An aptitude test assesses specific skills required for a job. Common tests include numerical reasoning, situational strengths and logical reasoning. Companies are beginning to use them in their pre-screening stages of hiring as it removes a wide range of biases.
Aptitude tests are designed to measure individuals’ current skill level and potential to learn new skills and succeed in new roles. The skills tested by these tests are essential for the role candidates are applying for.
Despite assessing specific skills that the candidate either has or doesn’t have, the more aptitude tests someone does, the more familiar they will become with them often scoring higher.
This article will look at what to prioritize when preparing for an aptitude test. Even though it is not recommended to leave all preparations to the last day, if you decided to do that, this article will outline how best to spend that day and what to focus on including time management, eating and sleeping, and practicing with existing tests.
How to prepare for an aptitude test in one day
Even though it is not advised to leave all preparations to the last day, it is possible. If you only have 24 hours left there are a few important things you can do.
1. Take practice tests
The best way to prepare for an aptitude test is to take practice tests. When practicing make sure you have a go at each question on your own without looking at the answer. If you get an answer wrong, read through the guidance and see if you can understand why the correct answer was right.
The more practice tests that you take the easier they will become. They will all follow the same multiple-choice layout and often ask similar questions focused on the same skills.
2. Focus on understanding the concepts
Depending on which aptitude test you are taking (numerical, logical or spatial reasoning) you need to understand the key concepts.
If you find it difficult to learn new concepts, you can break them down into smaller pieces. Once you have a good understanding of the individual parts of the concept, you can start putting them together to form a fuller understanding.
By focusing on the concepts behind the questions, you can improve your chances of doing well on an aptitude test.
3. Manage your time effectively
With a short amount of time, it is crucial that it is managed effectively. Short breaks to refuel and stimulate concentration are important. However, they should only take place after a span of focused and effective study.
Whilst practicing aptitude tests, you should prioritize the types of questions that come up more often than others. However, it is also important to make sure that you have seen all the different types of questions. Spending too much time on one type of question could be detrimental.
Managing time can be difficult, but it is important if left to the last day. This would also mean prioritizing the aptitude tests instead of other social engagements.
4. Get a good night’s sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is just as important as eating well and exercising regularly. By sleeping the night before taking an aptitude test, you can ensure that your brain is refreshed and ready to go.
Going to bed at a decent time is a start. However, it is also important to limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you have in the evening. This way you can let your body relax and prepare for sleep.
It is also essential to let your eyes have a break from blue light before sleeping. TV screens, phones and laptops will stop your brain from relaxing therefore keeping you awake.
5. Eat a healthy meal
Food and drink energize and fuel your body differently, some foods, such as sugars will energize the body for a short period of time, then leave the body feeling tired, jittery and irritated.
Other food can sustain the body for a long period of time, increase focus and reduce stress. For example, vegetables, nuts and grains all have a positive impact on the brain.
Having a healthy meal before taking an aptitude test can improve your performance, and as a result, you will have a stronger chance to get a high score.
6. Stay positive
Positivity can have an incredible impact on the body. It is important to reduce any stress or worries. By doing this, the body can function in the optimal way, increasing the chances of a successful outcome.
When the body feels stressed or negative, the mind can panic and forget simple facts often resulting in a test score that doesn’t represent the candidate. Staying calm and focused can contribute to a high score on aptitude tests.
Why you shouldn’t wait until the last day
It is not recommended to wait until the last day to start preparing for an aptitude test. The way to get the best results is to spend a decent amount of time practicing and preparing.
Leaving it to the last minute can increase the amount of pressure and stress on yourself, having a negative impact, and making it much harder to learn information for the test.
This pressure could also increase if you faced any issues or encountered concepts that you struggled to understand. With only one day there is a limit on how many times you can practice each question to ensure full understanding.
It is also impossible to know what might happen in the future. The day you set aside for test preparation could be disrupted by an unexpected situation, such as an illness, a family situation or an internet outage.
Spreading the practice over multiple days is beneficial as it allows you to focus for short bursts and gives you time to go back and check your answers if you aren’t sure.