NNAT vs CogAT: Complete Guide for Parents
Schools use both the NNAT and the CogAT to identify students for gifted programs — and which one your district uses changes what preparation looks like. Here is the honest comparison: neither assessment is "better," and children can shine on either. The differences are about what is measured and how.
Side by side
| NNAT | CogAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Nonverbal reasoning only | Verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning |
| Structure | One test, 48 questions | 3 batteries, 9 subtests |
| Reading required | None — entirely visual | Some (verbal battery; picture-based in early grades) |
| Typical use | Gifted program screening | Gifted program screening |
| Level naming | By grade: A (K), B (1st), C (2nd) | By age: Level 5/6 (K), 7 (1st), 8 (2nd) |
| Scoring | Naglieri Ability Index (mean 100) | Standard Age Score (mean 100, max 160) |
| Suits best | Strong visual pattern-thinkers; non-native English speakers | Children with balanced verbal + number + visual strengths |
How NNAT preparation differs
Everything is visual, so practice is about the four question formats — Pattern Completion, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning, and Spatial Visualization — until none of them feel unfamiliar. Pace matters: 48 questions in about 30 minutes.
NNAT guide with real examples →How CogAT preparation differs
Three different kinds of thinking need three kinds of practice — picture analogies and sentence completion for verbal, number series and puzzles for quantitative, figure matrices and paper folding for nonverbal. Variety in short sessions wins.
CogAT guide with all nine subtests →Where the skills overlap
The CogAT's Nonverbal battery (especially Figure Matrices) exercises the same visual reasoning as the NNAT — so if your district hasn't announced which assessment it uses, nonverbal practice is the safest place to start: it transfers to both. Archer Anthem's NNAT practice books cover that shared ground with QR-linked interactive practice, and the CogAT materials add the verbal and quantitative batteries the NNAT doesn't touch.
Frequently asked questions
Do schools use the NNAT or the CogAT?
Both are common, and some districts use each at different grades or as alternatives. Your district's gifted program page or testing coordinator will confirm which assessment and level your child will take.
Which is harder — NNAT or CogAT?
Neither is universally harder. The NNAT is entirely visual, which suits strong pattern-thinkers and non-native English speakers. The CogAT's verbal and quantitative batteries reward vocabulary and number sense alongside visual reasoning.
Does preparing for one help with the other?
Partially. NNAT practice overlaps heavily with the CogAT's Nonverbal battery (figure matrices especially). The CogAT's verbal and quantitative batteries need their own practice.
Can my child take both?
Yes — some districts administer both, and some parents prepare for both when the district hasn't announced which it uses. Start with the nonverbal skills they share.
Not sure where to start?
Try free interactive NNAT-style questions — the skills transfer to both assessments' nonverbal reasoning.
Free practice questionsNNAT® (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test®) is a registered trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. CogAT® (Cognitive Abilities Test™) is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. Neither Pearson nor Riverside is affiliated with, nor do they endorse, Archer Anthem. Archer Anthem materials are independent practice resources in the style of these assessments.