CogAT 2nd Grade Test Prep, Samples & Tips

• What CogAT Level is Administered to 2nd Graders?
• Test Format and Content
• How to Prepare for the CogAT

What CogAT Level is Administered to 2nd Graders?

The CogAT Form 7 is divided by age level. Each testing level corresponds to an age, meaning that the Level 8 form is designed for eight-year-old students, who are generally in 2nd grade. Schools often administer the CogAT Level 8 to all 2nd graders.

The CogAT 2nd grade assesses verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative abilities in children, though very little of the test focuses on verbal abilities. The test is comprised of images and figures, with instructions that are read aloud by an instructor and the students choose an answer for each question from a selection of images, therefore not requiring students to read in any of the CogAT Level 8 tests. The only section that focuses on verbal ability is the optional Sentence Completion section. In this section, the instructor reads the directions aloud, and then reads a sentence in which a word is missing. The students must listen and choose the correct image from the answer choices to complete the sentence. The instructions and the optional Sentence Completion section are available to be administered in Spanish. This makes the the CogAT a useful test for students who are not native English speakers.

The CogAT Level 8 test is developmentally suitable for 2nd grade students. The test's questions assess how well 2nd graders utilize their reasoning skills in order to solve problems they have not yet learned. Therefore, the material on the test does not reflect the material students learn in school, however, this is no reason to worry.

Test Format and Content

There is a total of 154 questions on the CogAT Level 8. Each of the CogAT levels contains three batteries: the Verbal Battery, the Quantitative Battery, and the Nonverbal Battery. The three batteries may be administered together or separately, depending on the school's specific needs or the needs of the teacher administering the test. Each battery is further broken down into three subtests. Check out the table below to see the complete breakdown of the CogAT:

CogAT Form 7 Batteries

*Primary levels (5/6-8) contain Picture Analogies and Picture Classification. Higher levels contain Verbal Analogies and Verbal Classification.

How to Prepare for the CogAT

The CogAT Level 8 is a difficult test. Help your child get read for the test by helping him/her practice with TestPrep-Online's CogAT practice pack. Our practice packs include full-length sample tests and additional practice questions. Check out our CogAT practice tests.

The first thing you need to decide before you start practicing the CogAT is the study strategy that your child will employ. We believe that between two or three weeks of preparations, with short study sessions, can be one of the most efficient strategies you can use. Start by reading a few of the explanations to get a feeling of how the complete solution should look. Your child should dedicate some time to understanding why the solution is written that way. This is because the explanations contain an intuitive, easy-to-learn solution and understanding the logic used is key to solving additional CogAT questions.

Our practice packs include questions from all the three batteries of the test, and in particular, all of the sub-tests. Your child can try the full-length simulation that is included in the pack, and focus on the most challenging questions after they have finished the simulation. Your child may need the help of the explanations with the first questions of every sub-tests. Developing the cognitive skills required to solve some of the sub-tests of the CogAT may be a difficult task. Just remember to take breaks, understand an explanation, take a break, and then try to write it again without looking to check your child has fully understood all the details and why they are important to the question. 

Another important factor when studying is having a good sleep and eating habit. Make sure your child is well-rested before they start studying. If you see that your child is having difficulty focusing on the questions, perhaps it is best to have a short break, solve one question together to generate a feeling of mutual understanding, and then try the rest of the questions.

Do not forget to time your child's performance. The CogAT is a timed test, so it is important to check that your child can answer all the questions within the time constraints. You can retake our tests as many times as you want, so you can time one of the times your child takes the simulation just to check that everything is in order. If the time is right, and your child understands the explanation, you are bound to ace the test.

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