OLSAT Level E Test Preparation and Tips – 2025

What Is the OLSAT Level E Test?

This aptitude test is administered to children in the 4th and 5th grade to determine suitability for a school district’s gifted and talented program. As children start to enter middle school, more and more schools will begin to use the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) Level E Test as a tool for identifying gifted students for specialized programs. Children at this age will be expected to have the ability to assess relationships between words and shapes as well as identify words that would complete a sentence. Although students in 4th and 5th grade will be learning much more information in school, they will still not be taught information that will be tested on the OLSAT Level E Test. Gifted and talented programs are competitive, meaning that only the top few highest OLSAT Level E scorers will be accepted into one of these specialized programs.

What Are OLSAT Level E’s Test Sections?

The OLSAT Level E Test will now require students to answer a total of 72 questions (36 nonverbal and 36 verbal) within 60 minutes. The length of the test with a short time constraint makes this a challenging exam, even for adults. Moreover, the OLSAT Level E includes a Verbal and Nonverbal Section that are further split into subsections. Each subsection will ask in-depth questions about a particular topic and will assess your child’s problem-solving abilities.

Verbal Section

The OLSAT Level E Verbal Section will include 36 questions spread across nine subsections, rather than eight. The Verbal Section will include sentence completion, antonyms, arithmetic reasoning, sentence arrangement, word/letter matrix, logical selection, verbal classification, verbal analogies, and inference.

• Antonyms: 4th/5th graders will need to recognize similarities and differences between word meanings. They will see one word and will need to choose a second word with the opposite definition.
• Sentence Completion: 4th/5th graders will need to read an incomplete sentence that is purposely missing a single word. Students will need to infer what the sentence is supposed to say by selecting a word that would complete the sentence.
• Sentence Arrangement: 4th/5th graders will need to piece together several words that are provided to them into a logical sentence.
• Arithmetic Reasoning: 4th/5th graders will notice pictures/numbers that are aligned based on an arithmetic rule. Then, the 4th/5th graders will choose a final picture/number that would complete the arithmetic pattern.
• Logical Selection: 4th/5th graders will need to make use of simple logic in order to read through sentences involving real-word scenarios, and choosing an answer that would be the logical outcome of the scenario.
• Word/Letter Matrix: A word/letter matrix will be presented to the 4th/5th graders. The young students will look through the matrix, identify the pattern that runs vertical/horizontal, and choose a word/letter that would complete the matrix.
• Verbal Analogies: 4th/5th graders will be provided with two words that hold a specific relationship. Then, a third word will be presented and will hold the same relationship with one of the choices from the answers.
• Verbal Classification: 4th/5th graders will search through a group of words that are related in some way. They will need to recognize which word in the word group does not fit with the rest.
• Inference: This section is new for 4th/5th graders. They will be provided with a syllogism, which is a logical statement that is assumed to be true. The 4th/5th graders will be provided with several statements and will need to decide if those statements make a true argument or a false argument.

Nonverbal Section

The OLSAT Level E Nonverbal Section will include 36 questions spread across six subsections, rather than seven. The Nonverbal Section will include figural analogies, pattern matrix, number series, figural series, number matrix, and number inference questions.

• Pattern Matrix: A pattern matrix will be presented to the 4th/5th graders, in which a sequence of patterns will run vertically and horizontally along the matrix. The students will choose a shape that would match the pattern and complete the matrix.
• Figural Analogies: 4th/5th graders will need to understand the relationship between several figures. They will look through a group of five figures, and identify one figure that most closely relates to the original figure.
• Figural Series: 4th/5th graders will notice that a series of figures follow a specific progression. Students will need to recognize how the figures progress in order to choose a figure that fits in with the progression.
• Number Series: 4th/5th graders will notice a series of numbers that follow a specific progression. Students will need to recognize how the numbers progress in order to choose a number that fits in with the progression.
• Number Inference: 4th/5th graders will need to assess and understand how a sequence of numbers is patterned in order to fill in the missing number.
• Number Matrix: A number matrix will be presented to the 4th/5th graders, in which a sequence of numbers will run vertically and horizontally along the matrix. The students will choose a number that would match the pattern and complete the matrix.

How to Read OLSAT Level E’s Score Report?

The OLSAT Level E will have a total of three scores listed on the score report. Each of the subsections will have their correct answers added together to create a final composite score. The final score is what determines a child’s ability for a gifted and talented program. Only the top percentage of children will be considered for specialized programs.

• Raw Score: Initially, the raw score is determined by adding together the total number of correct answers. For 4th/5th graders, this will look like a number over 72.
• School Ability Index (SAI): Secondly, the raw score is normalized to create the School Ability Index. This score is a comparison of normalized raw scores between same-age children in 4th/5th grade. The highest SAI score is 150.
• Percentile Rank: Thirdly, the SAI score is normalized and converted into a Percentile Rank shown as a percentage, which is used to determine gifted program eligibility. The percentage shows the amount of students that your 4th/5th graders scored higher than.

OLSAT Level E Test Tips

1. Never leave a question unanswered. All levels of the OLSAT exam are scored based off of the number of correct answers, which means your child will not have points subtracted for wrong answers. When in doubt, always guess. Questions that are left unanswered have a 0% chance of gaining your child any points. Teach your child that they should try to answer all questions to the best of their ability, and if they aren’t sure, to just choose an answer that makes sense.
2. Be aware of the short time limits. The OLSAT Level E Test has more questions that lower levels and a significantly lower time limit. Children should learn how to spend even amounts of time answering each question. Make sure your child does not waste too much time on single questions that are difficult to answer.

How to Prepare for the OLSAT Level E Test?

The OLSAT Level E Test is the first time that students from two grade levels will be taking the same exam. However, keep in mind that the scores will only be compared with children that are close in age. This means that a young 4th grader will not be competing with an older 5th grader, but they will still be answering the same questions. It is especially important for children to study and prepare for this exam. Take advantage of online resources, specifically practice exams and example questions. Run through the practice exams as many times as necessary. If your child takes the OLSAT with zero preparation, their results will likely reflect the lack of preparation. Gifted and talented programs are a great way for children to learn more information than their peers, which is why many parents strive to enroll their children into these programs. If you want your child to receive a high score on the OLSAT Level E Test, help them prepare with practice exams and example questions.