NNAT Scores Explained

View NNAT Levels Here!

• When Will I Receive My Child's Scores?
• How Are Scores Calculated?
• NNAT Score Distribution
• Eligibility for Gifted Programs 
• NNAT Test Preparation

When Will I Receive My Child's Scores?

Following the test, you will receive an NNAT score report in the mail. Test administration dates vary by school and location, but generally scores will be sent out around two months after the test. The score report is detailed and will give you a general idea of whether or not your child qualifies for a gifted program.

How Are Scores Calculated?

Different types of Gifted Test have different scoring methods. The NNAT uses three methods to evaluate children abilities. Be aware that Gifted Children programs and Schools admission scores are different from one another. The score report you will receive will include these basic scores:

• Raw Score: This score is simply the number of items answered correctly. For example, if a child correctly answered 20/48 questions, his or her raw score is 20/48.
• Naglieri Ability Index (NAI): The raw score is then converted using the Naglieri Ability Index (NAI) score, which compares your child to other children in the same age group who took the NNAT. The maximum NAI score is 160 and the average score is 100. NAI scores are normalized so that 68% of students in the general population receive a score between 84 and 116.
• Percentile Rank: This score is used to compare the student’s performance to that of a national sample of students of the same age. For example, if a five-year-old student has a percentile rank of 70%, this means the student scored as well or higher than 70% of five-year-old students who were tested nationally. Percentile Rank ranges from 1-99.

NNAT Score Distribution

Eligibility for Gifted Programs

Every school district has different criteria pertaining to what NNAT scores are needed in order to qualify for entry into gifted and talented programs. For example, in some districts, students who score at or above the 92nd percentile on the NNAT qualify for gifted and talented programs. Students scoring between the 85th and 92nd percentiles qualify for a portfolio review, in which additional information about the student is examined. Other schools only accept students with NNAT scores at or above the 95th percentile.

In the Houston Independent School District, NNAT scores are converted using a point system, in which the NNAT score makes up roughly half of the application for admissions into the gifted Vanguard program. Learn more about gifted testing in your local school district.

In New York City, students take the NYC Gifted and Talented Test, which is comprised of sections from both the NNAT and the OLSAT. Both the OLSAT and NNAT sections are weighted equally on this test.Students scoring at or above the 97th percentile are eligible for placement in both citywide and district gifted and talented programs. Students who perform at or above the 90th percentile are only eligible for placement in gifted and talented district programs. Ask your local school district what NNAT score your child needs in order to qualify for a gifted and talented program. Learn more about the NYC G&T Test.

NNAT Test Preparation

The NNAT is a notoriously difficult test. It includes questions the uses shapes and colors to assess students' reasoning abilities. Therefore, familiarizing your child with the different types of questions they will see on the NNAT is very important.

Our packages are designed to help your child be ready for the NNAT test in the best way. Each of our packages includes a Study Guide for Kids, a Parent Manual and hundreds of questions.  Moreover, you will also get three full-length sample tests that simulate the actual test. At the end of each test, you will be shown a summary report with your child Raw Score. This summary shows which questions weren't answered correctly. In addition, the summary allows you to access each question and view a detailed solution. Also, the report helps you to keep track of your child progress.

If your child has a difficulty with a subject, additional questions are sorted in drills. Each drill contains several questions about a specific subject. All of the questions are accompanied by full solutions that will help your child better understand the subject and gain new solving methods. The drills are a good practice and you can use them as many times as you'd like. 

Our Premium Packages offer a Video Academy. The Video Academy is a series of videos which explain the NNAT question type in a simple, child friendly way. Once you have the Premium Package, you can access the videos anytime and anywhere!

Based on our experience at TestPrep-Online, we recommend that students begin preparing 2-3 months before the date of the exam. Try our free NNAT sample tests to get an inside look at our comprehensive NNAT study packages.