APTITUDE TEST

APTITUDE
A natural or acquired disposition or capacity for a particular purpose, or tendency to a particular
action or effect; as, oil has an aptitude to burn.
CLASSIFICATION
Differential aptitude test
Specific aptitude test
SPACE RELATION TEST
Which group of shape can be assembled to make the shape shown?
1) SPECIFIC APTITUDE TEST:a) MECHANICAL APTITUDE TEST
It is a combination of sensory , motor capacities, perception of spatial relations , the
capacity to acquire information about mechanical matters , and the capacity to
comprehend mechanical relation
o COMMON MECHANICAL APTITUDE TEST ARE
o MINNESOTA MECHANICAL ASSEMBLY TEST
MINNESOTA SPATIAL RELATION TEST
BENNET TEST OF MECHANICAL COMPREHENSION TEST
ITEMS COMMON IN MECHANICAL APTITUDE TESTS ARE
To put together the parts of mechanical device
To replace cut out parts in their correct holes
Basic information about tools and their use
Comprehension of mechanical and physical principles
Eg: Which pitcure of water will stay cold longer?
2) CLERICAL APTITUDE TEST
PERCEPTUAL ABILITY : ability to perceive words and numbers with speed and
accuracy
INTELLECTUAL ABILITY : ability to grasp the meaning of words and symbols
MOTOR ABILITY : ability to use various types of machines and tools like type writer
and punching machine

 Common tests
Minnesota vocational test for clerical workers
Detroit clerical aptitude examination
Sea shore measure of musical talents

It includes

1. Discrimination of pitch
2. Discrimination of time interval
3. Judgment of rhythm
4. Discrimination of intensity of loudness
5. Tonal memory
Items are presented through the records, subject sits, listens, and attempt to answer the
response
APTITUDE FOR GRAPHIC ART
Two important tests are
MEIER ART JUDGEMENT TEST: It consist of 100 pairs of pictures in black and white . One of
each pair is masterpiece and the other have slight distortion from the master piece. Subject has to
answer which part is altered and to choose the master piece
HORNE ART APTITUDE INVENTORY :Subject has to produce the sketches from given
pattern of lines and figures
TESTS OF SCHOLASTIC AND PROFESSIONAL APTITUDE: for the proper selection of
students in specific courses of profession like engineering, medicine, law, business management,
teaching etc. some of the aptitude test are
Stanford scientific aptitude test
Science aptitude test
Legal aptitude test
Minnesota engineering analogical test
Teaching aptitude test

Objectives
This test measures a student's analytical and deductive skills. It focuses on testing the student's capacity for
learning in general regardless of any specific skill in a certain subject or topic. The test measures abilities
relevant to:
1. reading comprehension
2. recognizing logical relations
3. solving problems based on basic mathematical notions.
4. inference skills
5. measuring capacity
GAT Sections
The test is divided into two sections , the verbal and the quantitative.

The verbal section. This section includes the following.

o Reading comprehension: Tastes are required to comprehend and analyze reading passages by
answering the questions given.
o Sentence completion: Tastes are asked to fill in the missing parts in the text to make complete
meaningful sentences.
o Verbal analogy: Tastes are required to match the relation between a pair of words given at the
beginning of the question and a pair given in the choices.
o Synonymy: Tastes are asked to give a synonym that matches the meaning of the word give.
o This section includes 68 questions for science students and 91 questions for humanities majors.

the quantitative Section

This section includes suitable mathematical problems that match General Secondary Schools Science and
humanities majors. It focuses on measurements, inference and problem solving skills and requires only basic
knowledge. The section includes 52 science-major objective questions. The questions are divided as follows :
Arithmetic questions
40 %

Geometry questions
Algebra questions
Statistical and analytical questions

24 %
23 %
13 %

As for the humanities-major students, GAT includes 30 questions on arithmetic , geometry and
mathematical analysis.
Common information about the test
1. Some trial questions are included in both the verbal and the quantitative sections but they do not
calculate towards the final score.
2. Questions alternate between the verbal type and the quantitative type in all six parts. A 25-minute
duration is allocated for each part.
3. The number of items is fixed in all tests and so are the sections, parts and time duration. Items,
however, vary although the same difficulty standard is maintained. To ensure the validity and
reliability of the test , test scores are compared to those of the previous tests.
4. Questions are arranged in order of difficulty from the easiest to the more difficult in each section.
Students should answer questions fast enough to cover them all within the limits of the required time.
A student should not leave any question unanswered ; guessing by elimination is one strategy that
he/she can follow while answering questions.
Test duration
The test normally takes two and half hours, divided on 25-minute intervals for each of the six test parts.
Preparation for the test
The test is not based on a particular type of knowledge obtained from certain courses the student has covered.
The test, therefore, does not require special preparation except for some training relevant to general test-taking
strategies. Some basic mathematical and geometry skills will be included in the test. A student is advised to
consult the GAT preparation manual produced by the Center which includes some questions and model
answers. The test does not require doing complex mathematical operations, so the use of a calculator is not
allowed.
GAT timetable
The Center holds the GAT twice, one time during the first semester and the second during the second
semester. The student is entitled to picking the time he/she finds appropriate and at the center nearest to where
he/she lives. Testing centers are spread nation-wide to save students cost and effort. A circular is sent by the
Center to all secondary schools all over the kingdom including the necessary registration information.
Students can also visit the Center's website and check the timetable.
Procedures on the test day

Be sure to be in the exam session in time and on the date and the time slot specified in the registration
form.

GAT is administered in day and evening sessions. As for the day session, the test starts in all exam
stations at 7:30 sharp. You are advised to be at your exam venue by 7:00. AM. Late comers are not
allowed in the test session.

Evening session. All test-takers are required to be at the exam station 30 to 60 minutes after Maghreb
Athan according to Makkah's prayer calendar. Late comers are not allowed in the exam hall.

As soon as you arrive at the testing station, go directly to the test supervisor to review your documents
and check eligibility and identity.

You will be shown your specified seat on which you will find HB2 pencil that you will use to fill in the
blanks. You may bring in an HB2 pencil and a sharpener with you as a precaution. Using fountain or
ball-point pens is strictly forbidden.

As soon as students are admitted into the test hall, question booklets will be distributed and you will be
instructed to type your personal information on one side and the answer sheet will be on the back side.
All students shall start answering concurrently.

If you have any questions raise your hand and a supervisor will soon be at your place.

GAT duration is 2 and half hours.

GAT is divided into six parts , each is allotted only 25 minutes. Test supervisor will tell you the start
and end time of each section.

During the 25-minute period allowed for a particular part, you may answer and review the question on
that section only. You are not allowed to move to the previous or a following part. Your test session
might get cancelled in case of non-compliance.

How many times can you sit for GAT?

A student not satisfied with his GAT score is allowed to sit for this test more than once. It is not expected,
however, that a student shall have a big difference in score if he/she takes it once more, under normal
conditions. A student may produce any of the GAT results he obtained to the university he is applying for.
The test is strictly standardized to ensure equity and fairness.
Results
Answer sheets are machine-graded and results are listed and printed and then announced. A student can
receive GAT score via the Center's website or through an SMS for those registered for this service. Results are
electronically sent to universities and colleges. For student who did the test more than once, only the highest

score is sent. GAT is no Pass-Fail test. The recorded score that the student receives represents the relevant
position that the student occupies among the total number of students taking the test. Every higher education
institution in Saudi Arabia has its own method of interpreting the relevant weight of GAT vs. General
Secondary School final score. Competition in university admission is then based on the combined total scores
of the GAT and General Secondary School in addition to the score obtained in any achievement test
administered by the university (if required).
Is GAT a Pass/Fail test?
As we have noted, GAT is no Pass/Fail test. This 100-point test carries a certain relative weight interpreted by
the institution the student applies for. GAT score should not be compared to that of General Secondary School
score. What really matters is the relevant position of the student compared to those of other students,
according to the following table:
Score
81 and above
78 and above
73 and above
70 and above
65
60 and below

Student's position
Top 5 %
Top 10%
Top 20 %
Top 30 %
The average
Lowest 30 %