The CogAT score report lands in your inbox and it's full of numbers, codes, and terminology you've never encountered before. Standard Age Score. Stanine 7. Ability Profile B. What does any of it mean — and what should you actually do with it?
This guide walks through every section of a CogAT score report, explains what each number represents, and tells you how to interpret the results in a way that's practically useful for your child.
The four numbers you'll see
Raw Score
The raw score is simply the number of questions your child answered correctly. On its own, it's not very meaningful — a raw score of 40 means something very different on a 50-question test than on a 100-question test, and it doesn't account for the age of the child. Most score reports don't emphasise the raw score for this reason.
Standard Age Score (SAS)
The Standard Age Score is the most important number on the report. It compares your child's performance to a nationally representative sample of children the same age, using a scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 16. This means:
- A score of 100 means your child performed exactly at the national average for their age
- A score of 116 means they performed one standard deviation above average (about the 84th percentile)
- A score of 132 means they performed two standard deviations above average (about the 98th percentile)
You'll see a separate SAS for each of the three batteries (Verbal, Quantitative, Nonverbal) and a composite SAS that combines all three. The composite is the number most commonly used for gifted programme entry decisions.
Percentile Rank (PR)
The percentile rank tells you what percentage of children the same age scored lower than your child. A percentile rank of 85 means your child scored higher than 85% of age-matched students nationally. This is the number most parents find easiest to understand and the one most useful for comparing against a programme's published threshold.
A common misreading: The percentile rank does NOT mean the percentage of questions your child got right. A percentile rank of 72 does not mean they answered 72% correctly — it means they scored higher than 72% of children their age. These are very different things.
Stanine
The Stanine (from "Standard Nine") divides the score distribution into nine groups numbered 1–9. Stanines 7, 8, and 9 represent above-average to exceptional performance. Most gifted programme entry decisions require Stanine 7 at a minimum, with selective programmes requiring Stanine 8 or 9.
| Stanine | Percentile range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 96th–99th | Exceptional |
| 8 | 89th–95th | Well above average |
| 7 | 77th–88th | Above average |
| 6 | 60th–76th | Slightly above average |
| 5 | 40th–59th | Average |
| 4 | 24th–39th | Slightly below average |
| 3 | 11th–23rd | Below average |
| 1–2 | 1st–10th | Well below average |
Understanding the Ability Profile
The CogAT Ability Profile is a three-part code that captures not just your child's overall level but the pattern of their scores across the three batteries. It looks something like 8B(V+) — and each part means something specific.
The first element — overall level
A single number from 1–9 representing the average Stanine across all three batteries. This is the composite performance level.
The second element — pattern
A letter from A to E that describes how similar the three battery scores are to each other:
- A — all three scores are very similar (even profile)
- B — one score is slightly higher or lower than the others
- C — one score is moderately higher or lower
- D — one score is substantially higher or lower
- E — one score is much higher and another much lower (highly uneven)
The third element — relative strength or weakness
In brackets: which battery is the outlier (V = Verbal, Q = Quantitative, N = Nonverbal), and a + or – to show whether it's higher (+) or lower (–) than the other two.
So 8B(V+) means: overall Stanine 8, one battery slightly above the others (+), and that battery is Verbal. In plain terms: a high-performing child with a particular strength in verbal reasoning.
Useful tool: Riverside Insights (the CogAT publisher) offers a free Ability Profile Finder where you can enter your child's three-letter code and receive a detailed explanation of what it suggests about their learning style and strengths.
Battery scores: what the pattern tells you
Looking at the individual battery scores alongside the composite often reveals more useful information than the composite alone:
If Nonverbal is significantly lower than Verbal and Quantitative — this is the most common pattern and usually the most addressable. Nonverbal reasoning is the battery most responsive to targeted practice, and children who haven't had much exposure to spatial puzzles and pattern games often have a genuine gap here that doesn't reflect their underlying ability.
If Verbal is significantly lower than the other two — this can reflect English Language Learner status, a language processing difference, or simply less exposure to wide vocabulary at home. It's worth considering whether the verbal score represents your child's true reasoning ability or a vocabulary/language gap.
If all three are high and even — an A profile at Stanine 7 or above — this is a genuinely strong result and suggests consistent reasoning ability across all domains.
What to do with the results
If the score meets your district's gifted programme threshold, follow your school's instructions for programme entry — the process typically involves the school contacting you, but it's fine to enquire proactively if you haven't heard.
If the score fell short, consider these steps:
- Ask your school whether a retest is available and when
- Look at which battery pulled the composite down — targeted practice on that specific area before a retest can make a meaningful difference
- Check whether your district uses additional criteria (teacher recommendations, grades, portfolio review) that could support your child's case even without a higher score
- Remember that the CogAT is one measure taken on one day — it doesn't define your child's potential or ceiling
The most important thing to remember
A CogAT score report is not a verdict. It's a data point from a single sitting. Many children who later thrive in gifted programmes scored below the threshold on their first attempt — often because the question formats were unfamiliar. Understanding the report is the first step; the second is deciding what to do with what you've learned.
Help your child build familiarity before the test
Brain Booster covers all three CogAT batteries across five grade levels — so your child arrives at test day having seen every question type before.
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