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Guides to pre-employment cognitive tests

What is on the test your employer sent, what the publisher's rules are, and how to use the two or three days you have.

Each guide below is built from what the test publishers themselves say (Wonderlic, Criteria Corp and The Predictive Index), with a link to the source next to every fact that matters. Where we rely on what prep companies report, or on our own judgment, we say so. Start with the guide for your test; if the invitation did not name it, start with which test did I get? Every sample question on these pages is a practice question written by us.

The tests

• The CCAT: 50 questions in 15 minutes, average score 24The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test explained: 50 questions in 15 minutes, no penalty for guessing, average score 24, score ranges by role, and a 2-day plan.
• The employer said "cognitive ability test" and nothing else. Now what?Your employer asked for a cognitive ability or aptitude test and did not name it. What these tests contain, the common formats, and how to prepare in 2 days.
• The PI Cognitive Assessment: 50 questions, 12 minutes, nine question typesThe Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment explained: 50 questions in 12 minutes, four answer choices, nine question types, the 100-450 scaled score and a 2-day plan.
• The Wonderlic test: 50 questions, 12 minutes, and what to do about itThe Wonderlic test in 2026: 50 questions in 12 minutes, the publisher's rules on guessing and skipping, every question type with a sample, and a 2-day plan.

Pacing, scores and what comes around the test

• 50 questions in 12 minutes: a pacing plan that worksHow to pace 50 questions in 12 or 15 minutes: seconds per question, checkpoints at minute 4 and 8 (or 5 and 10), when to drop a question, and the rule for each test.
• What happens after you submit the testWhat the employer sees after a Wonderlic, CCAT or PI Cognitive Assessment, whether you get your score, how retakes work, and how long it takes to hear back.
• CCAT vs Wonderlic vs PI Cognitive AssessmentCCAT, Wonderlic and PI Cognitive Assessment compared: questions, minutes, seconds per question, answer choices, going back, guessing rules, scoring. Which is harder?
• What score is good for which job?Criteria's suggested CCAT score ranges by job as of 2026, historical Wonderlic averages by occupation, and how PI target scores work. Sourced, with caveats.
• Guess or skip? What each publisher actually saysGuess or skip? The exact guessing rules for the CCAT, Wonderlic and PI Cognitive Assessment in the publishers' own words, the math of a 1-in-5 guess, and a two-second rule.
• The personality part of your hiring test: what it is and how to answer itWhat the Wonderlic Select personality and motivation sections, the PI Behavioral Assessment and Criteria's personality tests measure, how long they take, and honest advice.
• Test-day checklist: the 20 minutes before you click StartA concrete checklist for an online hiring test: device, connection, browser, scratch paper, the rule card for your test, and what to do if the page freezes.
• Which test did they send me? How to tell from the invitationTell the Wonderlic, CCAT and PI Cognitive Assessment apart from the invitation: sender address, link, Event ID, time limit and wording. Plus what to ask the recruiter.