NYC G&T Test Level A (Pre-K-K) Online Preparation & Tips – 2025

What Is the NYC Level A Test?

In order to be admitted into a gifted and talented program in New York City, students in Pre-K through Kindergarten may be required to take the NYC Level A Test. This is a type of aptitude test that includes multiple-choice questions taken from two well-known aptitude tests. Specifically, nonverbal questions will be taken from the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) and verbal questions will be taken from the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). Please keep in mind that NYC is a large city with a plethora of intelligent children, which means that most city schools require a child to place in the top 99th percentile in order to be considered for a gifted and talented program.

What Are NYC Level A’s Test Sections?

The NYC Level A Test includes 78 questions in total, with 30 verbal questions and 48 nonverbal questions. More emphasis will be placed on the nonverbal questions, as students at this age have not yet developed language skills. Children will have approximately 60 minutes to complete the entire exam. Both the Verbal and Nonverbal Sections will include two or more subsections that test specific knowledge on that section.

Verbal Section

• Following Directions: This subsection requires students to listen to a set of instructions read aloud by a teacher or test proctor. Students will be required to choose a picture from the answer choices that completes the set of instructions. Words typically included in this subsection include “between,” “next to,” and “above.”
• Aural Reasoning: This subsection requires students to identify and understand classifications and characteristics between pictures. Students will need to visualize a specific situation in order to form a bigger picture about information that has been described.
• Arithmetic Reasoning: This subsection uses pictures to represent numbers, and will require students to use numerical reasoning to find solutions. Students will need to infer relationships between numbers in order to predict the outcome.

Nonverbal Section

• Pattern Completion: This subsection requires students to complete a pattern by understanding the relationship between the pattern and choose a picture that completes the pattern.
• Reasoning by Analogy: This subsection requires students to recognize relationships and similarities between geometric shapes in order to complete the analogy.

How to Read NYC Level A’s Score Report

The NYC Level A score report includes several scores. The first score is the raw score, which is determined by adding together the correct answers from the Verbal and Nonverbal Sections. Then, the raw scores are compared with other students in NYC that are close in age. The scores are ranked into percentiles that represent how well each child scored. Then, these rankings are converted into normal curve equivalents (NCE), which is a scaled curve score. Finally, students will receive a composite score ranging from 1 to 99. Based on the final score, students may be eligible to be placed into a gifted and talented program.

NYC Level A Test Tips

1. Start studying as soon as you are notified that your child will be taking the NYC Level A Test. Occasionally, schools will wait until a few weeks out to warn parents that their child will be taking an aptitude test. If this happens, you need to start preparing right away. Develop a set study routine that includes dedicated hours for studying. Repeatedly run through practice exams and study guides until your child feels confident about the testing material.
2. Take advantage of the provided explanations in practice exams. On the real test, you won’t be provided with explanations for why your child answered a question wrong. However, on practice exams, you are afforded this luxury. Read through every explanation to learn more about how your child should answer difficult questions and ace the exam.

How to Prepare for the NYC Level A Test?

The NYC Level A Test is unique in the sense that it uses questions from two standardized aptitude tests. Moreover, NYC gifted and talented programs are extremely competitive, with only the top percentage of children gaining access. In order for your preschooler or kindergartener to be competitive with other children, they need to be prepared. This is accomplished through practice exams and study guides found online. Practice exams provide example questions that mimic real questions found on the actual exam. The type of information questioned on this exam is unlike information that is taught to students in school, meaning the information will not look familiar to the students. Therefore, practice exams are an essential step towards preparing for this type of aptitude test. Gifted and talented programs offer students a rare opportunity to learn at an accelerated pace compared to their peers, which also results in more information being learned. Most parents want their child to score well on this exam in order to gain admittance into these coveted programs. Practice exams are the key to your preschooler or kindergartener scoring high on the NYC Level A Test.