FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ORDERING AND PROCESSING

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Can I make copies of the answer sheets if I need to?

No. Our scanning equipment cannot process photocopied answer sheets. Please call MSTP customer service at 612-626-1803 for additional answer sheets. Answer sheets can also be ordered here.

When can I expect my order to arrive?

MSTP provides testing materials two to three weeks prior to your testing dates.

What reports are available?

Please refer to the MSTP order form for the available scoring and reporting options.

When I am done testing, how long does it take for reports to be returned to me?

Turnaround time depends on the size of the district/school. In general, smaller districts can be completed within a day or two, and larger districts within one week. Homeschools are processed weekly or daily during peak times in the spring.

What do we do with unused test materials?

All unused testing materials should be sent back with the completed tests; you are only billed for what you use or don't return.

I have already sent my tests in for scoring, but I have just found one more. Can it still be scored?

Yes, but the student will not be included in any group reports.

When will I receive an invoice?

Invoices will be sent when the testing materials have been returned and the reports have been processed. Homeschools are required to prepay and do not receive an invoice.

Is it possible to test students at levels other than their current grade?

Yes.

I am a homeschool parent, am I required to test my child?

State law requires that all non-accredited schools must have their students complete a nationally normed standardized test. Please see the Department of Education homeschool requirements for more information. We have a dedicated website for homeschools, homeschool.umn.edu.

Do you carry practice tests?

You may purchase practice tests directly through Riverside Insights at 1-800-323-9540. They come in groups of 25 booklets.

TEST ADMINISTRATION

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I'm not sure what certain abbreviations and terms mean. Where can I find this?

Please see the glossary for a list of terms and their meanings.

When can I test?

Fall testing is September - December 1, Midyear testing is December 1 - February 28 and Spring testing is March 1 - June 20. However, testing can occur anytime during the school year. Interest inventories can occur anytime during the year. Please refer to MSTP order forms for norming dates and pricing information.

How long do the various tests take to administer?

Testing times vary depending on the test. Please refer to the Public, Private & Charter School Testing page or the Homeschool Testing page, identify your test and click on the 'Learn More' button for testing times.

Testing times for older versions can be found by clicking on the 'Request Older Version' button followed by 'Learn More'.

COGAT© 7

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Does CogAT measure students' innate abilities?

No. All abilities are developed through experience. CogAT measures students' abilities to reason with words, quantitative concepts, and spatial (nonverbal) pictures. These abilities are developed through experiences in school and outside of school.

Does the nonverbal battery favor boys?

No. If anything, girls perform slightly better than boys on the Nonverbal Battery. This is because the Nonverbal Battery subtests are designed to measure reasoning abilities, not spatial ability.

Is CogAT an IQ test? Are SAS scores IQ scores?

No. CogAT measures reasoning abilities. Although these abilities are central to all definitions of intelligence, the word intelligence implies much more. However, psychologists have never agreed on the definition of intelligence, so how much more should be included in an intelligence test is much debated. Further, the notion of IQ comes from an earlier set of procedures for indexing the rate of mental development. CogAT does not use these procedures. The SAS scale used on CogAT provides normalized Standard Age Scores for that fraction of the population that attends school. Although SAS scores are very helpful for professionals, nonprofessionals can confuse them with IQ scores, so they are generally not reported to parents and lay organizations. Percentile ranks and stanines are better suited for general audiences.