OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning Test Section Online Preparation, Sample Questions and Tips – 2025

What Is the OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning Test Section?

Pictorial Reasoning is one of three subcategories in the Nonverbal Section of the OLSAT test. Each level of the OLSAT test will include a Verbal and Nonverbal Section, and each of those sections contain individual subcategories and subsections. The Pictorial Reasoning subcategory is responsible for one-third of the total Nonverbal Section score. Once the OLSAT exam has been taken and completed, the scores from every section will be added together to create a composite score. This score is used to determine eligibility for a gifted and talented program.

Pictorial Reasoning assesses a student’s ability to understand visual and pictorial items. Students will need to be able to understand relationships between figures and objects, identify similarities as well as differences, and infer patterns or progressions. The Nonverbal Section does not include words, which means students of all ages will be able to take this test without the requirement to read. However, it is important that parents keep in mind that the entire OLSAT exam has a set time limit, which means answers need to be completed in a certain amount of time.

What Are the OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning Test Sections?

The OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning subcategory is divided into three subsections. Each Pictorial Reasoning subsection will include picture classification, picture analogy, and picture series questions. However, depending on your child’s grade level, they may not be required to complete every Pictorial Reasoning subsection. Grade levels determine the amount of subsections that a child will be completing. Pictorial Reasoning is usually only completed by students in preschool through 2nd grade, or OLSAT Levels A through C.

How to Read OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning Test Section Score Report?

After the entire OLSAT exam has been completed, students will have their total number of correct answers added together, which is referred to as the raw score. After the raw score has been calculated, it is normalized and converted into the School Ability Index (SAI) score. This is a comparison of raw scores between children of the same age. Although children may be testing across different grade levels, they will only be competing with children that are close in age by a few months. Finally, the SAI score is turned into a percentage known as the Percentile Rank. For example, a child with a percentile rank of 98% scored the same as or better than 98% of students within their age group.

OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning Test Section Tips

1. Every practice exam explanation should be read, regardless of how your child scored. Explanations are a key part of any good practice exam. They provide the test taker with inside knowledge on how to answer complex questions that may be meant to trick the test taker. This means that even if your child answered a question right, they still need to read through the answer explanation, as it may contain vital information that could be essential for use later on in the test.
2. It’s okay to take a break from formal studying. Although formal preparation is essential, especially using practice exams, it’s completely acceptable for your child to want to take a break. The Pictorial Reasoning section includes themes that are commonly found in real life. For example, grocery stores typically group produce together based on a commonality. While shopping, ask your child to identify any patterns they see between fruits and vegetables. This is a great way to keep their mind thinking without forcing them to spend too much time studying.

How to Prepare for the OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning Test Section?

Students that want to be admitted into a gifted and talented program will likely need to score within the top 1 – 3% of students. This means that entry is extremely competitive and scoring well on the OLSAT exam is vital. More importantly, the Nonverbal Section is a chance for students who lack verbal skills to score well and make up for a loss in points on the Verbal Section. For this reason, students need to know how to prepare. Ensure that you and your child spend ample amount of time practicing with online exams, example questions, and study guides. Practice exams need to be taken more than once to verify that your child knows the information and is comfortable with it. On the actual OLSAT exam, the questions will be similar and may include several tricky questions. Parents should not let their children go into this test unprepared, as it will result in them feeling unconfident on testing day. Practice exams always include detailed explanations that guide your child through proper ways to answer difficult questions. In order to secure a spot in a competitive program, like a gifted and talented program, your child needs to score well on the OLSAT Pictorial Reasoning test section, which can only be accomplished through proper preparation methods.

Free OLSAT Practice Questions

Based on your grade level select the relevant free practice materials: