Frequently Asked Questions
Where does our data come from?
APT uses question content written by assessment experts and calibrated to our candidates' age and level of schooling. All of our modules contain material of an appropriate difficulty to challenge the brightest students and discover any weaker areas. APT has assessed thousands of students has is able to compare performance against the UK national standardisation.
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All of APT's material is put through a vigorous testing processes before being added to our question bank. We are continuously developing new material and validating it to keep our content fresh and discover more rigorous ways to assess specific skills.
Does my child need to prepare for the test?
No specific preparation is required before taking the APT as the test is a measure of generic academic skills rather than learned knowledge; short term preparation will not significantly impact performance. However, it may be beneficial for candidates to familiarise themselves with the style of questions that are used in this kind of assessment to ensure they feel comfortable on their test day.
There are numerous sample papers available online for CAT-style assessments online; a quick internet search will find some free resources.
Can test results change over time?
Yes, but improving scores on this kind of assessment is not always straightforward. APT results will indicate how a candidate compares against their peers. As time goes by and a candidate’s skills improve, so too do their peers, so unless they are improving at a greater rate than other students in their year, their scores will appear largely the same.
One very useful aspect of the APT is the breakdown of specific sub-skills within subject areas. These indicate specific skills that can be worked on to improve performance in this kind of test. We recommend discussing APT results with an academic consultant and/or tutor to focus your time on the areas that need the most support.
How do I register for the APT?
If you are a parent or guardian wishing to assess your child, then head to our Parents page to learn about how you can register directly for APT.
If you are an organisation working with families and their educational journeys then head to our Partnerships page to learn about how your consultancy, agency or tutoring firm can use APT to support your clients and provide you with robust and independent test data.