How to Prepare for Aptitude Test?

Aptitude test is conducted to determine a person’s ability in a particular skill or field of knowledge. It tests one’s ability to perform tasks and react to situations at work. This includes problem-solving, prioritization and numerical skills, amongst several other things. Aptitude tests are extremely common in job assessments as they can be used to predict the likelihood of a candidate’s success in a job role.  One should understand that an aptitude test does not test knowledge or intelligence; it only tests a particular skill or propensity. Schools use aptitude tests to determine if students are inclined toward advanced placement classes or certain areas of study, such as engineering or a foreign language. In the work world, human resources departments at some companies will use career assessment tests to learn about a potential candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Individuals take aptitude test to determine the kind of careers that are a good match for their skills and interests.

Different Types of Aptitude Tests

Aptitude tests come in many different forms due to the range of skills required for different roles. There are two categories in general – verbal and non- verbal. Verbal tests include verbal reasoning, comprehension and situational judgement tests which tests ones ability to analyze verbal data and make astute decisions. Non-verbal tests such as numerical reasoning or inductive reasoning, assess ones ability to handle numerical data, patterns and problem- solving.

The main categories of aptitude test are:

• Clerical – This tests a person’s level of concentration and accuracy.
• Verbal reasoning – This is used to measure a person’s comprehension level, their ability to spell, use grammar correctly and understand terms.
• Numerical reasoning – This measures the competency level of a person based on their understanding of numbers, number sequences, calculations etc.
• Abstract reasoning – is to test the ability to identify the underlying logic of a pattern and then determine the solution.
• Mechanical reasoning – This will test your knowledge of physical and mechanical principles

Preparation for Aptitude Test

The best way to prepare for aptitude tests is to practice and become familiar with the tests. Practicing helps to maximize your scores as it helps to identify patterns, recognize question styles, and as a result gives you confidence to tackle the test.

Understand the test – Understand in detail about the aptitude test you are taking. Each test is very different and will test different skills and will have different formats. Try to get an idea of the different types of questions asked, what sections the tests will be divided into, the number of questions and the time duration of the test.

Practice, practice and practice –  This is the most effective path to success. Practicing helps to familiarize with the style and format of the test. This helps in boosting confidence and calming your nerves. Practice will help you realize your mistakes and prevent you from making the same mistake again. This also helps you to determine how much time you should spend on each question. Regular practice will help you understand your weaknesses or areas in which you have major gaps and to focus on them. Don’t expect to master the aptitude skills in just a week or two. At least 2-3 months is the minimum required time.

Learn to stay focused – If your concentration wanes during your test, you will be wasting your valuable time. So concentration and stamina are extremely important in aptitude tests. Ensure that you get enough sleep so that your mind is focused and does not feel lethargic. It is natural to feel exhausted at the end of an aptitude test so make sure that you do nit do several tests in a short period of time.

Time Management – You will have an idea about the time you should spend on each question. Take a moment to answer the questions, do not be impulsive, and think. If you find that you have crossed the time limit and still not sure about the answer, leave it and move on. Only move on if you can’t see where you’ve gone wrong. If you know how to get to the answer, the chances are the time taken to see this question through will be less than starting on a fresh question. Generally, the average time available per question in the aptitude tests varies from 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the tests.

Planning – Be systematic so that you have enough time to prepare. Do not procrastinate. Set aside a dedicated time  to each activity from the beginning, providing for moments of rest and leisure. Plan sensibly and realistically.

Use the resources available – There is a large range of online material available. Utilize these resources to enhance your preparation. On the internet, there are many resources, models, tests that you can do considering the prospective interview.

Preparation Before the Test

1. Get a good night’s sleep, plan your journey to the test site, and arrive on time.
2. Follow the instructions carefully. For an online psychometric test you will have to read the instructions online. For a paper-and-pencil test the test administrator will read them out to you, whilst you follow the written instructions.
3. Before the actual aptitude test itself, you will almost certainly be given examples or instructions to understand the test pattern. Make sure you ask questions if anything is unclear at this stage. You will normally be given some paper on which to make rough workings.
4. Start with the easiest questions first as this will give you more time for the harder questions. Prioritize the sections of the assessment worth the most points, and make sure that you wear a watch so you can keep an eye on the time.

Individuals should be relaxed and should not panic before the exam. You should be confident about your preparation and ready to face the test. Have faith in yourself and put to work all that you have practiced.

The key point to clear an exam lies in methodical and planned preparation. If you are a candidate who wants to pursue your dream career and looking for a good start, Entri App has got it covered for you. Entri App provides a great online platform for all those aspiring to appear for various bank exams, government exams and other competitive exams. Our team of experts provide short and precise video classes which helps in learning the concepts. Users get access to flash cards and quizzes and can attempt unlimited mock exams with the same pattern as that of the real exams. We also provide PDFs of previous years’ question papers with solutions.