Ace a Consulting Verbal Reasoning Test
If you are great at taking tests, you may not feel too concerned about the verbal reasoning assessment common to some management consulting firms. However, even great test takers may find that they need to figure out new strategies. Read more about verbal reasoning tests in consulting…
First, for American visitors to ConsultingFact.com, the questions do not resemble those of the SAT, ACT or even GMAT. Business management majors who have seen the analytical sections of the law school application test (LSAT), may understand better. For others, it is more like a hybrid of the reading comprehension of lower-level standardized tests combined with the time crunch of a Wonderlic exam, tests that require responses to 50 questions in just 12 minutes.
Breaking Down The Verbal Reasoning Exam
There are generally a few relatively short passages densely filled with data. Roughly three to four questions follow each reading, with the options of selecting whether a given statement is true, false or unable to be verified (insufficient information) given the data offered in the passage.
Everyone tests differently, but there are a few strategies that may help some work more quickly through the questions, allowing more time to analyze the information provided. They include the following two:
1) Choosing not to read the passage first. This can be difficult to do, but instead of reading the passage, allow your eyes to travel over the passage and note where numbers, percentages and statistically rare words are. These can include medical conditions, legal terminology and others. Then, using the vague mental map, you’ve prepared, read the question and follow the map to where the information is likely located.
2) Skim and paraphrase. Quickly glean the main point of the passage and build a structure of what the succeeding sentences provide (counterpoints, proofs, opposing viewpoints). When you read each question, immediately re-phrase it into a statement that you would make, and then set it against the mental outline you made of the passage.
Comfort Is Critical On Test Day
There are other options, and using a library to find LSAT or other test prep books may also aid you. Keep in mind that the key to being successful on the verbal reasoning exam is becoming comfortable. It does not matter which strategy you use, or even if you use the brute force method of reading the passage each time you have a question. The longer you take, the less time you have to analyze, true, but the biggest factor is comfort. That means picking a strategy that you can call upon no matter how stressed you are the day of the tests.
We’ll continue to cover other exams that are common parts of management consulting application processes. But for now, take a deep breath and relax. That should probably have been tip number one.
Resources
If you’re looking for free online practice tests, you may consider:
- AssessmentDay tests (Be sure to scroll down to “free sample verbal reasoning test”)
- TestPrepPractice tests
If you want more tips on how to prepare for consulting tests,then download our free guide. ConsultingFact.com offers guides for resumes, cover letters, case interviews, case frameworks, and other material that will help you land a consulting job.