The PrepClubs blog
Long-form articles on aptitude test strategy, score distributions, and the employers behind each test. Built on data from 1,600+ candidate practice runs across the PrepClubs platform.
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49 published articles
Cognitive Aptitude Test: What It Is and Why Companies Use It
A cognitive aptitude test measures problem-solving speed across verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning. Roughly 65 percent of large US employers use one to filter applicants, because cognitive ability is the single st
CCAT Score Explained: Bands, Percentile, and Cutoffs by Role
The CCAT mean is 24 out of 50. Software targets cluster at 31 (70th percentile), strategy and product at 35 (80th). This guide maps every raw score to its percentile band and to the role cutoff that actually decides whet
CCAT Sample Questions: 10 Real Examples Walked Through
10 real CCAT sample questions across verbal, math, logic, and spatial reasoning. Each one solved in under 25 seconds with the rule, not just the answer key.
CCAT Prep: A 7-Day Plan for the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test
A focused 7-day CCAT prep plan with day-by-day drill volume, target raw scores, and the role-specific cutoffs at Crossover and Vista Equity portfolio companies.
HireVue Practice: Free Mock Questions and Walkthroughs
HireVue practice that actually works: 8 real-format mock questions, full STAR walkthrough sample answers, 30-second prep timing, and a 5-day plan tuned to the 2026 AI rubric used by JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bain, BCG, IB
HireVue Games Explained: Every Game and How to Score Well
HireVue Games are a 16-task adaptive cognitive battery used by JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bain, BCG, Capital One, IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon. Each game runs about 3 minutes with 15 to 20 seconds per level, and the AI rewar
HireVue Assessment: What's Measured and What to Expect
A HireVue Assessment is a configurable bundle of video interview, cognitive games, and optional job-specific simulation. Here is what each component measures and what to expect in the 30 to 90 minutes.
HireVue AI: How the Algorithm Actually Scores Your Interview
HireVue's AI stopped scoring faces in 2021. Here is what the algorithm actually evaluates today: transcribed answer content against a per-role competency rubric. Plus what scores top band.
PI Cognitive Assessment: 50 Questions in 12 Minutes Explained
50 questions, 12 minutes, no calculator. Almost nobody finishes. Here is the honest breakdown of the PI Cognitive format, scoring, and pacing rules that actually clear the Cognitive Job Target.
PI Cognitive Assessment Practice Test: Free Walkthrough
The PI Cognitive Assessment is 50 questions in 12 minutes across numerical, verbal, and abstract reasoning. Here is a free walkthrough with worked sample questions, the raw-to-scaled score bands, and where candidates los
The Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (BMCT) in 2026
The BMCT-II is 55 diagram questions in 25 minutes, scored by percentile. Here are the format, the score bands, the industry cutoffs, and where candidates lose points.
The SHL Test in 2026: Verify G+, OPQ, Numerical, and Verbal
What the SHL test actually is in 2026: the adaptive Verify G+ General Ability test, the OPQ personality questionnaire, and the numerical and verbal reasoning sections. How each is formatted, timed, and scored, where you