-2 does not test reading ability, so Sentence Completion questions will be read aloud by the instructor. This tests an entirely different skillset related to listening and following directions. We have included audio instructions for these specific questions in our courses.

About Elm Academy

Elm Academy is a test preparation company that provides high-quality test preparation materials for children preparing for Gifted & Talented Tests. We’ve designed our online courses to minimize unnecessary stress and maximize your child’s performance. In addition to high-quality, realistic practice materials, each course comes with a helpful parent guide that includes recommended study schedules and additional tips to make your preparation experience go as smoothly and stress-free as possible. Start preparing your child for their gifted and talented test today.

The CogAT, FCPS and other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. They are not affiliated with Elm Academy or the website elmacademyprep.com.