What is the CogAT test? A plain guide for parents
By Gradecairn Publications. Every fact on this page is checked against Riverside Insights' own published CogAT guides, listed under Sources.
Last updated: October 2026
The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) is a reasoning test for children from kindergarten through grade 12, published by Riverside Insights [1][2]. It measures verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning with nine kinds of questions. Many schools use it to choose children for gifted and talented programs [1].
TL;DR
- The CogAT tests reasoning with words, numbers, and shapes, not school facts.
- It has three parts, called batteries, with three question types in each, used by many gifted programs.
- From kindergarten to 2nd grade no reading is needed, and every direction is read aloud.
- At Level 8, for 2nd grade, the test has 156 questions and takes about 122 minutes.
What does the CogAT measure?
The CogAT measures how well a child reasons in three areas, which Riverside calls batteries: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal [5]. Riverside's product guide calls these "learned reasoning abilities", the ones most closely linked to success in school [2]. It is not a test of what a child was taught in class.
"All of the test questions are designed to show how well students use reasoning skills they have developed to solve problems they have not been directly taught," writes David F. Lohman, the author of the CogAT, in the Form 7 Product Guide [2].
That is why the puzzles feel new to most children. A child who reads well or knows many math facts can still meet a question type for the first time on test day.
What is on the CogAT test?
The CogAT has three batteries, and each battery has three subtests [2]. The question types change at 3rd grade, when written words and equations replace some of the pictures.
| Battery | Kindergarten to 2nd grade (Levels 5/6 to 8) | 3rd grade and up (Levels 9 to 17/18) |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal | Picture Analogies, Sentence Completion, Picture Classification | Verbal Analogies, Sentence Completion, Verbal Classification |
| Quantitative | Number Analogies, Number Puzzles, Number Series | Number Analogies, Number Puzzles, Number Series |
| Nonverbal | Figure Matrices, Paper Folding, Figure Classification | Figure Matrices, Paper Folding, Figure Classification |
You can see one real example of each younger question type, with its answer, on our page of CogAT sample questions for 2nd grade.
How many questions are on the CogAT?
The number of questions grows with the level. At Level 8, for 2nd grade, the full test has 156 questions: 54 Verbal, 50 Quantitative, and 52 Nonverbal [3].
We read these counts from the score tables in Riverside's norms guide for Forms 7 and 8, where the highest raw score in each column is the number of questions [3]. The two forms have the same counts.
| Level | Usual grade | Verbal | Quantitative | Nonverbal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/6 | Kindergarten | 42 | 38 | 38 | 118 |
| 7 | 1st grade | 48 | 44 | 44 | 136 |
| 8 | 2nd grade | 54 | 50 | 52 | 156 |
| 9 | 3rd grade | 62 | 52 | 56 | 170 |
| 10 to 17/18 | 4th to 12th grade | 64 | 52 | 60 | 176 |
Which CogAT level will my child take?
The level usually follows the grade: Level 5/6 for kindergarten, Level 7 for 1st grade, and Level 8 for 2nd grade [2]. Schools can pick a different level for a class, so the letter from your school or the score report is the only sure answer.
Riverside's product guide sets the level by grade, time of year, and how the class performs. A strong kindergarten class tested in the fall may take Level 7, and a strong 2nd grade class tested in the spring may take Level 8 or Level 9 [2]. The guide splits the year into fall (August 1 to November 30), midyear (December 1 to February 29), and spring (March 1 to July 31).
How long does the CogAT take?
From kindergarten to 2nd grade the CogAT is untimed, and the person giving the test sets the pace. Riverside estimates about 112 minutes at Level 5/6, 107 minutes at Level 7, and 122 minutes at Level 8 [2]. From Level 9 up, each subtest is timed at 10 minutes.
The test is not given in one go. The product guide says no more than one battery should be given at a single sitting, and short breaks between subtests are recommended for younger children [2]. Each subtest starts with a few sample questions so children can see the format first.
Does my child need to read for the CogAT?
No, not from kindergarten to 2nd grade. At Levels 5/6 to 8 the questions are pictures, shapes, and numbers, and the test administrator reads every direction aloud [2][4]. Each question has three answer choices [4].
Sentence Completion is the one subtest built on words. The adult reads a question aloud and the child picks a picture. Riverside lists it as optional at these levels [2].
Is the CogAT taken on paper or online?
Both. Schools can give the CogAT with paper booklets or online through Riverside's DataManager system [2]. A child stays in one mode for the whole test.
Online at Levels 5/6 to 8, the test runs either with an adult leading it or with audio that reads the directions [2]. Ask your school which mode it uses, so practice at home can look the same.
What do schools use CogAT scores for?
Schools use CogAT scores in three main ways: to adapt teaching to each child, to measure reasoning in a way grades do not, and to spot children whose school work is far above or below what their reasoning suggests [4]. Choosing children for gifted programs is one part of the second use.
Riverside's guide for teachers gives one reason schools pair the CogAT with achievement tests. Less than half of the students who score in the top 3 percent on the Iowa Assessments also score in the top 3 percent on the CogAT [4]. The two tests find different children.
What the scores mean, from standard age scores to ability profiles, is on our page CogAT scores explained.
Questions parents ask about the CogAT
Is the CogAT an IQ test?
Riverside describes the CogAT as a test of reasoning abilities, and none of the Riverside guides we read for this page calls it an IQ test [1][2][4]. Its main score is called a standard age score.
Who makes the CogAT?
Riverside Insights publishes the CogAT. The current guides cover Forms 7 and 8, with 2017 norms [3].
Can my child practice for the CogAT?
Yes. Practice shows your child the question formats before test day. Our CogAT Grade 2 practice test workbook covers all 9 Level 8 question types, with an explanation for every answer. Practice questions written for a book cannot predict a real score.
What is the difference between Form 7 and Form 8?
Riverside's norms guide treats them as parallel forms with the same number of questions at every level [3]. Your school chooses the form.
How do I check my child's practice answers?
If you have our workbook, the free answer check marks a practice test and lists the question types to practice next. How we check every workbook explains how the answers were proved.
Sources
- Riverside Insights, CogAT Assessment for K-12, web page, read 15 October 2026.
- David F. Lohman, CogAT Form 7 Product Guide, Version 4, Riverside Publishing, 2014. Publisher documentation, copy hosted by the American Association of Christian Schools.
- David F. Lohman and Joni M. Lakin, CogAT Forms 7 and 8 2017 Norms and Score Conversions Guide, Riverside Assessments, 2019.
- Riverside, Cognitive Abilities Test Form 7: A Short Guide for Teachers, March 2013.
- Riverside Insights, Overview of CogAT for Parents, parent guide.