Aptitude Tests accesses your logical reasoning and thinking ability. They consist of multiple choice questions and are held as proper exams. The tests are strictly timed. Generally, the time given depends on the number of questions in the test. Mostly, 60 to 90 seconds is given for one question. There are many different types of questions which can be asked in an aptitude test. These different types of questions can be categorized as:
- Verbal Ability: It comprises the English speaking skills of a person. Spelling and grammar are included in it. It is based on the understanding of the accurate meaning of the words, formation sentence or sentence structure, idioms and proverbs. It tests the skills like understanding the information, recalling the information, and understanding of language concepts. The questions included in verbal ability can be of the following types:
- Spelling questions
- Missing word questions
- Missing word questions
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Word pair questions
- Comprehension
- Reasoning questions
- Numeric Ability: It includes basic mathematics like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In some tests, data interpretation is also present which means the interpretation of charts and graphs. The numeric ability can be categorized as a speed test. A speed test means that the questions are very simple and the methods used to solve them are very clear. It is just considered with how many questions you can answer correctly within a given period of time. You are not allowed to use a calculator. The questions included in numeric ability can be of the following types:
- Arithmetic questions
- Sequence and series
- Numbers represented by the alphabet
- Data interpretation
- Abstract Reasoning: It includes the questions which have a very little or no application in the real world. The question tests your understanding of patterns and figures and also the similarities and differences between shapes and figures. This test does not require any educational qualification.
- Spatial Reasoning: It includes your ability to draw or interpret drawings. It tests your imagination. The question may require you to imagine a given drawing rotated at some angle or visualize a 2-dimensional drawing in a 3-dimensional view. It may also include visual assembly or disassembly of an object. The questions included in spatial reasoning can be of the following types:
- Shape matching
- Group rotation
- Combining Shapes
- 3 dimension views
- Maps and plans
- Mechanical Reasoning: It tests your knowledge of mechanical and physical concepts. Your score significantly depends on your knowledge. The various aspects included in it are:
- Levers
- Gears
- Pulleys
- Electrical circuits
- Springs
- Tools
- Fault Diagnosis: It tests your ability to find faults in mechanical and electronic systems. This type of test is taken by those who want to work as technical personnel.
- Data Checking: It tests that how accurately and speedily you can find out errors in the given data. Mostly, you would be given two columns of data and you have to find the differences between the two. The data is not much meaningful. This type of test is done for clerical jobs, administrative jobs, or jobs related to banking and accounting.
- Work Sample: In this, you will have to give the sample of the work you are expected to do after you get the job. Therefore, it will involve a specific skill.
What is the Importance of an Aptitude Test?
The Aptitude Test can be used as a measure of the abilities of a person. These tests give the complete picture of a person’s mind. The aptitude test is of a great importance for the students studying in school or those people who want to change their profession. The test will give them a precise result of what is the actual abilities of a person. The importance of an aptitude test can be understood by the fact that they being widely used now for various purposes. Some of them are:
- Placement Purpose: If a job requires some specific skill or some particular trait in the person, it is evaluated by aptitude tests. For example, if you have applied for a data entry job, they will test your data checking skills or if you have applied for a job in the technical field they will test your mechanical reasoning or fault diagnosing ability. Mostly, the aptitude test is used in conjugation with a personal interview or a group discussion or both for job placement. It is difficult to cheat in an aptitude test, therefore, they are considered reliable by most of the interviewers. These tests give the interviewer an idea of the natural abilities, strength, and weaknesses of the interviewee.
- Choosing a Career: The result of the aptitude test tells us about the skills or abilities of a person. This result is of great help in choosing a career. A person will get to know what he is good at and he should choose a career accordingly. For example, a person takes an aptitude test and the result shows that the person’s verbal skills are excellent but the numerical skills are very poor. In this case, rather than choosing a career which requires him to enhance his numeric ability, it would be beneficial for him to choose a career which requires his verbal skills. Therefore, an aptitude test becomes guidance in choosing a career. One should definitely opt for an aptitude test before choosing a career. The right time for this test is after passing the 10th standard exam. It will guide you to choose the correct stream.
- Academic Improvement: If a student takes an aptitude test, it will directly or indirectly tell him his strong and weak subject. The student can, therefore, work on his weak subjects and improve them.
It is very important to include aptitude tests in education. As most of the multinational companies take the aptitude test of the person trying for the job, the tips and tricks for solving the aptitude tests must be taught to the students from the very beginning. If the students practice aptitude tests from the very beginning they will be able to solve them in proper time correctly. This would be beneficial for them when they go for recruitment. The schools should test the aptitude of the students at regular intervals so that the faculty can know the weak areas of their students. Moreover, it will tell the faculty if there is any fault in the curriculum or teaching methodology.
How to Prepare for an Aptitude Test?
If you are appearing for an aptitude test which is competitive or for placement purpose, here are some tips which could be helpful to you.
- Learn Basics: There is no particular syllabus for aptitude test. Anything could be asked of you in the test. So, it becomes necessary that all your basic subjects, especially mathematics, is clear to you. You should know all the basics you learned in the school.
- Everything is Important: In a competitive exam, even a single mark become very important. So, you should not leave any topic while preparing. Even if you find a topic difficult, do not leave it. Read that topic again and again or take help from your teachers. You do not know what will come in the exam, so you should prepare all the topics very well.
- Practice: As it is said, practice makes a man perfect. You should go for mock aptitude tests. There are many books available for aptitude. The internet is flooded with aptitude tests which are free of cost. Go for them. The more you will practice, your speed will increase. You will also come across many different types of questions, which might increase your knowledge. It is also possible that you may get the same question you practised in the test.
- Know your Weak Points: You should know in which topics u lag behind. You should prepare those topics first because you do not need much time to prepare those topics which you are good at.
- Do not Waste Time: Time is very precious. If you get stuck on a question and you do not find any way out, leave it for that particular time and come back to it later.
- Be Careful while Attempting: Most of the tests have negative marking. So just do not attempt the question if you are not sure about the answer. Do not assume your answer to be right. A zero is always better than a minus one.
- Avoid Gaps: Avoid gaps in your practising routine as it can decrease your speed. Large gaps can make you forgetful. If you have a busy schedule on a particular day, try to take out at least 30 minutes for practising questions. Do not waste any day without practising.
- Have a Fresh Mind: Aptitude needs a lot of concentration which can be devoted only to a fresh and peaceful mind. If you had a fight with someone or you are feeling low or you have diverted mind, do not practice aptitude. If you will practice aptitude at this instance, you will get all your questions wrong because you will not be able to devote full concentration.
- Take Care of Yourself: Body and mind are interlinked. For a healthy mind, the body should also be healthy and vice versa. Sleep well and eat well. Take at least 6 hours of sleep.
Disadvantages of an Aptitude Test
With all these advantages of aptitude tests, there also come disadvantages attached to them. The disadvantages of aptitude tests are:
- Costly: It is quite costly to make an aptitude test or to administer it. To meet this cost, the institutes or organizations which hold these tests charge a huge sum of money from the students appearing for it. The companies which use aptitude test for recruitment have to spend a lot of money on these tests as the number of people appearing is quite a lot. For every different type of the job, the company has to modify the test which adds to the cost.
- Stressful: Aptitude tests are quite stressful. A person appearing for the test devotes his entire mind to it before and during the test. If the person appeared for the test for placement or some other fruitful purpose, he would be tensed for the result. This increases the stress level.
- Cannot tell Everything: Aptitude tests can only tell your weak and strong areas, but it cannot tell how well you can learn new things. It only tells about your natural abilities and intelligence, not about your interests. Moreover, it only tells about your mind, not about your personality. For example, your aptitude test results say that you would be good in the field of sales and marketing but you lack those speaking skills and confidence required for conversing with the customers, you will not be able to find success in these fields. Also, the tests cannot predict your artistic capabilities.
Conclusion
Considering both the advantages and disadvantages, it is concluded that do not stick to what your aptitude test result says. For choosing a career, there is no harm in taking the test but doing exactly what the result says is not right. Have a deep thought and connect the test result with your interest and your personality and then make a decision for choosing a career. If you are appearing for the test for other purposes, that is, placement or something else, prepare for it. The test will not be easy.
