What is the Wonderlic Test?
The “Wonderlic Test” can refer to any of the exams created by Wonderlic, Inc. However, the most common Wonderlic test is the Wonderlic Personnel Test.
The Wonderlic Personnel Test is a 50-question, 12-minute “cognitive ability test” given to job applicants during job interviews. A cognitive ability test is essentially an IQ test that includes mathematical word problems, verbal reasoning, and logic games.
A lot of companies use the Wonderlic Personnel Test during the hiring process as a way to quickly assess a candidate’s ability to perform the job they are applying for.
If you interviewing for a job and were told you have to take a “Wonderlic Test”, then you should expect to be taking the 50-question Wonderlic Personnel Test.
Our online course will fully prepare you for this exam in only 3 hours. You can learn more about our course here.
Are there different types of Wonderlic tests? How do I know which one to study for?
There are several “Wonderlic tests” as “Wonderlic test” refers to any exam created by Wonderlic, Inc.
In general, there are three types of Wonderlic tests:
1) Cognitive Ability Tests:
These exams are similar to IQ tests and are given to job applicants (Wonderlic Personnel Test) and students (SLE).
2) Basic Skills Tests:
These are math and English exams. They are longer than cognitive ability tests and are taken by some entry-level job applicants and students.
3)Personality Tests:
Wonderlic, Inc creates some of the most common corporate personality tests that are administered.
If you are not sure which exam you are taking, we have a very helpful article that will help you determine exactly which test you need to prepare for. You can find that article here.
What does the Wonderlic test measure? What is it that my employer is looking for?
The Wonderlic test is similar to an IQ test. Wonderlic, Inc describes the Wonderlic test this way:
“The Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT-R) helps measure general mental ability, widely accepted as being one of the single best predictors of job success. It helps measure a candidate’s ability to understand instructions, learn, adapt, solve problems and handle the mental demands of the position.” – Wonderlic, Inc.
Now, I always tell people this because it is absolutely true: the Wonderlic test does NOT test how smart you are. It simply tests whether you know the strategies you need in order to finish the test on time and maximize your score.
I have seen extremely intelligent people perform very poorly on the Wonderlic simply because they did not know how to take the test. You should think of the Wonderlic as a game.
If you learn how to play the game and you practice, you will absolutely beat the test.
Where do I have to take the test?
The company you are applying to will oftentimes make you take a short version of the Wonderlic at home before you come in for an interview. This short version is known as the Wonderlic Personnel Test-Quicktest (WPT-Q). It is just like the full Wonderlic except that it is 30 questions / 8 minutes instead of 50 questions / 12 minutes.
You will receive a link to this test via an email from your recruiter. Once you open it, the timer starts and the test begins.
If you pass this test at home, then you will be asked to take the full version of the exam in the office during your in-person interview.
This full version of the test is proctored (someone watches you take it) and will likely be on a computer; however, some compaines still issue a paper version of the exam.
Can I use a calculator on the Wonderlic test?
Since the Wonderlic test is about 33% math, many test-takers wonder if they can use a calculator.
Unfortunately, you are not allowed to bring one into the test with you. You can, however, use scrap paper.
If you struggle with math, the I would recommend our Wonderlic Online Course. We cover every math problem on the test step-by-step so you get a comprehensive refresher on how to answer the math questions on the Wonderlic. We also show you tricksto answering the Wonderlic math questions more quickly and easily even without a calculator.
Why is the Wonderlic test hard?
Many test-takers do not do as well as they expect to the first time they take the Wonderlic test. This is caused by a few things:
1) The timing is very difficult.
You only have 12 minutes to answer 50 questions. That comes out to about 14 seconds per question. Knowing the right Wonderlic strategies and practicing them help people dramatically improve their scores.
Knowing the right Wonderlic strategies and practicing them help people dramatically improve their scores by beating the time element.
2) They fall for traps.
The Wonderlic has a lot of trap answers that are very easy to fall for if you don’t know what they look like.
If you know what those traps are and how to avoid them, you can take a big step in improving your score.
3)They are rusty on math.
Being unfamiliar with the types of questions on the Wonderlic or not having seen a lot of math since school cause people to make mistakes. Even if you are only a little rusty with math, remember you only have 14 seconds to answer each question. Knowing how to answer each question and being used to the format of the questions from practicing is a huge help.
Our online course teaches you how to avoid traps on the Wonderlic, reviews how to answer each question type, and shows you how to beat the time on the exam. The course is self-paced, can be completed in 3 hours and includes 5 practice tests.
You can find it here.
What is on the Wonderlic test?
The 50 questions on the Wonderlic test are made up of four different categories of questions. These categories are:
A. General Facts & Quick Recognition
These include questions that require you to quickly order dates, identify patterns and answer general knowledge questions.
B. Logic Questions
These include deductive reasoning and spatial recognition questions.
C. Verbal Reasoning
Verbal reasoning questions include analogies, identifying synonyms, and comparing proverbs.
D. Word Problems
The mathematical word problems on the Wonderlic test include questions requiring you to calculate average, ratio and percent.
There are also operations with decimals as well as algebraic word problems.
If you want to get a better idea of what these questions look like, try our free Wonderlic sample test here.
How is the Wonderlic test scored?
The Wonderlic test is 50 questions long and you are given 12 minutes to answer as many questions as possible.
You earn 1 point for each correct answer you give and 0 points for any unanswered or incorrect questions.
If you answer 23 questions correctly, then your score is a “23.” The highest possible score on the Wonderlic test is 50.
If you want to see how you would score on the Wonderlic test, try our free Wonderlic practice test here.
Can you skip questions on the Wonderlic test?
You can skip questions on the Wonderlic test, even on the computerized version. You will have an opportunity to go back to any skipped questions before you submit your answers at the end of the exam.
It is important to note that you are not penalized for wrong answers, so you should never leave any answers blank!
What score do I need on the Wonderlic test?
The answer to this depends on the position you are applying for and which company. Each company determines what their own passing score is for each position.
Here are some facts about Wonderlic scores:
1) 2% of test-takers finish the test on time.
2) the average score is a 21 (less than 50%).
We have an article that shows you a breakdown of average scores by occupation as well as what a score report will look like to your recruiter. You can find it at the bottom of this page.
How can I prepare for my Wonderlic test?
The Wonderlic test scares a lot of people, however, the Wonderlic test is beatable. It DOES NOT test how smart you are. The Wonderlic is a game and if you learn the rules and practice playing the game, you will absolutely do very well on the test.
Here is how you should prepare for the exam:
1. Take a timed practice test. You should familiarize yourself with all the types of questions on the exam and what it feels like to take the test with the timer in place. Getting a feel for the timing of the exam is a critical step in increasing your score. I recommend trying my free Wonderlic practice test if you haven’t already.
2. Learn the strategies you need to know. There is a very special way you should approach your Wonderlic test that will allow you to maximize your score. Think of this as learning the rules of the game that will allow you to out-perform your competition and beat the exam.
3. Review how to solve the types of questions that are tested on the Wonderlic. Study proverbs, how to multiply and divide decimals, analogies, etc. Most of these questions are difficult to solve just because you have not seen them in a long time.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Once you know the Wonderlic strategies and have reviewed how to solve the types of questions on the exam, then it is time to practice. The more practice tests you take, the more confidence you will have going into the real thing.
The easiest way to do all of the above and be fully prepared for your exam in only 3 hours is to take my self-paced online Wonderlic course.
