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Test Day Schedule What to Bring |
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Please register early - enrollment for test dates fill quickly.
| Test Date | Results ready |
| Saturday, September 6th |
We are currently updating this web page. This information will be available shortly. |
| Saturday, September 13th | |
| Saturday, September 20th |
Test Day Schedule
| 8:00 a.m. | Students who are not preregistered arrive and register at testing location |
| 8:30 a.m. | Pre-registered students arrive and check in at testing location with parent, guardian, or designated adult |
| 9:00 a.m. | Preparation and Test Session 1 |
| Short Break | |
| Test Session 2 | |
| SNACK (provided by parent) & STRETCH BREAK | |
| Test Session 3 | |
| LUNCH BREAK (provided by parents) | |
| Test Session 4 | |
Ability testing is complete; parents/guardians pick up children |
Please note: Parents must stay at GMU for the duration of testing!
What to Bring
- Two soft-lead number 2 pencils
- $8 for parking
- Cash, check, or money order for $135.00 made payable to: GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY [or certification that your child qualifies for free or reduced lunch]
- A mid-morning light snack for your child
- A bag lunch and drink for you and your child
- Something for you to read during the morning
- A book for your child to read in the event he or she finishes a session early
How to Prepare
Parents have asked how they should prepare their children for these exams. In general, we recommend that the child have a good night’s sleep before the test and that the normal family routine, including breakfast, be followed the morning of the test. In explaining the purpose of the tests, we suggest saying something like, “ You are going to take some tests in which you will be asked to answer different kinds of problems. These tests can help you qualify for the Gifted and Talented program in school. Some of the problems will be easy and some will be hard, just do your best and don’t give up.”
You may want to convey that the tests are all multiple choice and given in small groups in a classroom. There will be snack and lunch breaks, and the testing will be completed by 1:00 p.m.Our test proctors will explain the tests and answer any questions your child may have. The tests also include extensive directions and practice examples, so that every child will have ample opportunity to understand the types of responses being sought and what is being asked of him or her. These ability tests (CogAT and NNAT) will require your child to figure out different types of problems using words, numbers, and shapes. So again, be sure that your child has a good night’s sleep the night before and provide further explanation as necessary to ensure that you child does his or her best!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How do I submit an application for my child to enroll in the FCPS GT center program?
A : Your most important source of information is staff at the Fax County Public Schools (FCPS), and you may ask your school’s gifted specialist, counselor, or principal for guidance. You should read the Parent Information Packet at http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/gt/pdfs/ParentInfoPacket.pdf. You may also telephone the Elementary School GT Programs Office at (703) 846-8670 or the Middle School GT Programs Office at (703) 846-8674.
Q: What GROUP test(s) is my child required to take?
A : The results from at least one ability test from the FCPS list of approved tests are required in order for a student to be screened for GT center placement. George Mason University (GMU) administers the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) together.
Q: How much do the GROUP tests cost?
A : Administration of the CogAT and NNAT in a single day costs $135.00, payable to GMU by cash, check, or money order. Students with documented eligibility for a free or reduced price lunch from any public school system are awarded scholarships covering all testing costs.
Q: How often may I have my child tested?
A : You may test your child no more than once every six months, unless there are compelling and documented reasons to question the accuracy or validity of a prior test score.
Q: Will GMU submit my child’s scores to FCPS?
A : No, you as a parent are responsible for delivering test scores to FCPS as a part of the completed GT application file.
Q: Who are the test proctors, and how are they trained?
A : GROUP testing proctors are graduate students in GMU programs in clinical, developmental, and/or school psychology. All have received formal training and supervision in GROUP testing, and most bring considerable experience and enthusiasm to the testing situation. Our proctors place your child’s welfare before all other concerns, and we have had some children describe our proctors as their “favorite teachers.” Our proctors all work under the supervision of the program coordinator, a licensed psychologist.
Q: How can I register my child for testing?
A : GMU offers two ways to register: (1) Using our internet registration site (click here for on-line registration), (2) by telephone at (703) 993-4200, and press 2. If you leave us a telephone message with your name and phone number, our staff will return your call by the next business day.
Q: If I register in advance for a test date, can I cancel and attend at a later date?
A : Yes, but you will need to provide the registration information again at the later date.
Q: I would like to register my child for the GROUP tests, but he or she does not attend FCPS. Can he or she still take the tests?
A : Yes, you can. Although the GMU testing program has been designed jointly with FCPS, we do not limit ourselves to testing only FCPS students.
Q: Do you administer any GROUP tests to children in the first grade?
A : At this time, we DO NOT test children in the first grade. The CogAT and NNAT are given to children in 2nd through 7th grades.
Q: Does it make any difference when during the year my child takes the GROUP tests?
A : No, so long as there is sufficient time to process the results and meet any FCPS deadlines. We have observed that peak testing times tend to occur in March, just before the April submission deadline, so we recommend that you try to test in January or February.
Q: When will I receive the test scores?
A : See chart above labled "Group Testing Dates "
Q: Can I pick up my child's score report?
A : We offer several test dates each season. Therefore, you should schedule your tests according to your deadlines. You may make arrangements with GMU's Office staff to pick up the scores in person. In this way, you will get the scores without having to wait for them in the mail, which may save you a couple days. If you choose to do this please email (gttests@gmu.edu) or call (703-993-4200) the office to make sure that the scores are in fact ready to be picked up (i.e. "Are the ___Month, __Day tests, scored and ready to be picked up?") You should also give us your chlid's first and last name. When you come to pick up the scores you must have a photo ID. Be advised that our office is NOT located on campus, rather we are about 1.5 miles off campus in an office building: 10340 Democracy Lane, Suite 202. Fairfax, VA 22030. Please do not contact the office until 2 weeks after the original test date.
Q: What is the CogAT?
A : The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a GROUP-administered test of reasoning and problem-solving ability. We administer CogAT, Form 6, with norms based on a nationally-representative sample of over 180,000 students tested in 2000. The CogAT consists of nine subtests (second graders take only six subtests) that yield separate scores for verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning abilities, as well as an overall composite score.
Q: What is the NNAT?
A : The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) is a GROUP-administered test of general ability that features a largely nonverbal approach to testing. NNAT items were developed to assess reasoning ability without requiring the student to read, write, or speak. NNAT norms are based upon a nationally representative sample of nearly 90,000 students tested in 1995 and 1996. The author of the NNAT is Dr. Jack A. Naglieri, a Professor of Psychology at GMU.
Q: If my child does not do well on either the CogAT or NNAT, can I submit just one of my child’s test scores?
A : No, we recommend that you provide both sets of test scores to provide a more complete picture of your child. You may wish to explain any areas of exceptional strength or relative weakness in your Parent/Guardian Questionnaire. For example, it is not unusual for a child with limited English proficiency to obtain a relatively lower score on the CogAT verbal tests than on other tests, because the CogAT verbal tests require English word knowledge.
Q: My child just started (or skipped) a grade. What effect will this have on test scores?
A : All students are administered levels of the tests that correspond to the grade levels in which they are currently placed, but scores are provided that are grade-referenced (i.e., based upon a comparison with children at the same grade) and age-referenced (i.e., based upon a comparison with children of the same age). If your child is unusually young for his or her grade level, there may be discrepancy between his or her grade scores (lower) and age scores (higher).
Q: My child just turned eight. Is he or she being compared to children that are 8 yrs -11 mos?
A : No. Age-referenced scores involve a comparison of your child’s performance to children from the national normative sample in three-month blocks, so your child will always be compared with a reference group that is no more than three months away from your child’s age.
Q: Are grade scores the same for all children of a given grade any time during the year?
A : No. Student performances are compared with the performance of students in the national normative sample who took the test at approximately the same phase of the school year. For example, children’s scores on the CogAT can be based upon normative data collected during fall testing (August through November), mid-year testing (December through February), or spring testing (March through June). Through the use of appropriate grade-based normative tables, student’s scores are compared with those of other students tested at the same time of the school year.
Q: How many other students will be in the room while my child is being tested?
A : Generally there are fewer than 15 students in a classroom. As the number of students approaches 20, we will try to make accomodations such as adding extra classrooms and/or putting extra proctors in classrooms.
Q: What testing accommodations are available for children with special needs?
A : If you notify GMU that your child has special needs at the time of pre-registration and provide documentation of the need for testing accommodations, we can provide them. Accommodations include large print editions, preferential seating in the front of the classroom, additional testing time, and alternatives to paper-and-pencil bubbling responses for motorically-impaired children. We do not provide these accommodations without written documentation from your child’s doctor.
Q: What do parents do while their child is testing?
A : GMU has a classroom waiting area, where parents can wait while their child is testing. After all children are in their testing classrooms, the program coordinator provides a presentation with a question & answer sessions for parents. The presentation includes a description of the tests, an explanation of the testing schedule, and a description of the reports that will be sent to parents. The program coordinator also addresses questions from parents about the testing session. For the remaining portion of the day, most parents bring some reading materials and wait for their child to visit them during testing breaks and the lunch break.
Q: Will there be food services available on campus during the GROUP testing?
A : Yes, there is a convenience store open in the Johnson Center on Saturdays. We generally recommend that you bring food and snacks from home.
Q: What are the cutoff scores on the GROUP tests that my child needs to get to be eligible for the FCPS GT program?
A : There are no specific cutoff scores for any of the tests that determine eligibility for FCPS GT center placement. The tests scores are just one of several components that will be taken into consideration for the program. The FCPS central GT selection committee makes placement decisions after taking a holistic look at the child’s educational history, reviewing progress reports, test data, and observations of the student’s classroom behaviors.
Q: How does GMU score the tests?
A : The tests are all hand-scored twice in order to maintain high levels of accuracy. Hand scoring ensures that no child is penalized by incomplete erasures or light bubbling of responses. All tests undergo a second level of review by the program coordinator to identify unlikely or improbable scoring profiles, which are checked a third time.
Q: What are standard scores?
A : Standard scores are a traditional test scoring metric that frequently ranges from about 50 to 150, with a normative average of 100. They usually assume a bell-shaped distribution of scores. On the CogAT, these scores are termed Standard Age Scores, whereas on the NNAT they are labeled the Nonverbal Ability Index. The higher the score goes above 100, the more above average is the child’s performance. Scores at 130 on the NNAT and at 132 on the CogAT are comparable and each rank at the 98th percentile, because the NNAT and the CogAT have slightly different deviations.
Q: What does percentile rank mean?
A : Percentile ranks range from 1 to 99 and describe a student’s test performance position relative to other students of the same age or grade in the national normative reference group. Percentile rank relates the percent of students in the national sample who obtained identical or lower scores on the test, with ranks between the 25 th and 75 th percentile falling within the average range of normative expectations.
Q: What is a stanine?
A : A stanine is a broad interval score from 1 to 9, with scores of 4 to 6 falling within the average range. A stanine of 8 corresponds to performance within the 89th to 95th percentiles, and a stanine of 9 corresponds to performance at or above the 96 th percentile.
Q: What influence does GMU have in determining my child’s eligibility for the FCPS GT program?
A : None. GMU conducts the testing, but we do not make any eligibility or placement decisions. The FCPS GT central selection committee makes all decisions.
Q: What if it snows?
A: We adhere to the GMU weather policy. If campus is closed, we are closed too and there will be no testing. You can find out if the campus is closed by calling 703-993-1000.