NYC Gifted and Talented Admission with the NNAT

posted by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom - January 2nd, 2014

Many children this year will be taking the NNAT2, the Naglieri Non-Verbal Abilities test, to try and qualify for the NYC G&T program. New York City’s gifted and talented programs in the public school system have always led the nation in terms of competition for admittance in for curriculum and advancement. They introduced the NNAT in 2012, and increased the difficulty of the already highly competitive program!

The NNAT and the NNAT2 are both non-verbal intelligence assessment tests, and the NNAT2 is just the most recent version of the naglieri non-verbal abilities test. This test is designed to measure the intelligence of a child regardless of the primary language spoken in the home or other factors that could possibly negatively affect the child’s intelligence to shine through on the exam.

The NNAT and the NNAT2 moves the NYC G&T program into a more level playing. The NNAT, which tests non-verbal skills, levels the playing field for children of various backgrounds, including financial, economic, cultural and social classes. However, this test is thought of as more complicated and thus many experts suggest children taking a practice test before they take the test.

Your children should not be told how important it is that they do well on the NNAT, and thus parents have to make sure to keep that information away from their children. Children can get nervous or anxious quite easily and that can affect how well they perform on the NNAT! The best way to prepare your child for the NNAT is to do 10 to 20 minutes of test prep a day. Vary the different skills your child practices and they will be able to let their natural intelligence shine through on the test!

There are many different sites where you can see practice tests for the NNAT, some from this site.