How To Pass Wonderlic Test: Top 11 Effective Tips in 2024

Employers can benefit from personality and aptitude tests to better understand job applicants’ strengths and competencies. While tests cannot predict an applicant’s future performance on their own, they can assist employers in determining how well a candidate will do in a given role.

Many firms and organizations use the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test to evaluate prospective employees since it is a powerful employee assessment. It’s difficult to defeat. If you want to know how to pass the Wonderlic test with flying colors, you’ll need a strategy for your study.

We’ll show you how to pass Wonderlic test and give you 11 pieces of advice on how to raise your score and boost your chances of moving further in the recruiting process.

How hard is the Wonderlic test?

The Wonderlic test, standing for Wonderlic Contemporary Cognitive Ability Test, is a standardized evaluation that employers can use to assess prospective employees’ problem-solving abilities and mental proficiency. 

It’s utilized in a wide range of jobs and assesses skills such as maths, reasoning, and language. The Wonderlic exam scores are often consistent with those from popular intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, and average intelligence test-takers score around a 20.

Pre-draft professional athletes, such as National Football League (NFL) players, and corporations that wish to scan employees’ intelligence, motivation, and personality as part of the employment process are using Wonderlic tests. 

The test, sometimes known as a speed IQ test, stresses speed. Only a small percentage of participants can usually complete all 50 questions in the allocated 12 minutes. Test results can provide administrators with more information about a potential hire’s work, training, and educational prospects. The Wonderlic test asks questions about numerous major topics:

• Vocabulary and verbal reasoning: Some Wonderlic questions rely on verbal reasoning, such as deciphering proverbs, analogies, and synonyms. Participants might be asked to discover two proverbs with similar meanings, for example.
• Problem-solving: Wonderlic assessments examine problem-solving abilities in job hopefuls and test takers. The logic questions on the test assess spatial recognition and logical reasoning abilities.
• General knowledge: The test includes a few general knowledge questions that need quick thinking. The test can ask which number is the smallest or which date is the earliest, for example.
• Word problems: This area makes up the final test questions on the Wonderlic test. They assess how well test takers comprehend basic math concepts like ratios, averages, and percentages.

Congratulations if you’ve been asked to take the Wonderlic Personnel Test. The recruiting manager obviously likes your Résumé and wants to learn more about you. You must, however, complete a standardized screening assessment before coming in for an interview.

This psychometric exam was created to help firms screen out unqualified candidates and save time in the HR department. A passing score on the exam can help you advance to the next stage in the hiring process, even if it has little bearing on the boss’s final hiring choice.

The Wonderlic test is regarded as one of the most difficult to pass in the job industry. Many individuals are terrified of the Wonderlic test and for good reason. 

It’s a high-stakes exam; your job is on the line. It’s also difficult because of the time limits (50 questions within 12 minutes means you only have 14 seconds for each question). When you consider these considerations, as well as the fact that many test-takers have been out of school for some time, it’s easy to see why the Wonderlic is so daunting.

 According to Wonderlic, Inc., just around 2% of test-takers complete the test in the allocated time, with an average score of less than 50%.

Furthermore, you will not be permitted to use a calculator throughout the examination. The test will be proctored, which means that you will be observed while taking it.

The Wonderlic test, on the other hand, is beatable. It does not assess your intelligence. Wonderlic is a game, and if you study the rules and practice playing it, you will do exceptionally well on the test.

Now let’s move to the tips which will help you a lot to beat this daunting test!

How to pass Wonderlic test? 11 Tips to Pass the Wonderlic Test

Tip 1: Know what score you should aim for

The Wonderlic includes 50 questions, each earning one point, and the maximum score is 50, despite the fact that the average score is just 21. That stated, before we discuss how to pass the Wonderlic test, it’s important to define what we mean by bypass: What is the definition of a passing grade?

The Wonderlic is a pass/fail exam, and unless you’re being drafted into the NFL, you won’t see your score. For entry-level graduate roles all the way up to senior-level executive positions, companies use this online screening exam as a standardized element of their hiring process. You will be invited for an in-office interview if you receive at least a passing grade.

The minimal score required by each organization is different, and average scores vary by profession. The range of possible scores is 14 for janitorial jobs to 30 for sophisticated engineering. Before you begin studying for the exam, make sure you know what score you should aim for.

Besides, if you want to pass the test, you must understand how the scoring system works. For example, you will not lose points for erroneous answers, so guessing is OK. Furthermore, even difficult questions are given the same weighting. So, if you need to guess a difficult question and concentrate on getting the easier questions right, your score will not suffer. People frequently fail to complete the test, so simply writing down all of the answers is a step in the right direction.

Tip 2: Know what you are preparing for

The initial Wonderlic exam was created and administered by Eldon Wonderlic on the basis that fundamental cognitive ability can better predict success than any other statistic. While experience and training are crucial, the theory claims that people with a higher IQ learn new skills faster, adjust to changing circumstances more easily, and approach new projects more creatively.

It’s debatable if this is true or not. Standardized exams, particularly the Wonderlic, are ineffective at assessing overall IQ.

The list of issues with standardized tests is endless. It’s debatable whether or not all of these complaints are true. In most situations, assessments like the Wonderlic simply test your capacity to master a specific series of exercises while also making a lot of money for the test manufacturer.

So, before you even start writing, know that thorough preparation can help you enhance your score and increase your chances of landing the job.

Tip 3: Examine the test’s format

It’s a good idea to review the test format before taking it. You can improve your exam preparation by learning the Wonderlic test’s format. Knowing what to expect might also help alleviate some of the stress that comes with taking an exam. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken an exam, practicing Wonderlic tests can help you become more comfortable with the testing style.

The exam is multiple-choice, with 50 questions in the normal, full-length test. You can skip questions on most online examinations and come back to them later. Reviewing these guidelines will help you gain confidence and enhance your ability to respond promptly to queries.

Tip 4: Effective Practice

You’re undoubtedly already familiar with the Wonderlic test. You’ll need to take Wonderlic practice test, just as with any other standardized test. Practice makes perfect, as they say.

Practice Wonderlic tests are accessible for free online. Some tests are timed, while others are self-paced. Take the test in a short period of time to become used to it. The typical test given by most employers takes 12 minutes to complete, however shorter versions of the test can take as little as eight minutes. You can get used to the pressure of a ticking clock by practicing taking a test with the added constraint of time.

Instead of focusing on the remaining time, read the questions as rapidly as possible and choose the best answer before moving on to the next. You can either guess or skip a question if you believe that you’re spending too much time on it.

Though you can always go back and read over your answers again, practice exams are the best approach to preparing for a standardized exam. Timed trials will help you become more comfortable with the test structure and will allow you to improve your time management abilities.

Tip 5: Review the most common questions

The Wonderlic test evaluates your ability to solve logic, language, and math challenges quickly. Consider re-familiarizing yourself with these topics or testing your knowledge if it’s been a while since you last reviewed them or tested your knowledge. Here are several areas that deserve special attention:

• Decimals: You’ll be asked to locate little or large decimal values in some Wonderlic problems. The test can, for example, inquire if 0.008 or 0.09 is the smaller value.

• Ratios: Including questions concerning proportionate investments and returns. While you may not have time to develop your math skills, becoming familiar with popular word problem vocabulary and simple math methods might help you answer these problems more quickly.

• Analogies: Some test questions need you to compare and contrast words or to relate them to one another. Prepare for your exam by reviewing analogies.

• Proverbs: The test also assesses your ability to comprehend and compare the meanings of lesser-known proverbs. Consider looking up uncommon phrases and seeing how well you can decipher their meaning.

Tip 6: Review all of your answers

Make sure you check through all of your answers again. Studying effectively, according to Bhavin Parikh, CEO of Magoosh, makes a significant impact on your overall score. He explains that when studying, you should concentrate on your blunders. Even if you only made two small mistakes on a practice test, those two questions could result in an extra two points on the exam. When you’ve completed the practice exam, your work isn’t done. Take the time to read through the Wonderlic test answer key, break down each question, and figure out where you went wrong.

Second, while you should evaluate the questions you answered properly, you should focus on your shortcomings. If logic or verbal reasoning is your strong skill, it’s easy to spend your time focused on them. Because your results are reported as a single composite score, you should focus your efforts on strengthening your weakest areas.

After all, these questions offer additional opportunities to gain points. If you already know how to answer most math problems correctly because you enjoy them, the one or two questions you’ll gain from extra studying pale in comparison to the points you’ll gain from courses with a steeper learning curve.

Tip 7: Answer questions as quickly as possible

Because Wonderlic is a timed test, it’s critical to get through the questions as soon as possible. With only 12 minutes to answer 50 questions, your chances of finishing with all of them answered are slim to none.

When test day approaches, you’ll want to make the most of every opportunity. It’s critical that you manage your time effectively and respond to each question as promptly as feasible.

So try to keep a steady pace throughout the exam. The test-takers have around 14 seconds to read and answer each question with 50 questions divided by 12 minutes.

You’ll have to think carefully about which questions to attempt and which to leave for later. Go to the next question if you notice you’ve been staring at a question for a long time.

Some of the test questions are more difficult than others, and your abilities may be better suited to other sorts of questions. Each question is worth one point, thus easy questions are just as important as difficult ones.

Because you’ll be answering more of them, answering more basic questions can help you boost your overall score. You should avoid writing out multi-step, complex equations. Remember that there are just four points between a salesperson and an engineer. You could save enough time by skipping around the test to gain a few more points and dramatically improve your score with the 10 seconds you save by skipping around.

You can go back to previously skipped questions and try to answer them again if you reach the finish with time remaining.

You’ll be able to easily identify and solve a comparable question on the actual test if you can categorize each question. When test day approaches, there should be no new or unusual questions on the test. It should be as simple as answering as many questions as possible before the timer runs out.

Tip 8: Develop strategies for testing

On tests, some people do exceptionally well. Others have nervousness when taking tests. Develop some tactics to help you stay cool and attentive if you’re nervous about taking tests or it’s been a long time since you’ve taken one.

Consider the following strategies:

• Arrive early: If you know you’ll be taking a Wonderlic test as part of your interview, allow yourself some time to relax before the exam. To be as comfortable as possible throughout the exam, practice breathing and become familiar with your surroundings.

• Prepare: Practice exams and diligent study might help you gain confidence and improve your exam readiness. Knowing what to expect can help alleviate some of the stress that comes with taking the test.

• Take it one question at a time: When taking your test, try not to get too caught up in the difficult questions. If you don’t know the answer, just move on to the next question and see if it’s easier to answer.

• Read questions carefully: Even though you have limited time to answer a lot of questions on the Wonderlic test, read questions in a way that allows you to thoroughly absorb the question and understand what it’s asking. Slowing down your reading the first time through will help you absorb the material better and save time when revisiting questions.

Tip 9: Know that perfection isn’t the objective

The number of questions you answer correctly will determine your score. The full-length Wonderlic Personnel Test has a maximum score of 50 points, but few people get that high; in fact, only about 5% of people answer all 50 questions!

On average, you’ll get 4 out of every 20 questions correct, so even if you can only answer 30 questions, guessing on the remaining 20 questions could get you an extra four points.

Those four elements could mean the difference between obtaining that high-paying management job interview and returning to your cubicle to revise spreadsheets for your boss.

Tip 10: Stay calm

Managing the pressure and anxiety that comes with the actual, real test is one of the most difficult things to practice with any test. You can make your practice examinations as close to the actual thing as possible, but they will never be as important.

If you’re someone who gets worried or even scared by tests, practicing keeping calm is a smart idea.

Breathing exercises, listening to a specific type of music immediately before the test, meditation, and physical exercise are all helpful ways to keep calm. Experiment with different things to see how you react.

Tip 11: Eat and sleep well

You’ve undoubtedly heard this advice a hundred times before, but we’ll repeat it because it’s the best Wonderlic test tip we have. You can’t expect your intellect to work at its best if you don’t take care of your body. Time and time again, regular sleep has been related to greater test scores and grades.

Believe it or not, according to a Time Magazine article, losing only one hour of sleep is roughly equivalent to losing two years of cognitive development. When a fifth grader is sleep-deprived, he will perform like a third-grader.

Therefore, don’t spend the night before the test practicing. Your performance will suffer as a result. It’s critical for your brain to be well-rested and well-fed, so make sure you get eight hours of sleep the night before the test and eat a good, healthy meal before you go.

A quick rundown of Wonderlic test passing tips

Practice

Practicing can help you feel more at ease with the timed portion of the test. You can create test-taking habits that prepare your mind for specific types of questions and allow you to move through the exam fast. Taking practice examinations can also help you figure out which areas need more attention. 

Learn

Wonderlic is used by most firms and organizations to screen job prospects for specific aptitudes and cognitive talents. Examine the average score for persons in your industry before taking the exam. Aim for a higher score than the national average for your field. If you’re applying for a job as a nurse, for example, look for nursing test score results. Aim for a quiz score of at least 47 percent if the average is 46 percent.

Guess

There are no penalties for incorrect answers on the Wonderlic test. If you don’t know the answer to a question, guessing it is sometimes preferable to leave it blank. One disadvantage of this method is that if you finish with time remaining, it can be difficult to go back to questions you didn’t know the answers to.

You can also skip questions, but there’s a chance you’ll get the question right if you guess. While this method will not yield a result that correctly reflects your knowledge, it may enhance your score and your chances of being hired.

Reflect

Don’t let a low exam score fool you into thinking you’re not intelligent. Your score might be influenced by a variety of variables. For example, you may be anxious when taking examinations, the test may be in a foreign language, or you may have been sleepy the day of the exam. If you aren’t offered a job because of your test score, remember that there are other businesses that will value your unique skills and intelligence. Remember that the exam isn’t a measure of your worth, intelligence, or employee value.

Conclusion

This article explains the strategies “how to pass Wonderlic test” that anyone studying for the Wonderlic test should master in order to pass it.

Taking some practice exams, whether online or offline and learning other methods required through consistent practice are all part of Wonderlic test preparation. To minimize disappointment and challenges, make sure you not only understand the questions but also know how quickly you must be able to answer them and have practiced within a time limit. With that stated, best of luck and keep studying!