Solving Exams based on Psychometric Testing (Part A)

I had posted a document which was made public by the CFA Institution. It was related to the Psychometric Testing techniques which the CFA Institution use in its exam. A few days back I appeared in a test regarding Corporate Finance and to my surprise I scored below average marks in that despite of my preparations which made me confident. While analysing my mistakes I figured out that they were not mistakes but blunders! Out of nowhere the document which the CFA Institution had published came into my mind and I started searching over Psychometric testing and the ability of the exam to judge knowledge and skills. Some important tips which I found over the internet at multiple places were quite helpful, thought to share them with you.

General preparation

·                    Test-taking is a skill which can be developed.  You can improve your performance with practice, so start preparing as early as you can.

·                    Ask for sample tests from your careers service and practise taking them.  In the case of prospective employers, find out what kind of tests you will be required to do and ask if example questions are available. 

·                    Spend time looking at the formats of different tests and answer sheets.  This will help you to become more comfortable with them so that you feel on familiar ground when you see the test paper.

·                    Practise timing yourself.  Pacing yourself is a vital skill in timed tests and it is a skill that you can improve with practise.  Practising with other people is a good way to create test conditions.

·                    Review basic maths, particularly calculations you know you find difficult.  Think of possible mathematical operations that could be required and practise them.  Make sure you can interpret graphs, tables, pie charts, etc.

·                    Improve your vocabulary and comprehension by reading.  Look up the meanings of words you are unsure of.  Practise reasoning through what is clearly true or untrue from passages of information.  Review your understanding of grammar and practise spotting associations between words or types of words.

·                    Take care of your physical health and get several good night’s sleep in a row before the test.

·                    If you have experienced serious problems with nerves or sleeplessness around exams, it is worth getting advice about how to deal with this in advance.   

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