How best can one pass aptitude tests?

My friend keeps failing aptitude tests despite spending hours preparing for them. He is a brilliant person, so tests should be a walkover. How best can one prepare for aptitude tests? Celine

Dear Celine
Aptitude tests can be tricky. It is good to hear that your friend is taking the time to prepare for them. You need to be aware there are different formats /structures to these tests, each assessing different skills and abilities. Some will test the ability to think logically, others will assess abstract thinking, while others determine one’s verbal, numeric and reasoning skills.

In many cases, there is never enough time to complete all the questions presented. It is important for your friend to manage his time. He should quickly divide the amount of time by the total number of questions in order determine the maximum amount of time he should spend on each question.
If he is struggling to answer a question, he should not dwell on that one question but move to the next. If time allows, he can come back to the questions missed. He must read the questions carefully, ensure he understands what is being asked then answer accordingly.

Your friend needs to know, the tests are not about completing all the questions in the given time frame. The fewer questions answered and are correct, the better. This means that one’s average score will be high. If he rushes through the test because focus is on completion in the time given, then he starts guessing the answers and the probability of getting correct answers will be low, causing the average score to be poor.

Caroline Mboijana
Managing Director
The Leadership Team (U)
[email protected]