Gabriel, Specialist in Exam Preparation at JobTestPrep.
Have a question? Contact me at ask_gabriel@jobtestprep.com
The USPS Postal exam is a Virtual Entry Assessment (VEA) for pre-employment screening in various USPS roles like Mail Carrier (474), Mail Handler (475), Mail Processing (476), and Customer Service Clerk (477). It includes behavioral, personality, and competency-based questions.
Important Things to Know💡
There are three essential things to know about the USPS exam right from the start:
(1) You must pass it with a score of 70 and above. Failing to meet the minimal score will result in an ineligible status and you'll be allowed to retest only after 12 months.
(2) The higher your score above 70, the higher your chances are to get hired fast. That’s because candidates who score the highest are usually placed first in line for employment.
(3) If your score is 70 or above and you want to improve it, you can retake the test. But keep in mind, you'll need to wait two years for another chance. Hence, it's essential to aim for the best score possible initially.
If you're applying for only one USPS job, please visit its dedicated page on our site, their you'll find sample questions, updated information, and tailored practice tests:
If you want to get a sense of the typical questions in USPS tests, check out our USPS Sample Questions Free Page. You'll find tips, questions, updated info, and ample practice.
Now, let's go over each Postal Exam in detail:
The Postal Exam 474, also called the Virtual Entry Assessment – MC (474), is used for evaluating candidates applying for both city and rural mail carrier positions.
Here’s an overview of the Virtual Entry Assessment – MC (474) structure:
Section Name | Questions |
---|---|
Work Scenarios | 18 |
Describe Your Approach | 139 |
Tell Us Your Story | 37 |
What Drives You | 25 |
In Total: | 247 |
To try sample questions, get practice tips, and access the full preparation pack for the 474 exam, visit our in-depth prep guide.
The Virtual Entry Assessment MH 475 is an exam that anyone who wishes to become a USPS Mail Handler or Mail Handler Assistant has to pass.
The Postal Exam 475 consists of four sections. Here’s a breakdown of them:
Section Name |
Questions |
Work Scenarios |
18 |
Check for Errors | 3 |
Tell Us Your Story | 40 |
Describe Your Approach | 139 |
Go to our 475 exam prep guide for realistic practice questions, inside tips, and the full prep course for the exam.
The USPS Virtual Entry Assessment 476 (MP 476) is used in the screening process for many roles including those for Mail Processing Clerk, PSE Mail Processing Clerk, Casual Mail Processing Clerk, Data Conversion Operator, PSE Data Conversion Operator, and Casual Data Conversion Operator.
This online exam includes four sections:
Section Name |
Questions |
Work Scenarios |
18 |
Check for Errors | 3 |
Tell Us Your Story | 18 |
Describe Your Approach | 25 |
For realistic sample questions and a complete online prep course for the 476 exam, visit our dedicated practice guide.
The Virtual Entry Assessment (VEA) 477 is used to evaluate candidates applying to Customer Service Clerk jobs in the USPS. The exam takes approximately 75 minutes to complete and you can use a calculator and scratch paper while answering some of the questions.
The purpose of the Postal Exam 477 is to learn more about you, how you interact with other people (especially customers), your working style, your previous work experience, and your basic math skills.
It includes four sections:
Section Name | Questions |
Work Situations | 22 |
Work Your Register | 3 |
Tell Us Your Story | 39 |
Describe Your Approach | 139 |
Visit our 477 exam prep guide for sample questions from the exam and to access the full 477 assessment practice pack.
The best way to prepare for and pass the Postal Service Exam is by learning how to answer the exact same question types that appear on the real test. As the postal exams include unusual questions that evaluate different skills and parts of your personality, it's crucial to know what is the best way to answer them.
JobTestPrep's experts have created a tailored practice pack that covers each of the actual exam's sections, which is exclusive to this site.
The prep pack will help you achieve 3 things:
The Postal Exam 473 was an electronic test that the United States Postal Service (USPS) used to evaluate candidates for various job roles within the postal service. In April 2019, the USPS introduced four new exams known as Virtual Entry Assessments, which have now replaced the former Postal Exam 473.
These new USPS assessments may include unique and challenging types of questions to determine whether applicants possess the essential skills and traits for postal service employment.
Although the Postal Service's assessments are not timed, candidates usually finish them within about 45 minutes.
It is important to note, however, that how quickly you complete and submit your assessment within the allotted 72-hour window is also crucial.
Those who return their completed assessments soon after receiving the invitation are prioritized for job placement.
Consequently, if you wait too long to submit your test, you may discover that the job opening has been filled, and you will have to wait for another position to become available.
A passing grade on any of the four USPS exams is 70. Scores higher than 70 are deemed to be strong results. If your assessment shows an "ineligible" status instead of a numerical score, it signifies you have not achieved the minimum threshold of 70. In this event, you will only be allowed to retake the exam after the expiration of a one-year waiting period.
After passing the exam, the USPS organizes candidates based on their scores, taking into account the timing of their exam submissions. Therefore, individuals with top scores generally receive interview invitations more swiftly than those with lower passing scores.
Gabriel, Specialist in Exam Preparation at JobTestPrep.
Have a question? Contact me at ask_gabriel@jobtestprep.com