CogAT guide

CogAT scores, explained

A CogAT report gives several scores for each battery and for the test as a whole. Here is what each one means.

Standard age score (SAS)

A score compared with children of the same age. The average is 100, and most children score between 84 and 116. Scores run from 50 to 160.

Percentile rank (PR)

The share of children in the national sample who scored lower. A percentile rank of 90 means the child scored higher than 90 out of 100 children. The report gives it by age and by grade.

Stanine

A broad band from 1 to 9. Stanines 4 to 6 are average, 7 and 8 above average, and 9 is the top band.

Composite

One score that combines the three batteries. Some districts look at the composite; others look at each battery on its own.

Ability profile

A short code, such as 8A or 6B (V+), that sums up the level of the scores and whether one battery stands out above or below the others.

What score gets a child into a gifted program?

It depends on the district. Each district sets its own cut-off, and many also look at grades, teacher reports or a second test. Ask your school which score it uses and whether it looks at the composite or at each battery.

Do your practice tests give a CogAT score?

No. A standard age score or a percentile compares a child with a national sample of children who sat the real test, and no practice test can do that honestly. Our practice tests show how many questions your child answered correctly, and which kinds of question to work on.