The New York City Level C test is an aptitude test that is administered to 2nd graders located in New York City. Schools in NYC use this aptitude test to measure the cognitive abilities of young children in order to identify those that should be enrolled into a gifted and talented program. The NYC Level C is a unique test that borrows questions from two large standardized aptitude tests. Verbal questions are based on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) questions, and the nonverbal questions are based on the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) questions. If you wish for your 2nd grader to be placed into a gifted and talented program in NYC, you should be aware that the programs are extremely competitive, which means your child needs to score well on this exam.
The NYC Level C test includes 78 questions, with 30 OLSAT verbal questions and 46 NNAT nonverbal questions. The instructions and the questions will be read to the students out loud, and the multiple-choice test will have a set time limit. Moreover, the scores from both sections will be weighted equally and used to identify gifted children.
The NYC Level C test score report will first include a raw score, which is simply a sum of correct answers responded to from each section. Following that, the raw scores will be compared with other students in NYC to form the normal curve equivalent, or NCE result. The NCE is a ranking of performance amongst same-age students. Finally, the NCE is converted into a standardized percentage shown as a percentage from 1 to 99. Students who score within the top percentile will possibly be accepted into a gifted and talented program in NYC.
The NYC Level C test is comprised of questions from two well-known aptitude assessments, making it an interesting test to prepare for. Not only does your child need to prepare for questions taken from the OLSAT exam, they also need to prepare for questions taken from the NNAT exam. The best way to prepare for these two types of questions is by creating a thorough studying plan that includes study guides and practice exams. These helpful materials can be used online, which also means they include the added benefit of example questions that can be repeated as many times as necessary. Make sure to read through the explanations that are provided at the conclusion of a practice exam, as they provide useful insight on answering difficult questions. Preparation with practice exams is the key to your 2nd grader scoring high on the NYC Level C test.