Get Accurate Practice for the Postal Exam 474 [Simulates the New Assessment Format]

The Virtual Entry Assessment – MC (474), aka the Mail Carrier Test, is a mandatory screening step that anyone who wishes to become a mailman has to pass. This assessment originally had only three sections, but as of November 2021, it includes four sections.

The following mail delivery jobs are required to take this assessment:

• City Carrier
• City Carrier Assistant (CCA)
• Casual City Carrier
• Rural Carrier
• Rural Carrier Associate (RCA)
• Assistant Rural Carrier

The Postal Exam 474 is officially untimed. The time window to take the assessment is strict, though, when you have only 72 hours to complete it once you receive the email invitation.

There are four sections on the Postal Exam 474 (as of November 2021): Work Scenarios, Describe your Approach, Tell Us Your Story, and What Drives You.

Let's go over them one by one:

In this section, you'll be presented with 18 situations that you may encounter in your daily work as a mail carrier.

For each situation, you'll have 4 option choices that represent a possible response to the situation. You need to choose two answers – one that represents the response that you will most likely do, and the second that represents the response that you will least likely do.

This section includes 139 items and it's designed to learn about your unique work style, teamwork or management habits, and occupational approach.

A tip for this part: Always choose the extreme of every answer ('Most like me') and nothing in between.

This part includes 37 questions and it's designed to predict your performance in a future job judging by your past experience.

A tip for this part: Answer this section as if it was a real interview and these are the questions that you were asked.

This new section includes 25 questions. It's a motivation test that is designed to reveal what fulfills you in your workplace. Each question is meant to assess the level you relate to two different sources of motivation; therefore, you may encounter the same motivation sources in various questions.

As you can see, the new 474 Exam format is quite difficult. It demands the ability to recognize what are the optimal responses for each behavioral and personality question.

In the 474 practice pack, you'll find realistic practice tests for each of the sections mentioned above. Every practice question comes with an explanation, ensuring that you'll know exactly what to answer on the actual exam.

For additional practice questions with full answers, check out this free USPS 474 Sample Exam, or test your skills with our free Postal Exam which includes questions from various different USPS acceptance tests.

The passing score for the USPS 474 assessment is 70 and above. If you score below that, you'll receive an ineligible status and you'll be allowed to retake the test only after 12 months.

A good score on the USPS 474 Exam is anything from 70 and above. However, some job openings are more competitive or look for a very small number of candidates. In these cases, the cut-off scores are high and applicants who get the highest scores will be the first ones invited for an interview.

The average scores and failure rates for the Postal Exam 474 are not publicly disclosed, so there is no actual way of knowing them. That being said, many previous test-takers mentioned across Reddit and YouTube that they failed the exam. So, you can assume that the failure rates are not low.

If you passed the exam, your USPS exam scores will remain valid between two and six years.

To pass the USPS 474 Postal Exam with a high score, you'll need to be well-prepared. Since we know that behavioral questions (which are the majority on this exam) are tricky and confusing, make sure to practice plenty of USPS practice questions so you're able to recognize the correct answer quickly.

Plus, practicing beforehand will eliminate the element of surprise on the test and will help reduce any test anxiety.

Now, if you'd like to get accurate test preparation, JobTestPrep is a perfect match. We offer you a complete practice pack for the 474 exam, which includes:

• Exclusive prep for all 4 sections of the Postal Exam 474 (found nowhere else on the web)
• Additional practice drills to help you score as high as possible and place yourself on the top of the applicants' list
• Thorough study guides to dominate the 'Tell Us Your Story' and 'Describe Your Approach' parts

Most candidates who complete the application form on the USPS career site receive the assessment invitation, with a strict 72-hour time frame to complete it.

But what happens when the 72-hour window falls on a busy weekend or holiday?

Will you take the risk of postponing it to the last minute or even take it without any preparation?

A smart way of avoiding this is completing some practice questions – you can get them all from us - on your own time so that you're already fully prepared when it comes time to take the USPS test in real life.

On the "Tell Us Your Story" section, you'll be asked several questions about your work experience. You have to ensure your answers align with what you mentioned in your initial application form, or else it might fail your exam.

So, while you're at it, make sure to keep a record of the information you've already submitted. You can do so by taking screenshots or printing your application history - whatever works better for you.

While the test instructions advise you to answer honestly and that there are no "right" or "wrong" answers, it can be problematic to stick only to honesty.

That's because it's likely that some of your values or inner truths do not match what the Postal Service is looking for in their candidates. Instead, you'll need to think about what qualities you can bring that the USPS will appreciate, and answer questions based on them.

In our complete preparation pack, we'll show you the preferred ways to answer the assessment's questions, so you increase your chances of passing the test.

Don't be tempted to copy someones else's answers, even if they claimed they got a 100. The USPS might change the assessment with time or mix up the questions. So, to avoid getting caught by surprise on the test, it's better to know the solution process and not just the correct answer.

Taking the assessment using your phone might be problematic. It will be inconvenient to read the questions and you might press on a wrong answer by mistake.

To be on the safe side, use a laptop or a personal computer when you take the test.

After all, your future job is at stake.

The exam is self-administered online and you have 72 hours (3 days) to complete it once you receive the email invitation.

Here are several frequently asked questions about its administration, retest policies, and more.

If you fail the 474 Postal Exam and get an ineligible status, you'll be allowed to retake the test only after one year. If you've passed the exam and want to retake it to improve your score, you'll have to wait 24 months before you can do so.

To retake the 474 assessment, you'll first need to wait for 12 months from your first attempt (if you failed it) or 24 months (if you passed but want to improve your score). Then, you'll be able to apply for an open Mail Carrier position and retake the exam.

Once you've passed the 474 Postal Exam, you'll need to complete other requirements for the job. You'll be required to fill out a job application form and a Form 1507 - Medical Examination Report. In addition, you'll need to pass a drug screening test. And finally, go through an in-person interview.

The 474 Postal Exam and its resittings are free to take.

Applying for other USPS jobs?

Learn more about their Postal Exams here:

• Free USPS Postal Test
• Mail Handler (475 Exam)
• Mail Processor (476 Exam)
• Customer Service Clerk (477 Exam)