# CFAT on Wednesday



## Tbird (2 May 2005)

Hi everyone,

I'm taking my CFAT in Ottawa on May 4th 2005 as well as having my interview.  Chosen occupation is RMS Clerk in the reserves. I've refreshed myself on some math (it's been awhile since I was in school) and my fitness level is great. My question is what chances do you think I have of getting into BMQ this summer (in Kingston)? I was told training starts May 30th. I still have to take the fitness test and medical. I really hope I get lucky and the process goes without a hitch. Fingers crossed it works out, if it does i'll be celebrating my 30th birthday running the obstacle course! WOO HOO    ;D             Tbird


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## kincanucks (2 May 2005)

Tbird said:
			
		

> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm taking my CFAT in Ottawa on May 4th 2005 as well as having my interview.   Chosen occupation is RMS Clerk in the reserves. I've refreshed myself on some math (it's been awhile since I was in school) and my fitness level is great. My question is what chances do you think I have of getting into BMQ this summer (in Kingston)? I was told training starts May 30th. I still have to take the fitness test and medical. I really hope I get lucky and the process goes without a hitch. Fingers crossed it works out, if it does i'll be celebrating my 30th birthday running the obstacle course! WOO HOO      ;D                    Tbird



Well you are cutting it pretty close but if everything goes well with the processing you could make it.  Good luck.


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## FITSUMO (3 May 2005)

all the best on the CFAT, keep relaxed and you will do fine.

cheers


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## Tbird (3 May 2005)

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll write again tomorrow


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## Tbird (4 May 2005)

Well..............the CFAT was soooooooooooo hard. I didn't make it to the MOC I wanted....I did for another so I guess I'll take it. I just never want to see that test ever again    The only advice I can give is make sure you know your math!!! Study study study your little heart out. You don't want to feel the disappointment i'm feeling right now. Don't go by the examples they give. The test is alot harder then that. If your really good at math then you won't have a problem....if you aren't.....best of luck. By the way I did study but i couldn't write out the problems fast enough. You have to be real quick about it. Once your there 60 seconds goes by so fast you feel like you have no time. 30 questions in 30 min....60 seconds max for each one gauge it like that. Guess I'll find out what happens to me soon enough.


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## RossF (4 May 2005)

Tbird said:
			
		

> Well..............the CFAT was soooooooooooo hard. I didn't make it to the MOC I wanted....I did for another so I guess I'll take it. I just never want to see that test ever again      The only advice I can give is make sure you know your math!!! Study study study your little heart out. You don't want to feel the disappointment i'm feeling right now. Don't go by the examples they give. The test is alot harder then that. If your really good at math then you won't have a problem....if you aren't.....best of luck. By the way I did study but i couldn't write out the problems fast enough. You have to be real quick about it. Once your there 60 seconds goes by so fast you feel like you have no time. 30 questions in 30 min....60 seconds max for each one gauge it like that. Guess I'll find out what happens to me soon enough.



Sorry to hear that. Good luck with the MOC you chose!


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## Tbird (9 May 2005)

Hey all!

Ok I had my interview today for Supp Tech and I'm being recommended!! My med is on Monday. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to prove myself. Can't wait to get started!! WOOO HOOOOO   ;D


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## LordOsborne (9 May 2005)

that sucks about your CFAT, but it's good to see you're keeping a positive attitude 

good luck with your medical and the rest of your application process


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## Zombie (9 May 2005)

Good Luck Tbird  

Question for Recruiters:

Tbird had chosen RMS Clerk but was not offered as a result of the CFAT, and offered Supp Tech. Does this mean the CFAT standards for RMS Clerk are higher than for Supp Tech, or are they just different, so scores in various components will determine better competency for some trades over others? Or, is the CFAT itself different among trades?

Also, I've read on these forums that people get a list of trades they have qualified for based on their CFAT results. If you have only 1 trade choice on your app, do you have to re-apply?


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## NavComm (9 May 2005)

I took my CFAT way back in December. Then I failed the PT test 2 times (at my age that's not too bad), I had my interview and passed my PT last month, then went for my medical and finally all my paperwork has been sent to Borden. At no time have I been told I passed my CFAT (although they did tell me I got 100% on the verbal skills portion) they haven't said whether I am eligible for the job I applied for - Naval Communicator (reserves). They didn't even tell me I had passed my PT test when I finally passed it! I'm sure they would have called me eventually for the medical, but I was anxious so I called them before they had the opportunity.

As far as I can tell, I just keep getting moved along this very long, slow process and the only time they've told me anything is when I failed something (the PT test) and then they encouraged me to improve, gave me lots of great advice and retested me until I passed.

I guess what I'm saying is, no news is good news! Assume you're doing well unless told otherwise! I'm sure if you weren't they'd let you know


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## kincanucks (9 May 2005)

Zombie said:
			
		

> Good Luck Tbird
> 
> Question for Recruiters:
> 
> ...




Higher for RMS and yes the CFAT cutoff is different for different groups of occupations.  If you have chosen one occupation and you don't met the CFAT minimum for that occupation you are offered a choice of the occupations you did meet the CFAT minimum for, if any, and you don't have to reapply.


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## Zombie (9 May 2005)

kincanucks said:
			
		

> Higher for RMS and yes the CFAT cutoff is different for different groups of occupations.   If you have chosen one occupation and you don't met the CFAT minimum for that occupation you are offered a choice of the occupations you did meet the CFAT minimum for, if any, and you don't have to reapply.



Is there any reason to choose more than one MOC on the application then?


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## kincanucks (9 May 2005)

Zombie said:
			
		

> Is there any reason to choose more than one MOC on the application then?



Well it makes the counsellor's job easier if you don't make your first choice and maybe your second and third choices have a different CFAT minimum because realistically if you put a trade down you should know what that trade is all about.


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## Tbird (10 May 2005)

Ya when I was called into the office I was told I didn't qualify for the RMS Clerk trade but I did qualify for some others. I was given a list of trades I could choose from if I wanted to. Some were not offered in the reserves and some were. I choose Supp Tech because it interested me and I knew if at some point down the line I wanted to switch trades that knowledge from Supp Tech would help me out. Over all i'm still happy about it, I was told that if I had done better in the math section I would've made it in my first choice. Apparently I didn't miss the cut off by much. So I push ahead and prove myself. I just wanted the chance to do that and now I have it. So from here on in I should be ok. Medically nothing is wrong that would cause delays and I 'm  above all the minimums for the fitness test. What i'm still unsure about is, the unit I'm joining told me that I'm either doing basic in Kingston or Meaford..I'm in Ottawa joining the 28th Service Battalion, anyone else on board for BMQ May 30th? This is the one they're trying to get me in asap.


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## hyland84 (15 Aug 2007)

Tbird said:
			
		

> Hey all!
> 
> Ok I had my interview today for Supp Tech and I'm being recommended!! My med is on Monday. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to prove myself. Can't wait to get started!! WOOO HOOOOO   ;D



Hey just wondering if you knwo what a pass is for traffic tech. I unfortunatly have to re-write my cfat..  I'm hopeing the end of this month.


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## PMedMoe (15 Aug 2007)

hyland84 said:
			
		

> Hey just wondering if you knwo what a pass is for traffic tech. I unfortunatly have to re-write my cfat..  I'm hopeing the end of this month.



hyland84, I would suggest you ask this question at the recruiting center instead of asking it numerous times on this forum.


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## hyland84 (15 Aug 2007)

Sorry, I didn't know that the recruiters would give me that information. I figured if someone on this thread knew than it would help me.. I still up for anyone to help me out

thanks alot


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## niceasdrhuxtable (15 Aug 2007)

When I did my CFAT, I wasn't given a score or told what the minimum score was for my trade of choice, but rather just that I had made it. I suspect getting the minimum entry score would be of little use to you since I believe they do not disclose CFAT scores. Just try to do the best you can.


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## Agent-0 (16 Aug 2007)

Yeah the same happened with me. I wasn't told my score, but was only told that I got high enough for my trade choices.

Best advice for it is just not to worry. If you have any common sense, then it should go alright.


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## AverageJoe (16 Aug 2007)

I don't know if that point about not letting you know what your score is policy, since I was told my score on the CFAT. I didn't even ask for it but the interviewer happen to just mention my score when he was looking at my file.


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## kincanucks (16 Aug 2007)

You need to pass the CFAT and do well.


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## PMedMoe (16 Aug 2007)

hyland84 said:
			
		

> Sorry, I didn't know that the recruiters would give me that information.



I doubt that they will give you the *actual* score, however, they may be able to give you a general idea of where you went wrong last time and what areas you need to study.  IIRC, the math portion is not to see how well you do math but to see how good you are at problem solving.  Normally, there's a pattern to the questions/answers.  When I did the CFAT in Borden, the BPSO at least told me I had scored in very high in the vocabulary and spatial portions and high in the math, without giving me actual scores.


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## kincanucks (16 Aug 2007)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> I doubt that they will give you the *actual* score, however, they may be able to give you a general idea of where you went wrong last time and what areas you need to study.  IIRC, the math portion is not to see how well you do math but to see how good you are at problem solving.  Normally, there's a pattern to the questions/answers.  When I did the CFAT in Borden, the BPSO at least told me I had scored in very high in the vocabulary and spatial portions and high in the math, without giving me actual scores.



There is always a counselling session done with the applicant and the career counsellor after an applicant does not meet the CFAT standard and perhaps hyland84 should have paid attention during that session.


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## PMedMoe (16 Aug 2007)

kincanucks said:
			
		

> There is always a counselling session done with the applicant and the career counsellor after an applicant does not meet the CFAT standard and perhaps hyland84 should have paid attention during that session.



Agreed.


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## hyland84 (17 Aug 2007)

Just so everyon understands. The only thing I was told in the conselling session was to brush up on my problem solving. The spacial and vocabulary segments I don't have to worry about too much. That's why I was inquiring about the math mark. I knwo that it obviously didn't help much that I didn't finish all of the problem solving part becasuse I ran out of time and that the questions were very different from the reall test. 

But on the other hand I knwo now what to expect the second tiem around and have been studying very hard these past few weeks knowing I get a second chance. 

Thanks for the advice anyhoo


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## PMedMoe (17 Aug 2007)

hyland84 said:
			
		

> the questions were very different from the reall test.



So you didn't take the real test?  ???


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## kincanucks (17 Aug 2007)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> So you didn't take the real test?  ???



No he is talking about the practice questions.


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## PMedMoe (17 Aug 2007)

Color me stupid, but maybe you can educate me on this.  Did hyland84 fail the practice test or the real CFAT?
I only ask as I have never written a practice aptitude test, only the real thing.


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## kincanucks (17 Aug 2007)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> Color me stupid, but maybe you can educate me on this.  Did hyland84 fail the practice test or the real CFAT?
> I only ask as I have never written a practice aptitude test, only the real thing.



There is no practice test only practice questions which are nothing like the real test questions but are designed to give the applicant a sense of what the real test questions may be like.  Some people look at the practice questions as very easy and when they do the rel test they fall into shock mode.  He failed the CFAT.  I am always surprised at people that do because it is not that hard if you use your time properly. Not saying that people who do fail are less intelligent but perhaps they are a little slower than others.


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## PMedMoe (17 Aug 2007)

That's so typically military, here's the practice test which is nothing like the real thing!!
I think part of the test is to see how well you use your time, so if people are slower, they will get a lower mark.  It's one thing to be smart, but it's another to be smart AND fast.


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## aesop081 (17 Aug 2007)

Who realy cares what the passing score is anyways, its not like each question on the test has a little note that says "this question is worth 4 points" that you can add up in your head. If you cant pass the CFAT, theres bigger issues.


 :


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## niceasdrhuxtable (17 Aug 2007)

I do believe the time constraints are by design. Probably an added element to assess your time management skills and your ability to cope with pressure.


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## Roy Harding (17 Aug 2007)

kincanucks said:
			
		

> There is no practice test only practice questions which are nothing like the real test questions but are designed to give the applicant a sense of what the real test questions may be like.  Some people look at the practice questions as very easy and when they do the rel test they fall into shock mode.  He failed the CFAT.  I am always surprised at people that do because it is not that hard if you use your time properly. Not saying that people who do fail are less intelligent but perhaps they are a little slower than others.



I understand what you're getting at kincanucks - but some folks just FREEZE when they're in a "test" situation.  My wife is one such - I've assisted her in her military endeavours, my sons and I have assisted her in her civilian educational pursuits, and even when she KNOWS the stuff COLD - she still absolutely freezes when given a "test".

Personally - tests don't bother me and never did, I feel no more stress over them than when doing the course work (for instance), and I've always been able to achieve respectable academic standings - both military and civilian.  I don't understand the phenomenon experienced by my wife and others I've met - but I know it's real.

The CFAT is, I suppose, partially an indication of how an individual will respond to stress - so the results remain valid.


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