Parents who receive their child's CogAT results often face a confusing report full of acronyms: SAS, PR, Stanine, Battery Score. This guide cuts through the jargon and gives you the numbers that actually matter for gifted placement.
The Standard Age Score (SAS)
The SAS is the primary score parents look at. It compares your child's performance to other children of the same age — not the same grade. The SAS is scaled with a mean (average) of 100 and a standard deviation of 16. This means:
- A score of 100 is exactly average for a child's age group
- A score of 116 is one standard deviation above average
- A score of 132 is two standard deviations above average
The SAS ranges from 50 to 150. Unlike raw scores, it lets you directly compare your child to a national norm group.
SAS Score to Percentile Conversion
| SAS Score | Percentile Rank | Stanine | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 132+ | 98th+ | 9 | Very Superior |
| 120–131 | 91st–97th | 8–9 | Superior (typical gifted cutoff) |
| 111–119 | 77th–90th | 7–8 | Above Average |
| 89–110 | 24th–73rd | 4–6 | Average |
| 80–88 | 10th–23rd | 3 | Below Average |
| Below 80 | Below 10th | 1–2 | Well Below Average |
What Is the 90th Percentile on the CogAT?
The 90th percentile corresponds to roughly SAS 119–122 depending on the age group tested. A child at the 90th percentile scored as well as or better than 90% of children their age nationally. Most school districts use the 90th or 95th percentile as their gifted qualification threshold.
The highlighted row in the table above (SAS 120–131) is the range where most gifted program cutoffs fall. A score of 120+ is a strong indicator of eligibility in most U.S. districts.
Battery Scores vs. Composite Score
The CogAT produces four scores: one for each of the three batteries (Verbal, Quantitative, Nonverbal) and one overall composite. Districts differ in which score they use:
- Most districts use the composite SAS or the "Composite Ability Profile" (a three-letter code like A, B, C, E)
- Some districts focus on the Nonverbal score, which is considered less influenced by language background
- A few districts require high scores in all three batteries (no weak area)
Always check with your school district directly — there is no single national cutoff.
What Is a Good Score for Your District?
Here are typical cutoffs used by common U.S. district types:
- Competitive urban districts (NYC, Chicago, LA): Often 95th–97th percentile (SAS 125+)
- Suburban gifted programs: Typically 90th–95th percentile (SAS 119–124)
- Rural and smaller districts: May use 85th–90th percentile (SAS 115–119)
If your district uses a holistic selection process, CogAT scores are typically weighted alongside grades, teacher recommendations, and portfolio assessments.
Understanding the Ability Profile Code
Along with the SAS, CogAT reports give a three-character code like "B(V+)" or "A(N-)". The letter indicates overall level (A=lowest, E=highest), and the parenthetical shows which battery was notably high (+) or low (-). A child with "C(V-)" is average overall but has a relative weakness in Verbal — useful diagnostic information for prep.
Can My Child Retake the CogAT?
Most districts only test once per cycle (typically in 2nd or 3rd grade for initial placement). Some allow retesting after one year. If your child's score was close to the cutoff, ask your district about retesting policies — and use the intervening year for structured practice.
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