Aptitude preparation
Prepare the skills, not the answers
The aptitude stage is usually pass or fail, and you often never see the number. What you can control is whether the underlying skill is sharp on the day, and whether the format surprises you.
The skill areas
Algebra and functions
Turning a worded situation into an equation and solving it under time pressure. Ratios, proportions, rearranging formulas, and reading a function from a table or a graph.
The single area applicants report being least ready for.
Reading comprehension
Extracting a specific fact from dense procedural text, and distinguishing what a passage states from what it implies. Long passages, close options.
Mirrors reading code, prints, and work orders on the job.
Mechanical reasoning
Levers, pulleys, gears, and force. How a change in one part of a system moves another.
Appears in several utility selection batteries.
Spatial reasoning
Rotating shapes, folding patterns, and predicting what a form looks like from another angle.
Bends, routing, and layout depend on it.
Mathematical usage
Applying formulas and units correctly, and knowing which operation the situation actually calls for.
Accuracy under a clock matters more than speed alone.
How to use the time you have
- 01Take the free diagnostic. It is short, and it tells you which area is actually weak rather than which one feels weak.
- 02Drill the weakest area in short sessions. Five focused minutes beats an hour once a week.
- 03Read every explanation, including the ones you got right. The common-error analysis is where the learning is.
- 04Practise against the clock only after the skill is solid. Speed built on a shaky method breaks under pressure.