Canadian Forces Aptitude Test (CFAT) [MERGED]

[Deepblue]

Thanks everyone.

Tommorow, I will go to the recruitement office to check things out.

 

[Fry]

alex


When you write the test, you don't know anything regarding the test, or what you need to score to get certain trades. They only tell you if you've did well enough to get certain trade(s) that you've applied for.

 

[Q.Y. Ranger]

Well, I've scheduled my aptitude test for Sept 6, and I'm extremely nervous. I have a few books which have math and things of that nature in them, such as Fire Fighter Exam preparation books. But thats only one section of the CFAT. I know that the spacial part of the test isn't as easy to study for, but i have an IQ test book, which has patterns and that sort of thing. But I'm not to sure how i can study for the Verbal part of the CFAT. Should i just read a lot, or is there anything else i can do? If any one could help me with this, that would be great!

Thanks in Advance,

Mike

 

[NavComm]

M Sparks, If you have a pretty good command of the english language you don't need to worry about the grammar part of the test. I'm pretty sure you can find similar types of tests online or at schools and libraries. It's like any other aptitude test for verbal skills. Some people will find it more challenging than others but overall it's just a yard stick for the cf to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

Good luck with the test.

 

[tig3r]

I just recently took the CFAT and this is my advice for others who are going to take it:

First of all, I would like to point out that the practice questions you have found in your CF information package show the format of the questions and the format is the exact same on the test. However, the level of difficulty on the test is much more and should not be compared to the practice questions. Personally, I found the verbal part to be very hard, just because I found out that my vocabulary is not as extensive as I thought it was. I would suggest that there is no point in studying for the verbal part because there is no way your going to know what questions are going to come up, and i dont suggest memorizing the dictionary. I found that the main problem I had with the spatial ability test was the time. In these kind of questions, you tend to spend more time on one question without even realizing it because you are trying to find the best answer, and this leads to a shortage of time. So please watch the time and pace yourself accordingly. I found the problem solving to be very easy (just because mathematics was one of my strongest subjects) and finished about 5 minutes early, but I could easily see this section being VERY hard for some people. So please do not take it lightly because of what I have said. I would suggest reviewing some fundamental topics of mathematics such as estimating, adding, subtracting, multiplyng and dividing large numbers, (manually, cuz there is no calculator), the concept of interest, taxes, etc...

Overall, I was surprised by the level of difficulty of the test, because I was not aware of this forum and walked into the test assuming I was going to ace all parts of the test. I did end up qualifying for all the trades though, so I was happy. But for those who havent taken it yet..no pressure...

 

[Q.Y. Ranger]

I've been taking some on-line aptitude tests (one of which the recruiter I'm dealing with sent me) and i have discovered that my math is a lot better then i had previously anticipated. But i have also found out that my vocabulary isn't as great as i thought. On the CFAT, out of the 10 questions, are they all defining words, or picking synonyms, or is there something else in there as well. The link that the recruiter sent me is http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc/gct2_test_e.htm . If anyone would be able to check this out (who has already taken the CFAT), and let me know if the questions are similar in style and difficulty, that would be great. I have until Sept 6 to make an improvement in this section of the test. Thanks for everyones help.

Mike

 

[c4th]

The link that the recruiter sent me is http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc/gct2_test_e.htm . If anyone would be able to check this out (who has already taken the CFAT), and let me know if ....

Lets have a lesson in deductive reasoning.  The recruiter, whose job it is to recruit you sent you a link that he thought may be beneficial to you, and assist in your upcoming CFAT.  When you click on the link, the first line says:  Public Service Commission of Canada, which just happens to be a department in the federal government, essentially the same employer you are applying to.  The second thing that jumps out at me anyway is:  General Competency Test: Level 2 Practice Test.

If you read the thread or at worst listened to the recruiter you will have discovered that the test consists of vocabulary, basic arithmetic/math, spatial and logic problem solving.  Questions that are well represented in the link provided by you recruiter whose job is to recruit you.

Now to beat the horse dead.  The recruiter whose job it is to recruit you is trying to help you.  The government that posted the test spends a ridiculous amount of money to hire employees, so it is also trying to help you.  Since you are bent on doubting the recruiter who has met you and obviously thinks you are not a complete waste of his time, and you doubt your ability to pass the test, I will offer this, which has been offered many times on this thread and at the CFRC before.  The aptitude test measures aptitude.  You either have it or you don't.  If you are thick now you will still be thick in two weeks.  No amount of studying is going to change that.  You can prepare or brush up on the types of questions being asked, which will be of value particularly to those who have been out of school for a number of years rotting their brains in various civilian careers.  However, if you are of at least ballpark average intelligence the worst thing you can do is walk into the testing office with sweaty palms and wrapped around the axle about the upcoming test.  If the test were hard, the CF would be much smaller, and the recruiter would probably be an ATM.

As a fellow college student once said to me before a final exam: "An empty head is better than a head full of sh*t"

Trust yourself, and get some sleep.

 

[Springroll]

I just posted this link under the thread I started.

The sites that came reccommended bythe CFAT tester are these ones:

http://www.jobs.gc.ca/menu/ui_examinfo_e.htm
http://www.highiqsociety.org/noflash/nonmembers/iqtests.htm
http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc/gct2_test_e.htm

 

[ChopperHead]

Is your eligability based on the CFAT or your actual education what I mean is if say you only have grade 11 and you apply take the CFAT and score high would that be more important then you not having your diploma because obviously you are not dumb and can grasp the material if you get a high score. ok let me try and make this alittle clearer for you in case your getting lost as to what Im asking would a high CFAT score put ahead for a job over over someone with highschool who did not do as well?




Kyle.

 

[civvy3840]

Is your eligability based on the CFAT or your actual education what I mean is if say you only have grade 11 and you apply take the CFAT and score high would that be more important then you not having your diploma because obviously you are not dumb and can grasp the material if you get a high score. ok let me try and make this alittle clearer for you in case your getting lost as to what Im asking would a high CFAT score put ahead for a job over over someone with highschool who did not do as well?




Kyle.

From what I gather it does not matter to the CF if you've got a diploma or not. If it did then it would not make sense to recruit 16/17 year-olds.

 

[NavComm]

From what I gather it does not matter to the CF if you've got a diploma or not. If it did then it would not make sense to recruit 16/17 year-olds.

I don't think the question was whether or not you can enlist in the CF without a high school diploma. The question, it seems to me is: If you're really stupid but you passed highschool and some other guy thinks he's really smart and he didn't pass highschool but he got a better mark on the CFAT than the guy he thinks is stupid for bothering finishing what he started (his education) then will the stupid guy without the education get a better job in the CF than the stupid guy with the education?

And the answer is.....it depends, maybe the first stupid guy is applying to be a supp tech and the other stupid guy is applying to be NavComm, so they aren't competing for the same stupid job anyways

 

[SeanPaul_031]

To eloborate a bit on what tiger said, you WILL get a few of the easy questions like the ones in your pamphlet and the rest for that series will be difficult.

If youve been paying attention in math class, then the math questions will be easy for you. If youve been out of school for a while then I can see the math probs posing a bit of difficulty...

The language question, like someone said before, Ive youve been speaking English all your life then their shouldnt really be a problem here...Again you cant really study for this as it is something that youve been learning all your life by reading books and speaking fluently.

The spatial questions I found to be very easy, as I have a good spatial sense, however there were 1 or 2 that were extremely eloborate and took a while to figure out. Males in general though have a better spatial sense than women...

The logic/pattern questions I also found to be easy, but again Im naturally good at recognizing patterns...For those who arent, there are a few very easy ones that you will get and the others will take a bit of time to recognize.

My best advice for those taking the test, is if you are stuck on a question or unsure about and answer, move on to the next one as the sub-conscious mind will continue to think about that certain question and when you return to it later, you may have the answer...This works especially well for the number pattern sequence question and this is how I ended up landing the hard ones in this series.

For the spatial question I would suggest you practice a couple of these online first to get accustomed to them. For the math questions, review the basic formulas in math such as BEDMAS,
(x + y)(x - y)=xsquared - xy + xy -ysquared, pythageorean theorem...etc all the basic math principles.

And remember dont go into it nervous be calm and relaxed or you wont be able to think straight!

 

[ChopperHead]

Ok maybe Im not really being clear here with what Im asking if you dont have your diploma would getting a high score on the CFAT make up for it. Meaning is the CFAT more important to the military then the diploma. For something like 031 would high CFAT and no diploma put you in a better position for a job offer then someone also applying for 031 that has their diploma but didn't do as well on the CFAT.  ( there's more then one quetion here)



Kyle

 

[c4th]

Ok maybe Im not really being clear here with what Im asking if you dont have your diploma would getting a high score on the CFAT make up for it.[/quote}

Why does it matter?  Apply with the best hand you have. A high school graduate and a drop out are apples and oranges. 

 

[NavComm]

I understood the question. I just think it's all moot. The CFAT is to show whether you have the aptitude for the job. The high school diploma opens doors for you that have no relation to how well you performed on the CFAT (or any other aptitude test).

That doesn't mean you will or won't have a great future in your chosen MOC.

If you are worried about whether or not you are competitive, then you should be talking to your recruiter.

It seems to me the answer you want is probably best delivered to you by the recruiter who has met you and knows whether or not you are worrying needlessly or you really have no chance at all against that guy with the diploma.

 

[R.Jacquel]

Ok I just got back from my recruiting centre and was given all the packages for being Infantry Reserve. This test seems WAY to easy, me and my friend actually laughed because it's way to easy. I mean is that really what the test is like or is this just like a lead down the wrong road, making people think its simple so they don't study, then get there and the test is a beast. I'm working out every day and running every day and my test won't be for another year because I'm finishing college then entering, so I know I can do the physical section of it. I'm just worried about bombing the CFAT test. So can anyone tell me if this test example is even close?

 

[J.R.]

From what I have seen on this Board the sample questions do not seem to be nearly as difficult as the questions you will actually face.  I did not take the recruit test, just the Officer test.  However, I would imagine that how difficult one views the test will vary by person.  I have seen on this Board others that mention that they failed the test and others that did very well.  The questions in the package appear to be similar in type to the questions that you would encounter in the real test, only significantly less difficult.  Others will likely give you better information and point you in a direction to find resources to prepare for the test.  Good luck!

 

[gregorydewolfe]

hello, just got back from the cfat "test".  Was told I didn't do well and the only jobs on my list were jobs that anyone would have been offered.  I thought I did really well on the math part since there's only 30 questions but i guess i didnt.  Then I was told that I could re-write in 3 months but even if i did get a high score, log officer is in very high demand and i probably wouldn't have gotten a job in that field anyways since i have no "experience" in that.  I said well that's why im joining, to get experience.  Why they hell did they test me then?  To put me in a job that I can get without a degree?  I can get one of those without joining.  Now I dont know what to do because i majored in marketing and i guess log offers do a lot of finance and accounting which i hate.  Seems like the recruiters will tell you anything.
should i re-write the test knowing that if i do worse the 2nd time, they use that score instead?  Wish I could get an answer key.  I hate general app. tests, they only prove if one can have a good or bad day on a certain day, not if you can do the job.

 

[gregorydewolfe]

they didn't offer me much.  stwd  cook, post clk, rms, sup tech, tfc tech, armour, arty, FD, ARTY AD, INF, CBT ENGR, MSE OP and a few other R jobs, but i want full time.

 

[gregorydewolfe]

and yes i went to university for 5 years and did a double major in marketing and management, but for some reason i cant answer 30 math questions.