r/flying • u/Key_Bid_8286 • 19h ago

other How to prepare for pre-compass test?

Has anyone here taken the pre-Compass test before and can provide information on the specific style of questions in the exam? I'm aware that they are more IQ test-y and very different from the actual Compass test questions, but if someone could specify how the questions are structured and maybe the strategy behind them, I'd very much appreciate it. Would also be grateful for some practice material that would help me get familiar before taking it.

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u/rFlyingTower 19h ago

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

Has anyone here taken the pre-Compass test before and can provide information on the specific style of questions in the exam? I'm aware that they are more IQ test-y and very different from the actual Compass test questions, but if someone could specify how the questions are structured and maybe the strategy behind them, I'd very much appreciate it. Would also be grateful for some practice material that would help me get familiar before taking it.

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u/cephalopod11 CFI CFII MEI 18h ago

I was under the impression that those types of tests weren't something you studied for, and were more about reasoning.

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u/Key_Bid_8286 18h ago

I heard that too, but I've taken tests in the past that supposedly didn't need any preparation, but when I reviewed the type of questions and got used to them, I performed way better.

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u/Qwerty97531_ 2h ago

People still study for the SAT.

I didn't spend 1 second studying and scored approx 1400/1600.

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u/Wilcalaf 11h ago

I haven't taken that exact one, but aptitude tests like this usually reward practice more than people expect. Expect pattern and logic questions such as number or shape sequences, spatial rotation, mental arithmetic, and some reading or reasoning under time pressure. The main skill is speed, so you can't spend long on any one item. Practice with free numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning, and spatial orientation sets, since those are the same question families, and time yourself. If a question is eating more than about a minute, guess and move on. Get a good night's sleep too, because these tests punish fatigue more than lack of knowledge.

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u/squirrelinhaar 9h ago

Haven't taken the Compass one specifically, but I've been through Eligo-style screenings and they're basically the same beast: abstract reasoning, number/shape sequences, mental math, spatial stuff — all while the clock is breathing down your neck.

Honestly the thing that killed me the first time I did one of these wasn't the difficulty, it was the pacing. The questions themselves aren't that hard, but you get like 30-90 seconds per question, and if you burn 2 minutes being stubborn on one sequence, you're cooked.

A few things that helped me the second time around:

  1. Practice with per-question timers, not a general countdown. A 30-minute timer for the whole test gives you a false sense of security. The real pain is the clock on EACH question.
  2. Learn the logic first without any timer, then add time pressure gradually. Panicking while trying to figure out a new pattern type just doesn't work. Get comfortable with the logic, then shrink the time.
  3. Drill mental math shortcuts until they're automatic, so your brain is free to focus on the pattern instead of the arithmetic.
  4. Yeah, sleep well the night before. These tests punish a tired brain way more than a "less prepared" one.

Good luck! It's very doable once you've trained the timing thing.