Test prep guides for parents
Straight-talking guides to every major test — what's on it, how it's scored, and exactly how to prepare. Free.
CogAT Guide
Everything parents need to know about the CogAT: what's on it, how it's scored, and a proven prep plan with free practice questions.
STAAR Guide
A parent's guide to the Texas STAAR test by grade: which subjects are tested, what's on each, and free standards-aligned practice.
NNAT Guide
What's on the NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test), how it's scored, and how to prepare with free nonverbal-reasoning practice.
OLSAT Guide
A parent's guide to the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test): question types, scoring, and a free practice plan.
SSAT Guide
How to prepare for the SSAT: sections, scoring, the wrong-answer penalty, and a free practice plan for private and boarding school applicants.
ISEE Guide
Prepare for the ISEE: the five sections, stanine scoring, how it differs from the SSAT, and free practice.
HSPT Guide
How to prepare for the HSPT: the five sections, scoring, guessing strategy, and a free practice plan for Catholic high school admissions.
MAP Growth Guide
What the NWEA MAP Growth test measures, how RIT scores and percentiles work, and how to help your child improve between testing windows.
Iowa Assessments (ITBS) Guide
What's on the Iowa Assessments (formerly ITBS), how percentiles and grade equivalents work, and how to prepare — including its role in gifted admissions.
CCAT Guide
How to prepare for the CCAT (Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test): the three batteries, gifted cutoffs in Canadian boards, and free practice.
Raven's Progressive Matrices Guide
What the Raven's Progressive Matrices test measures, which version your child will take, and how to practice matrix reasoning for gifted screening.
WISC-V Guide
How the WISC-V works, what the five index scores mean, what counts as gifted, and how to prepare your child appropriately.
Florida FAST Guide
How the Florida FAST works: the three progress-monitoring windows, what PM3 means, achievement levels, and how to prepare grades 3–8.
Math Kangaroo Guide
How Math Kangaroo works (grades 1–12), the scoring system, and how to prepare your child for their first math competition.
CAT4 Guide
What the CAT4 measures, how its four batteries work, and a practical prep plan with free practice questions for every grade.
WPPSI-IV Guide
How the WPPSI-IV works for ages 2½–7, what its subtests look like, and gentle ways to prepare a young child.
SCAT (CTY) Guide
What the School and College Ability Test covers, how above-grade-level scoring works, and a prep plan for CTY qualification.
Gifted Screening Guide
How school districts screen for gifted programs, which tests they commonly use, and how to prepare when you don't yet know the instrument.
Kindergarten Readiness Guide
What kindergarten readiness screeners cover, what teachers look for, and gentle ways to build the skills at home.
Math Foundations Guide
Why number sense and fluency decide later test scores, and how short daily practice builds them in grades K–5.
Vocabulary Builder Guide
Why vocabulary drives verbal test scores and reading comprehension, and how to grow it with context practice instead of flashcards.
MOEMS Guide
How MOEMS contests work, what problems look like, and how to build the problem-solving habits that carry into gifted programs.
MATHCOUNTS Guide
How MATHCOUNTS rounds work, what Sprint and Target problems demand, and a training plan that builds real speed with accuracy.
Applying to private school?
See the required test, deadlines, and prep path for top US private schools.
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