Websites to "study" for CogScreen & related ADD tests

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pmstudent

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pmstudent
I was diagnosed in childhood with ADD (without hyperactivity) in the mid 90's. Last took medication for it in the late 90's. No medical visits regarding it sense. I'm hopeful the diagnosis was wrong, or that I cope better now, because it doesn't seem to be a current problem.

I'm glad to see the FAA just made less expensive "no ADD" testing allowed, if you pass those tests well enough without showing any concerns.

Are there recommendations to online tests where I'd be able to see how I do, and perhaps by doing them over some time, might improve my score a bit?

I'm thinking something like luminosity, pilotaptitudetest, cognifit, etc.

These of course aren't scientific, aren't really shown to be useful in any way other than possibly improving your score using their games/tests, wouldn't be usable as evidence to FAA, and aren't guaranteed to predict my actual future testing results.

But, I'm wondering if anyone else found those useful to "study" for the CogScreen and related ADD tests, and if there's a specific site that might be useful in this situation.

(I see Dr. Bruce is beyond highly recommended, and I'll definitely be using him when I'm ready to start the process.)
 
pmstudent said:
(I see Dr. Bruce is beyond highly recommended, and I'll definitely be using him when I'm ready to start the process.)
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I would counsel to consult with him today.

Dr. Bruce has been involved in enough cases where he could quickly determine if doing what you propose will work.

And if the answer is "no", then you haven't burned time or cash on a medical certification attempt that won't ever get out of the gate.

If the answer is "yes", you might gain some valuable information on how to proceed so your effort turns out the best result.

I wish you luck! Keep us apprised of your progress!
 
Ugh! Many of the tests are self validating. That means they self disqualify if you’ve prepped it - they can tell. That leaves the neuropsych with fewer tools with which to acquit you.

Cogscreen is impossible to prep/ it was designed so. There are no copies lying around; they are owned by the LLC, and there are a dozen versions.

All I would suggest are lumosity exercises.

You can’t help that for 20 years you were taught “to the test”....
 
I had a post a few months ago regarding what's involved with the Cogscreen test: https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/cogscreen.108790/#post-2495798

I did about 2-3 months of Lumosity beforehand, and I think it was worthwhile. I think $15/month is exorbitant long-term, but as a sort of 'cram session', it was one of the cheapest things I've done in the long road of getting my SI! Since Lumosity grades you against your age group (as does Cogscreen), you can get a feel for how well you're actually doing overall, and if you're weak in a particular test category, you can see that as well.

pmstudent said:
These of course aren't scientific, aren't really shown to be useful in any way other than possibly improving your score using their games/tests
Click to expand...

You nailed that - you can improve your Lumosity score by playing Lumosity games, but that doesn't necessarily translate into actually improving your cognitive abilities (one thing I noticed with Lumosity is that their scoring seemed heavily weighted around personal high scores, rather than performance averages - well of course you're going to increase your score over time based on that sort of assessment).

However, I felt that Lumosity helps get you into a mindset of cognitive testing, and helps provide a little comfort/familiarity for when you do get to the Cogscreen portion. If you can see up front that you're actually doing okay against your age group, you shouldn't be as nervous about the Cogscreen outcome.
 
Play a lot of Freecell or Solitare or Wordle; that'll be more valuable in the long run, by keeping your mind off of the cogscreen.
 
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Here is some advice from someone who literally just took the cogscreen 9 days ago (me), don't attempt to study for it. Go to wherever you are being examined (if out of town) get a hotel and get a good nights rest. As other people have said before it is not something you can "study" for. Just get a good nights rest the night before and go into the testing with an open mind. Assuming you don't have any actual cognitive defects you'll do fine. The stress of the weeks and weeks leading up to the testing was far worse than the actual testing itself. Below I'm attaching the link the the post i made a few days ago about my experience. You can practice things like the digit span test and trail making but that's really about it.

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/neuropsychological-testing-complete.137598/
 
As someone who had to go through all this (psycheval, cogscreen, hims) because of being diagnosed with depression: Yes you can prepare for those tests, but it is NOT advisable. The software recognises if you have prepared extensively.
If you want to get a feeling for what you have to go through, search for "pilot aptitude testing" or psychological testing battery.
There is enough on the open market and has been for decades ;)
 
THE SINGLE best thing you can do is get a solid night's rest the night before. That means:
Don't get to your hotel at 9:00 PM just to have teenaged kids or the drunk next door with the TV up REALLY loud. So, don't stay for example, in a "cardboard villa".
Don't Shoehorn it in when you're kid's been thrown in jail
Don't do if if you are in the middle of a divorce.
Don't go without your CPAP machine if you have one

These are REAL examples, REAL LIFE from my real clinical practice of how airmen have shot themselves in the foot.

You'll just have to do it again as have some of my boneheads who I warned but they "slotted" it tightly in their lives despite my warnings. One remarked to me after he had been reinstated, "yeah I had plenty of time to rest and get it right after I was down..."

It's the single BIGGEST factor in your success.
 
I’m a good tester and metagrobologist… I like puzzles.

You CAN study for it. You can’t data dump it (kinda).

To “study”, simply do as many DIFFERENT luminosity games as you can. Figure out how to figure them out and then execute on the fly. THAT is the skill it’s seemingly testing. Don’t do the same one over and over until you’re better.

It’s a junk test. That being said said it’s kind of a fun puzzle. While your medical hangs in the balance, if you fail it hasn’t (necessarily) discovered a major fault with you. If it did, well good, you should know if you have a cognitive problem, but it just got lucky.

My dad’s doc found a tumor while figuring out why he was peeing blood. The tumor had NOTHING to do with it, but was the bigger problem.

So don’t be “worried” about it. It’s a stupid administrative thing you gotta do. Relax and do your best. Getting a good nights sleep is one way to stay focused. Just as important is to compartmentalize it and just solve the unimportant 3 second challenge that is RIGHT NOW. Do it and move on… don’t count your cards when you’re sitting at the table, there will be time enough for counting, when the dealing is done.

Despite it being a junk test, analyzed by people who don’t know what they’re doing, this IS a skill you should probably have to be a good pilot. Master it like you did cross wind landings.

I’m sorry it’s so expensive, but these doctors have VERY expensive airplanes to maintain, I’m sure you understand.
 
...and I would add- optimal is somewhat fewer $$s but Dr Bracy's is a tad more "intense" .
 
What's approx cost for each program? I've actually never done the research although airmen do ask...
 
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