OpenKidsPrep Blog

How to Prepare Your Child for the CogAT in 30 Days

A day-by-day plan building verbal analogies, number patterns, and spatial reasoning.

What Is a Good CogAT Score? The 90th Percentile Explained

Understand SAS scores, percentile ranks, and what your district actually requires for gifted.

CogAT vs NNAT: Which Gifted Test Is Harder?

Both test reasoning ability but in very different ways. Here's what sets them apart.

CogAT Scores by Grade: What's Gifted for K–8?

Grade-by-grade SAS score charts and percentile benchmarks for gifted program eligibility.

CogAT Prep by Grade: What 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Graders Need

Age-specific strategies for each CogAT level, with activity recommendations for each grade band.

CogAT in Texas: HISD, AISD, FBISD Gifted Cutoffs

How major Texas school districts use the CogAT for gifted identification and what scores qualify.

CogAT vs OLSAT: Which Test Is Right for Your District?

Side-by-side comparison of format, sections, scoring, and geographic use for both tests.

CogAT Parent FAQ: 10 Questions Answered

Can you study for the CogAT? What score is gifted? How is it different from an IQ test?

NNAT Prep Guide for Parents: What to Expect and How to Help

A plain-English guide to the four question types, scores, and the most effective ways to prepare.

NNAT Score Guide: NAS Scores, Percentiles, and Gifted Thresholds

What the Naglieri Ability Score means, how percentile ranks work, and what qualifies for gifted programs.

NNAT Prep for Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Age-appropriate activities and strategies to build nonverbal reasoning in K–1 children.

NNAT in NYC: Gifted & Talented Test Explained

How NYC uses the NNAT alongside the OLSAT for G&T admissions, and what composite score you need.

NNAT vs CogAT: Two Approaches to Gifted Testing

How the all-nonverbal NNAT compares to the three-battery CogAT for gifted identification.

NNAT Parent FAQ: Is It Harder Than the CogAT?

Answers to the most common NNAT questions from parents preparing for gifted testing.

NYC Gifted & Talented Test: The Complete OLSAT Prep Guide

Everything NYC parents need: how G&T works, how OLSAT scores, and a week-by-week plan.

OLSAT Levels A Through G: Which Test Does Your Child Take?

The OLSAT has 7 levels. Learn which your child faces and what score qualifies for gifted.

OLSAT Scores Explained: SAI, Stanines, and NYC Gifted Cutoffs

How the School Ability Index works, what stanine your child needs, and NYC composite score requirements.

OLSAT Prep for Level A and B: Young Children's Guide

How to prepare K–2nd grade children for the OLSAT without creating pressure or anxiety.

NYC Gifted & Talented 2025–2026: Registration, Scores, and What to Expect

The full NYC G&T application timeline, test details, composite scoring, and school placement guide.

OLSAT vs CogAT: Which Gifted Test Is Your Child Taking?

How the OLSAT and CogAT differ in format, depth, sections, and geographic use.

OLSAT Parent FAQ: 10 Questions Answered

What the OLSAT tests, what score qualifies, how young children are tested, and more.

MAP RIT Scores by Grade: What's Average for Your Child?

A grade-by-grade RIT reference table with national norms for math and reading.

How to Help Your Child Improve Their MAP Test Score

Practical parent strategies for MAP prep: what to focus on and how adaptive scoring works.

MAP Test Scores 2025: Updated RIT Norms and Gifted Thresholds

Updated 2025 NWEA norms for every grade level in Reading, Math, Language, and Science.

MAP Test Prep for 3rd Grade: Reading and Math Focus

What 3rd graders face on the MAP test and how to build the skills that matter most.

Which States Use the MAP Test and How They Apply It

How states across the U.S. use MAP data for placement, gifted ID, and academic planning.

MAP vs i-Ready: Which Adaptive Assessment Does Your School Use?

Key differences between NWEA MAP and Curriculum Associates i-Ready for K-8 assessment.

MAP Test Parent FAQ: Can You Fail the MAP?

Answers to the 10 most common MAP test questions from parents, including what RIT scores mean.

WISC-V IQ Scores Explained: What Does Your Child's Score Mean?

FSIQ, composite indexes, and percentile ranks — and what score qualifies as gifted.

WISC-V Score Ranges: What Every Number on the Report Means

Classification bands, index score interpretation, scatter, and gifted thresholds explained.

How to Prepare Your Child for the WISC-V IQ Test

What the WISC-V measures, how to reduce test anxiety, and which skills are trainable.

How to Prepare for the WISC-V by Age: 6–16 Guide

Age-specific preparation strategies for children ages 6–8, 9–12, and 13–16.

WISC-V for Gifted Programs: Scores, Cutoffs, and What Schools Look For

How gifted programs use WISC-V FSIQ, what the GAI is, and what to do near the cutoff.

WISC-V vs Stanford-Binet V: Which IQ Test Does Your Child Need?

When to choose the WISC-V vs SB5, score correlation, and which programs prefer each test.

WISC-V Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About the IQ Test

What the WISC-V measures, who administers it, what gifted scores look like, and more.

What Is the WPPSI-IV? A Complete Guide for Parents of Young Children

What the WPPSI tests, how scores work, and how to prep a young child without stress.

Is My 4-Year-Old Gifted? WPPSI Scores and What They Mean

Understand FSIQ ranges for young children and how WPPSI scores predict future ability.

WPPSI-IV Score Guide: FSIQ Ranges, Index Scores, and Gifted Thresholds

Complete WPPSI-IV score interpretation for the 2:6–7:7 age range, index scales, and confidence intervals.

WPPSI-IV Prep for Ages 2–5: What Parents Can Do Without Over-Coaching

Age-appropriate activities that build skills the WPPSI tests — without drilling a preschooler.

What Happens at a WPPSI-IV Evaluation: Step by Step

From referral to score report — a walkthrough of the entire WPPSI-IV evaluation process.

WPPSI-IV vs WISC-V: Which IQ Test Does Your Child Need?

Age ranges, overlap years (6:0–7:7), and how to choose between the two Wechsler tests.

WPPSI-IV Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About the Preschool IQ Test

What age, what it tests, what gifted scores look like, and what to do with the results.

ISEE vs SSAT: Which Private School Test Does Your School Require?

Key format, scoring, and school preference differences — plus how to decide which to take.

ISEE Lower Level Prep: Complete Guide for 4th and 5th Graders

What 4th–5th graders face on the ISEE Lower Level, with an 8-week realistic prep plan.

ISEE Scores Explained: Stanines, Scaled Scores, and What Top Schools Want

How stanines and percentiles work on the ISEE, and what's competitive at selective independent schools.

ISEE Prep by Level: Primary, Lower, Middle, and Upper Guide

Grade-specific ISEE prep for all four levels — what each tests and how long to prepare.

ISEE for NYC and Bay Area Independent Schools

What scores NYC and Bay Area schools expect, testing timeline, and strategy for competitive applicants.

ISEE vs SSAT 2025: Which Test Should Your Child Take?

Updated comparison: format, guessing penalties, verbal section differences, and school preferences.

ISEE Parent FAQ: 10 Questions Answered

Which level to take, guessing penalty, score reporting, accommodations, and more.

SSAT Scores Explained: Scaled Scores, Percentiles, and What's Competitive

How SSAT scaled scores and percentile ranks work, and what top boarding schools look for.

SSAT Prep by Level: Lower, Middle, and Upper Level Guide

Grade-specific prep for each SSAT level, including the analogies section and guessing strategy.

SSAT for Boarding Schools: What Top Schools Require

What scores Andover, Exeter, Hotchkiss, and other selective boarding schools typically see.

SSAT vs ISEE: Which Private School Test Is Right for Your Child?

Analogies vs sentence completions, guessing penalty differences, and school preferences compared.

SSAT Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About the Private School Test

How the guessing penalty works, what score to aim for, and whether all scores go to schools.

SHSAT Score Guide: Composite Score Cutoffs by School (2020–2025)

Historical cutoff estimates for all 9 NYC specialized high schools and how to set a score target.

SHSAT Prep for 7th Grade: Timeline, Topics, and Strategy

A 6-month prep plan for the ELA and Math sections, with a weekly study schedule.

SHSAT 2025–2026: NYC Specialized High School Admissions Guide

Registration timeline, test date, results, Discovery Program, and how to build your school list.

SHSAT vs SAT: How They Compare and What SHSAT Prep Teaches You

Skill overlaps, long-term prep value, and key differences between the two tests.

SHSAT Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About NYC's Specialized High School Test

Who can take it, how to register, what score you need, and free prep resources in NYC.

i-Ready Score Guide: Scale Scores, Placement Levels, and Grade Benchmarks

What scale scores and placement levels (Early On through Above Grade Level) mean by grade K–8.

i-Ready Prep for Grades 3–5: Reading and Math Strategies

What the adaptive diagnostic tests in grades 3–5 and how to build real skills at home.

i-Ready in Florida, New York, and Other States: How Schools Use It

How FL, NY, NC, and other states use i-Ready for K-8 reading and math assessment.

i-Ready vs MAP Test: Two Adaptive Assessments Compared

How i-Ready and MAP differ in format, scoring, and what each is best used for.

i-Ready Parent FAQ: Does It Affect My Child's Grade?

10 answers to the most common i-Ready parent questions, including what scores mean.

ITBS Score Guide: Standard Scores, Percentiles, and Grade Equivalents

How to read an Iowa Assessments score report: SS, NPR, GE, stanines, and what they mean.

ITBS Prep for 3rd Grade: Subjects, Topics, and a Study Plan

What 3rd graders face on the full ITBS battery and a 6-week study calendar.

ITBS and Iowa Assessments: Which States Use Them and Why

How Iowa, Illinois, and other states use the ITBS — plus private school use nationwide.

ITBS vs MAP Test: Which National Assessment Is Right?

Fixed-form vs adaptive: how the ITBS and MAP differ in format, score, and use cases.

ITBS Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About the Iowa Assessments

What it tests, what scores mean, how to prepare, and whether it affects grades.

Stanford-Binet V IQ Score Guide: FSIQ, Factor Scores, and 130+ Explained

Complete SB5 score interpretation: classification bands, five factor scores, and gifted thresholds.

What Happens at a Stanford-Binet V Evaluation: Step by Step

From referral to score report — what the testing day looks like and what to ask the psychologist.

Stanford-Binet V for Highly Gifted Children: Why It's Often Preferred

Ceiling effects, Extended Norms, and why SB5 is recommended when WISC-V scores reach 145+.

Stanford-Binet V vs WISC-V: Which IQ Test Is Better for Your Child?

Age range, ceiling, factor structure, and when each test is the right choice.

Stanford-Binet V Parent FAQ: 10 Questions Answered

What it measures, gifted scores, how it differs from WISC-V, and finding a qualified evaluator.

SCAT Score Guide: What Score Qualifies for Johns Hopkins CTY?

How above-level SCAT scoring works and what percentile your child needs for CTY eligibility.

How to Qualify for Johns Hopkins CTY Using the SCAT

Registration, prep strategy, what programs open up, and alternative talent search paths.

SCAT Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About the Talent Search Test

What the SCAT tests, who takes it, what CTY is, and how to prepare for above-level testing.

KBIT-2 Score Guide: IQ Composite, Verbal, and Nonverbal Scores Explained

What the three KBIT-2 scores mean, gifted thresholds, and how they compare to full IQ tests.

How School Districts Use the KBIT-2 for Gifted Identification

Why schools use brief screeners, cutoff scores, limitations, and what happens next.

KBIT-2 Parent FAQ: 10 Questions About the Brief IQ Screener

What it tests, what scores mean, whether to prepare, and what happens after the result.

ERB CTP-5 Score Guide: Scaled Scores, Percentiles, and What Schools Look For

How to read an ERB score report: NPR, ISPR, stanines, and what independent school families need to know.

ERB Tests at NYC Independent Schools: What the Scores Mean

How NYC independent schools use ERB data and how to interpret your child's ISPR results.

ERB CTP-5 Parent FAQ: 10 Questions Answered

What the ERB tests, how it differs from ISEE/SSAT, what ISPR means, and how to prepare.