Apptitude tests of your numeracy skills are by far the most common type. There are few if any tests that do not include a subtest of these skills.
Below are the best tips you should keep in mind in order to maximize your chances of success.
ADVICE # 1: PRACTICE!
Practice makes perfect! Nothing brings peace of mind like proper preparation. Uncertainty causes stress which adversely affects results. Having an accurate expectation of examination questions, through practice, not only calms the student, but also provides quicker computation, a crucial aspect of success. Having some sort of familiarity with the scheme of the test gives the test something of a repetitive nature.
In order to yield successful results from practice, the student should: begin preparations several days before the exam, do one test daily scheduled at the same time as the actual exam, keep accurate timing. Constructing similar parameters is part of the practice stage. Focusing on problem areas and a variety of questions is vital to success.
ADVICE # 2: KNOW YOUR CALCULATOR!
In all cases come prepared with your own calculator and the knowledge of how to use it. Having a calculator is not enough; the test-taker must know the calculator’s functions. (Not even complicated functions like integrals or differentials, but essential, time-saving ones). Familiarize yourself with keyboard abbreviations in advance. Know your reciprocals, and how to compute percentages.
(E.G.: When a 20% increase is mentioned, just multiply by 1.2 instead of calculating 20% and then adding it up. Or 35% decrease – just multiply by 0.65).
These are simple matters that will let you save the precious seconds.
ADVICE # 3: FOCUS ONLY ON THE SOUGHT DATA!
Usually the questions are constructed that they include excess data; it concerns tables and graphs. The purpose of this is to check your data-selection ability. They will try to confuse you. Therefore, first seek out the lines/columns relating to the particular year or month, which is asked in the question. Especially in the table questions, it is often connected with another criterion, be it geographical, financial, statistical, etc. First thing, therefore, is a swift search for the appropriate data.
ADVICE # 4: CONTROL THE TIMING!
Having appropriately prepared for the apptitude test, the test-taker must implement effective time control to further chances of success. Precision is important, but do not spend too long on one question. If you are finding difficulty with a particular task or perceive that it will be too difficult, move on. Generally it’s better to solve easier tasks first. They are normally scattered throughout the test, rather than simply at the start. Pay special attention to the so-called ‘tricky’ questions. These questions may ask about data which is either not provided or that cannot be deducted from the given information. For the unprepared test-taker, they can pose an additional obstacle, but learning how to recognize them will spare you a lot of time.
ADVICE # 5: DON’T LEAVE BLANK SPACES!
Failing to complete an examination does not necessarily warrant concern; frequently, tests are prepared so that completion is unobtainable. Most candidates, however, leave blank fields on the answer sheet by the unsolved questions. Always manage one or two minutes before the end of the allotted time to: first, copy your answers; second, mark some answers by the questions you did not complete. There is always a chance that some of them will be right and there are no deductions, so you don’t risk anything!
ADVICE # 6: DON’T GET NERVOUS!
Whereas a bit of adrenaline mobilizes us, excess stress has an opposite effect – it paralyses and distracts from logical thinking.
So, try to calm your nerves! The day before the apptitude career tests, convince yourself not to worry. We don’t have any influence over the past or the future; we can only affect the present. Visualization best serves this end. Imagine yourself separated from the past and future, like a lake separated from a river by a dam. On day of the tests, put off the moment of getting nervous to the particular hour or commencement. You can additionally employ following relaxation techniques. Fully tense all your muscles and then loosen them up. Repeat this a few times. Remember to take a couple of deep breaths and the tension should disappear.
So follow this advice and you should be fine on your assessment day!
