David, Psychometric Testing Expert at JobTestPrep.
Have a question? Contact me at: ask_the_team@jobtestprep.comWhat Are Basic Skills Tests?
Basic skills tests are a cumulative name for tests intended to assess basic math and verbal skills (sometimes additional skills will also be tested, such as mechanical or clerical aptitude, depending on the position). These tests are mostly conducted for applicants to entry-level positions and apprenticeships (the two most popular of which are the IBEW Aptitude Test for electricians and the EIAT for elevator mechanics).
On the private market, the two most common basic skills tests are the Criteria Basic Skills Test (CBST) and the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST).
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Wonderlic Basic Skills Test
The WBST (Wonderlic Basic Skills Test) assesses your cognitive skills. The test ranks your verbal and mathematical abilities and evaluates your potential to succeed in the workplace. It measures the ability to learn, adapt, solve problems, and understand instructions.
You’ll have 40 minutes to complete the test: 20 minutes for 50 language questions and 20 minutes to solve 45 quantitative problems. Both can be very challenging since you have about 20 seconds for each question.
How fast can you answer this question? Try it out:
Choose the answer that best describes the sequence of events outlined in the question, without omitting any details or changing the meaning.
Event: Larry quit his job after the accident.
Event: He enrolled in college and received a full scholarship.
Event: He eventually became a faculty member.
By adopting the right approach, you can cut down your solution time.
Remember when applying for a job you’re being compared to other candidates.
Only those with the top scores will have a chance to get a job offer, so good preparation is key.
Click here for more information about Wonderlic's basic skills test or take a practice test for free.
For more cognitive assessment tests, check out our Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam.
Criteria Basic Skills Test
The CBST (Criteria Basic Skills Test) is designed to evaluate your math and verbal skills. It paints a broad picture of your ability to learn, train, and pay attention to details. You’ll have 20 minutes to answer 40 questions on language skills, spelling, basic grammar, and math.
Your final score report includes:
- Raw Score – the number of questions you answered correctly.
- Percentile Ranking – how well you did on the test in comparison to the entire group.
While the questions are not complicated, the time limit makes it harder to answer all of them correctly.
Try to answer this CBST sample question as fast as you can!
Solve for the positive value of ‘y’ for the following equation:
(1/2)y2 - x2 = x/2 where x=4
Answers:
A. 18.5
B. 4.5
C. 6
D. 9
How much time did it take you?
(1/2)y2- x2 = x/2 \ x=4
(1/2)y2- 42 = 4/2
(1/2)y2- 16 = 2 \ +16
(1/2)y2 = 18 \ *2
y2 = 36 \ √ (sqrt)
y = 6
The correct answer is C.
With accurate training and specific solving techniques, you can significantly shorten the time it takes to answer any question.
To learn more about another popular Criteria assessment, which is similar in some ways to the CBST, visit the Criteria CCAT test page, or try the Free CCAT Test.
FAQs
Yes! We absolutely can. Our customers improved their scores by 73% after completing the practice. We have conducted an internal survey among our customers, and the results show an enormous improvement of 73% between their starting score and their final score after finishing the preparation.
No, you can’t use a calculator during the test. You must calculate the answers by yourself.
The passing score changes between different companies. Usually, just an average score is not enough, and employers continue with the candidates who score on the top percentile.
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