OLSAT (Otis-Lennon) scores explained: what is a good score?

An OLSAT 8 report gives a School Ability Index (SAI) and percentile ranks, usually for a total score and for verbal and nonverbal parts. This guide explains what those numbers mean and what gifted programs look for.

The School Ability Index

The SAI is a normalized standard score with an average of 100 and a standard deviation of 16, built from the verbal and nonverbal scores. About two thirds of children score between 84 and 116.

Percentile rank

A percentile rank of 95 means your child scored higher than about 95% of the comparison group. It is not the percentage of questions answered correctly. Check which percentile your district's plan uses before comparing it with a cutoff.

How SAI and percentile line up

These figures come from the bell curve (average 100, standard deviation 16). The official norms tables can differ by a point here and there.

What is a good OLSAT score for a gifted program?

There is no single number. Few of the district plans we have researched publish an OLSAT cutoff:

• Durham, NC accepts the OLSAT for its intellectually gifted pathway, at the 96th percentile or higher on the composite.
• Rowan-Salisbury, NC accepts an OLSAT composite at the 96th percentile or higher for its intellectually gifted pathway.
• Los Angeles Unified uses the OLSAT-8 for 2nd grade High Achievement Ability but does not publish the cutoff.
• Jefferson Elementary (Tracy), CA accepts a qualifying OLSAT-8 score; the score is not published.

Across ability tests generally, the most common cutoffs we found are the 98th, 96th and 99th percentile, with a lower bar (often the 85th or 90th) for moving on to a second round. Look up your district's rules on our district pages.

One score is not the whole picture

The OLSAT measures reasoning on one day. In K–2 every question is read aloud only once, so a child who loses focus for a moment can miss questions they could answer. Many districts combine the OLSAT with other measures or allow a later referral.

Getting ready next time

See our OLSAT practice guide, try the free sample quiz, or take the free readiness check. Our test comparison explains how the OLSAT differs from the CogAT and NNAT.

CogAT® is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. NNAT® is a trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. OLSAT® is a registered trademark and Naglieri General Ability Tests™ a trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS). These owners are not affiliated with and do not endorse GiftedCub. Test names are used only to describe the formats our original practice material is designed to resemble.