How to pass the CCAT

You have about 18 seconds per question and cannot go back, so one question that takes a minute costs you three others. If you have no route to the answer within about 30 seconds, pick the likeliest option and move on.

Wrong answers and blanks both score zero, so never leave a question empty. In the last minute, answer everything you reach quickly.

• Analogies: say the relationship as a sentence ("a pilot flies a plane"), then find the pair that fits it.
• Synonyms and opposites: rule out words that are related but not equal in meaning.
• Word problems: write the numbers down and estimate first; the options are often far apart.
• Tables: read the question first, then only the row or column it needs.
• Number series: write the gaps, then check doubling and alternating patterns.
• Deduction: accept only what the statements force; "some" never means "all".
• Shape series: check shape, number, fill and rotation, one at a time.

• Percentages: find 10% by moving the decimal point, then scale (15% = 10% + half of it).
• Percentage change: divide the change by the original, not the new value.
• Ratios: add the parts first. In 3:5, the first share is 3/8 of the total.
• Speed: distance = speed × time; convert minutes to fractions of an hour (20 minutes = 1/3 hour).
• Averages: total = average × count, then subtract the known values.

• Use a computer rather than a phone if you can; tables and shapes are easier to read.
• Close other tabs and silence notifications. The timer will not pause.
• Read each question once, carefully. Most mistakes come from misreading under pressure.