CCAT Test (Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test)

What is the CCAT 7?

The Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) is a reasoning assessment used to determine a student’s eligibility for admissions into gifted and talented programs. It is a group-administered intelligence test given in Canada to students in grades K-12. The CCAT 7 measures verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative reasoning. The test is given over three separate sessions and takes 90 minutes in total to administer.

The CCAT 7 is designed to determine a child’s aptitude for learning. The results may be seen as predicting, in the short term, the student’s general achievement in school. The CCAT 7 tests the student’s ability to learn and indicates his or her IQ. It should not be seen as a test of achieved learning or “schooling knowledge.”

The CCAT 7 is a group administered assessment completed with paper and pencil. Students fill in answer sheets or test booklets depending on the level of test they are completing.

The CCAT 7 covers questions related to three sets of abilities.

• Verbal: verbal classification, sentence completion, verbal analogies
• Quantitative: Number analogies, number puzzles, number series
• Non-Verbal: figure classification, figure analogies, and figure analysis

Is the CCAT similar to the CogAT®?

These tests are very similar and you can use materials from the CogAT to supplement the CCAT tools and questions. Here are the similarities and differences between the CCAT and CogAT.

The Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) are both standardized assessments used to measure a student’s cognitive abilities and potential for academic success. They are similar in many ways, but also have some key differences.

Purpose: 

Both tests are designed to assess cognitive abilities related to academic success, and they are often used in the decision-making process for gifted and talented programs.

Test Structure: 

• CCAT: The CCAT is divided into three batteries: Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. Each battery measures a different aspect of cognitive ability. The Verbal Battery tests vocabulary, sentence completion, and verbal analogies. The Quantitative Battery tests number series, equation building, and quantitative relations. The Nonverbal Battery tests figure classifications, figure analogies, and figure analysis.
• CogAT: The CogAT also features three batteries: Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. The Verbal Battery assesses verbal classification, sentence completion, and verbal analogies. The Quantitative Battery assesses quantitative relations, number series, and equation building. The Nonverbal Battery assesses figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification.

Scoring:

Both tests provide a standard age score (SAS), percentile rank, and stanine for each battery and for the composite score. The composite score is a combination of the scores from each of the three batteries.

Use in Canada vs. the United States:

The CCAT is widely used in Canada, while the CogAT is more commonly used in the United States.

Versions:

The CCAT is available in two levels: CCAT 7 for grades 2-12 and CCAT Kindergarten for kindergarten students. The CogAT, on the other hand, is available in multiple forms and levels to cater to a wider range of grades (from kindergarten to high school).

Administration:

Both the CCAT and CogAT can be administered individually or in a group setting.

Content and Skills Tested:

Both tests are designed to assess reasoning abilities, problem-solving skills, and the capacity to learn. However, they do not require the student to have specific prior knowledge in areas such as mathematics or language arts.

While the CCAT and CogAT have similar structures and purposes, their use and versions vary. Both are valuable tools in assessing a student’s potential for academic success and can provide useful information for parents, teachers and educators.

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With the results from the CCAT 7, schools will be able to do the following:

• Identify at-risk and gifted students
• Make decisions for grouping students based on scholastic aptitude
• Plan instructional emphases
• Identify strengths on which to build success
• Identify areas where student may be underperforming

What is the purpose of the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT), and why should my child take it?

The CCAT is a standardized test designed to assess students’ cognitive abilities, including verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal reasoning skills. Schools use the test results to identify students who would benefit from gifted or advanced programs, as well as to inform instructional strategies and support individualized learning plans. By taking the CCAT, your child’s cognitive abilities can be assessed and compared to those of their peers.

What age or grade levels is the CCAT designed for?

The CCAT is suitable for students in grades 2 through 12. The test is divided into three levels: Level 10 for grades 2-3, Level 11 for grades 4-5, and Level 12 for grades 6 and above.

How can my child prepare for the CCAT?

Familiarize your child with the test format and question types by reviewing the CCAT’s official resources, such as sample questions and study guides. Encourage regular reading and problem-solving practice to develop verbal and quantitative reasoning skills. Since the test measures innate cognitive abilities, extensive preparation is not necessary; however, familiarization with the test format can help alleviate anxiety and improve performance.

When is the CCAT administered?

The CCAT is usually administered during the school year. The specific testing dates may vary by school or school district, so it’s essential to check with your child’s school for the exact testing schedule.

How long does the CCAT take, and what is its format?

The CCAT takes approximately 2 hours to complete, including breaks. The test is divided into three batteries: Verbal, Quantitative, and Non-Verbal, with each battery containing multiple subtests. The test is typically administered in a group setting using paper-and-pencil or an online format, depending on the school’s preference.

How is the CCAT scored, and what is a good score?

The CCAT is scored using age and grade norms, which are expressed as a percentile rank. A percentile rank indicates the percentage of students in the norm group who scored at or below your child’s score. A good score is subjective and depends on the specific requirements of the gifted or advanced programs your child is applying to. Generally, higher percentile ranks (above the 85th or 90th percentile) are considered more competitive.

How will my child’s CCAT scores be used?

Schools use CCAT scores to identify students who would benefit from gifted or advanced programs and to inform instructional strategies for individualized learning plans. The test results can help teachers tailor their instruction to meet your child’s unique learning needs and cognitive abilities.

When will we receive the CCAT results, and how do we interpret them?

CCAT results are typically available within a few weeks of testing. You will receive a score report, which includes your child’s raw scores, age and grade percentile ranks, and stanines for each battery. The score report will also include a narrative summary, which explains your child’s performance in more detail and provides recommendations for supporting their cognitive development.

Can my child retake the CCAT if they are not satisfied with their scores?

Answer: The policies for retaking the CCAT vary by school or school district. Some schools may allow students to retake the test after a specified period, while others may have a one-time testing policy. Consult your child’s school for information on retake policies and procedures.

Some of the concerns parents have about their child taking the CCAT test

• Test Anxiety: Some parents worry that the pressure of taking a standardized test might cause unnecessary stress or anxiety for their child.
• Limited Scope: There is a concern that these tests only measure a limited range of abilities and might not accurately reflect a child’s full cognitive potential.
• Cultural Bias: Some critics argue that these tests may be biased towards certain cultural or socioeconomic groups, leading to unfair results.
• Overemphasis on Results: Parents might be concerned about teachers or schools placing too much emphasis on test results, potentially overshadowing other important aspects of education.
• Accessibility: Parents of children with special needs might worry about the test’s accessibility and whether it adequately accommodates students with various learning needs.
• Impact on Self-Esteem: Parents often express concerns that poor performance on these tests might negatively affect their child’s self-esteem or self-perception.

Breakdown of the CCAT 7 By Grade Level

Students in grades K.5 – 2.9 take the following subtests:

Verbal – The verbal section assesses a student’s understanding of the structure of language and relationships between words. It measures the ability to use language for reasoning tasks.

Here is an overview of the verbal section of the CCAT:

• Vocabulary: The vocabulary subtest measures a student’s knowledge of words and their meanings. Students are asked to select the word that best fits the definition given or to choose a word that is similar in meaning to the target word.
• Comprehension: The comprehension subtest evaluates a student’s ability to understand written information. Students are presented with short passages and are asked to answer questions about the content, main idea, and details.
• Reasoning: The reasoning subtest assesses a student’s ability to use logic and draw conclusions based on information provided. Students are presented with a series of statements and are asked to identify which statement follows logically from the given information.

Quantitative – The quantitative area measures the student’s abilities for reasoning and problem solving using numbers and mathematical concepts.

Here’s an overview of the quantitative section of the CCAT:

• Content: The quantitative section of the CCAT includes a variety of math problems that test a student’s ability to understand and work with numbers, numerical patterns, and basic mathematical concepts. The problems may involve arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis.
• Format: The quantitative section of the CCAT consists of multiple-choice questions, with four answer options for each question. The questions may be presented in different formats, such as word problems or numerical series.
• Difficulty Level: The quantitative section (quantitative concepts) of the CCAT includes problems of varying difficulty levels, ranging from easy to difficult. The difficulty level of the questions is determined by the student’s responses to previous questions.
• Time Limit: The quantitative section of the CCAT has a time limit of 15 minutes, during which the student is expected to answer as many questions as possible.
• Scoring: The quantitative section of the CCAT is scored based on the number of correct answers. The raw score is converted into a percentile rank, which compares the student’s performance to that of other students of the same age and grade level who have taken the test.

Non-Verbal – Questions in the nonverbal section contain diagrams and pictures. This section assesses a student’s ability to reason and problem solve independent of language.

• Types of Questions: The nonverbal section includes several different types of questions,
  • including matrix reasoning
    • In matrix reasoning questions, students are presented with a matrix of images with one image missing, and they must identify the image that completes the pattern.
  • figure classification,
    • In figure classification questions, students must identify which image in a group of images does not belong based on a specific characteristic.
  • and serial reasoning.
    • In serial reasoning questions, students are presented with a series of images, and they must identify the image that comes next in the sequence.

Students in grades 3 – 12 take the following subtests:

Verbal – The verbal section assesses a student’s understanding of the structure of language and relationships between words. It measures the ability to use language for reasoning tasks.

• Verbal Classification (10 minutes)

What is Verbal Classification?

Verbal Classification is designed to test your child’s conceptual thinking skills. Verbal Classification questions tend to be some of the hardest questions on this test.

• Sentence Completion (10 minutes)
• Verbal Analogies (10 minutes)

What are Verbal Analogies?

Verbal Analogies are designed to test your child’s ability to make concrete connections between objects and concepts. Analogies presented in this form are designed to explore your child’s vocabulary and understanding of language.

What is the Quantitative Section?

The quantitative area measures the student’s abilities for reasoning and problem solving using numbers and mathematical concepts.

• Quantitative Relations (8 minutes)
• Number Series (10 minutes)
• Equation Building (12 minutes)

What is the Non-Verbal Section?

Questions in the nonverbal section contain diagrams and pictures. This section assesses a student’s ability to reason and problem solve independent of language.

• Figure Classification (10 minutes)

What is Figure Classification?

Figure Classification is one of the most intuitive sections on the CCAT 7 test, which is good news for you and your child!

Figure Classification requires your child to examine a set of figures and attempt to understand the rules at play, and to be able to group the images according to these rules.

• Figure Analogies (10 minutes)

What is a Figure Matrix question?

A Figure Matrix question gives your child a series of figures that progress or otherwise fits together in a certain way. One of the spaces is left blank. Your child’s job is to figure out which figure fits into the blank spot so that the series makes sense as a whole.

Figure Matrices are most often expressed in two ways.
The first is in a “sentence” format, as with the first two matrix question on the right side.

• Figure Analysis/Paper Folding (10 minutes)

The CCAT 7 is a written “fill in the bubble” test, with multiple choice questions.

Skill Assessment

The CCAT 7 test includes a number of sub-tests that are given to kids in varying age groups.

Children in grades K.5 through 2.9 take these subtests:

• Verbal
• Verbal Reasoning
• Oral Vocabulary
• Quantitative
• Relational Concepts
• Quantitative Concepts
• Non-Verbal
• Figure Classification
• Matrices

These sub-tests are given to kids in grades 3 through 12:

• Verbal
• Verbal Classification (10 minutes)
• Sentence Completion (10 minutes)
• Verbal Analogies (10 minutes)
• Quantitative
• Quantitative Relations (8 minutes)
• Number Series (10 minutes)
• Equation Building (12 minutes)
• Non-Verbal
• Figure Classification (10 minutes)
• Figure Analogies (10 minutes)
• Figure Analysis/Paper Folding (10 minutes)

Even though the CCAT 7 test is used to screen for gifted and talented programs, that doesn’t mean that you can’t (or shouldn’t) prepare. In fact, the high stakes of this test make it that much more important that you ensure your child is fully ready when they walk into the testing room.

CCAT 7 was developed through trials and used with over 50,000 Canadian students, and normed on over 40,000 Canadian students in Grades K–12 to ensure reliability of results. It was also co-normed with the Canadian Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) to allow for accurate comparison of achievement and ability levels.

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Looking for more resources to help your child approach the CCAT with confidence? TestingMom.com can help with:

• 4,700+ CCAT practice questions, organized by test battery and grade level, to help your child build confidence and familiarity for Test Day.
• Access to hundreds of additional CogAT questions to supplement your CCAT resources and give your child extra practice in the areas he or she needs most.
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