About the NYC G&T Test Scores

Learn about how the NYC Gifted and Talented Test is scored and what it means for your child. Get explanations for each type of score and how it translates into G&T program eligibility. 

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Want to know how your child's NYC G&T scores compare with those of others taking the exam? TestPrep-Online offers a collection of NYC G&T Diagnostic Tests to help you understand your child's current skill level and abilities. Take a diagnostic test today, and plan your study schedule accordingly!

When Will I Receive My Child's Scores?

The NYC Gifted and Talented Test is administered throughout January and the beginning of February. Scores are sent out in the mail about two months later, at the beginning of April. If you would like to see your child's test and review his/her answers, make an appointment with the NY Department of Education.

How Are Scores Calculated?

The score your child receives will be an overall percentile rank that weighs both the verbal (OLSAT) and nonverbal (NNAT) assessments equally. In other words, the verbal component of the exam is worth 50% of the overall score and the nonverbal component is worth 50% of the overall score. This score is calculated in three ways (see figure below):

  • Raw Scores: The raw score is the number of correctly answered questions out of the total number of questions. The verbal section has 30 questions, meaning the raw score would be out of 30. The nonverbal section has 48 questions, and its raw score is out of 48.
  • Individual Percentile Rank: A standardization process occurs in which individual raw scores are converted to percentile ranks by comparing them to the raw scores of other children in the same age group (3 month age bands).
  • Overall Percentile Rank: Since the verbal and nonverbal sections of the test have a different number of questions, the percentile scores of each test undergo a score conversion process, in which the scores are scaled so that they each sections count for exactly half of the overall percentile rank.
NYC Scoring Flowchart

*From the NYC Department of Education Gifted and Talented (G&T) website

Your child will receive an overall Gifted and Talented Test percentile rank, as well as both individual percentile ranks for each section. The overall percentile rank typically determines whether your child will be admitted to an NYC Gifted and Talented program.

Eligibility for NYC G&T Programs

Determining eligibility for NYC Gifted and Talented programs depends on your child's overall percentile rank. There are two cut-off scores for NYC G&T programs: one for district programs, and one for citywide programs. To be eligible for the district programs, your child needs to score at or above the 90th percentile. To be eligible for citywide programs, your child needs to score at or above the 97th percentile. However, in past years, only children with overall percentile scores at the 99th percentile are accepted to citywide gifted programs.

Preparing for the NYC G&T Test

Competition for NYC Gifted and Talented programs is at an all-time high. Ensure your child a spot in a gifted program by preparing them with TestPrep-Online's comprehensive study packs, which include full-length practice tests, five NNAT video tutorials, hundreds of sample questions, and helpful study guides.