Approach

New York City Public Schools use the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) along with the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT®2) for entry into Gifted and Talented programs. Every year, Bright Kids contracted tutors successfully prepare students for the OLSAT and NNAT®2 for entry into Kindergarten through 3rd grade in New York City. Our results speak for themselves; in 2011, over 90% of our students qualified for gifted and talented programs and over 50% scored a 99%.

Our process for the OLSAT and NNAT®2 begins with an initial assessment to identify the child’s strengths and skills that need development. From these, we create a personalized curriculum. We carefully pair students up with a contracted tutor who specializes in working with young children, and who can most effectively work with the student based on the assessment recommendations. We also offer OLSAT Mock Tests to track students’ progress and to see how children will perform in a simulated test environment.

For those seeking a more structured, budget friendly option, Bright Kids offers OLSAT 1-on-1 Bootcamps™ in the fall. You can learn more about our Gifted and Talented 1-on-1 Bootcamp™ on our 1-on-1 Bootcamps page.

Families outside of New York City, and/or those who are planning to tutor at home in New York City, are encouraged to view our top rated OLSAT Preparation Guide and OLSAT Practice Tests.

About the test

Both the OLSAT and NNAT are used for entry into Gifted and Talented programs in New York City.

OLSAT

The OLSAT, or the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, is designed to measure verbal, quantitative, and figural reasoning skills that are closely related to scholastic achievement.

Children are tested in four clusters on the OLSAT: Verbal Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Pictorial Reasoning, and Figural Reasoning. All questions are presented in a multiple-choice format. Verbal items assess a student’s receptive language skills while non-verbal items assess a student’s visual, spatial, and arithmetic understanding. Verbal Reasoning does not correspond to speaking ability.

Timing

The OLSAT and NNAT®2 is given in January and February for the New York City Gifted and Talented programs. Parents must send in a “request for testing” form to the DOE in the fall in order to obtain a testing slot. In our practice, children generally begin preparing 10-15 weeks before their test date.

FAQ

When is the test given?

In New York City, the Kindergarten to 3rd grade entry test is given in the January-February before they will be starting a new school year. The timing of the 6th grade entry level test varies based on the district, so look at the Department of Education’s (DOE’s) website for the latest information.

How long is the test?

There are 40 questions on the OLSAT Kindergarten entry test and 60 questions on the 1st grade through 3rd grade entry tests. The 6th grade entry test has 72 questions. Depending on the age group, the test takes anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour.

My child is taking the Kindergarten entry test. Will he/she have to bubble the answers?

No. Children entering Kindergarten will only need to point to the answer.

Is the test given in a group?

All OLSAT tests are given in a group, except the Kindergarten entry exam, which will be administered one-on-one with a proctor.

Are other factors considered when entering gifted and talented programs?

The combined OLSAT and NNAT®2 score is the only determining factor for admissions into gifted and talented schools.

When do I start preparation?

The OLSAT is a difficult test, so we recommend steady work over a period of several months. Signing up for an assessment is the best way to find out how much work your child needs in order to do well on the test.