Preparing for the Canadian Forces Test

Are you interested in joining the Canadian Forces? It is a great choice. A career in the Canadian Forces means a steady income, great benefits, and an excellent pension. It also means serving Canada while performing one of many trades and occupations.

Joining the Canadian Forces isn't as simple as signing a contract; there are a handful of tasks to complete before being hired. There are a few required steps, like determining your eligibility and speaking with a recruiter. Still, one of the most critical steps is completing the Canadian Forces Aptitude Test or CFAT. And doing so successfully takes preparation.

This test is mandatory, and if you want to join the Canadian Forces, you will need to pass, and if you're going to get the job you desire, you will need to do well on the CFAT.

The CFAT will determine which occupations are most suitable for you. The test consists of questions that assess your verbal skills, problem-solving ability, and spatial skills.

The test itself should take approximately sixty minutes, but you should spend considerably more time preparing to be ready for any questions that may come your way.

Are you curious about what to expect when you take the test? We share the details to get you prepared to take the CFAT to join the Canadian Forces and get the occupation you want!

Getting Started

As we said earlier, to join the Canadian Forces, there are some things you will need to do first. First, you should speak to a recruiter, who will determine your eligibility. Even if you are not sure about the trade you wish to apply for, those decisions will be made once you are farther down the road in the recruiting process.

Application

Following your meeting with a recruiter, you will need to prove Canadian citizenship, proof of your identity, transcripts from your highest level of education (minimum of grade ten, or Secondaire IV in Quebec), and evidence of any trade or qualifications you have. Some jobs in the Canadian Forces require more education, including a degree. If there are any additional forms for the trade or job you have chosen, you will need to complete these as well.

Reliability screening

You will be screened to ensure your trustworthiness. The Canadian Forces want to make sure that they only hire those that can handle sensitive information, so you will need to fill out forms to have this checked.

Once you have gone through this process, it is on to the CFAT, a two-part medical exam, and an interview with a military career counsellor.

What Exactly is the CFAT?

The Canadian Forces Aptitude Test is a multiple-choice test that consists of three sections. The Canadian Forces uses the CFAT to determine your mental aptitude. The CFAT is also used to determine which of the military occupations best match your qualifications.

The CFAT can be administered electronically and completed on a computer. This test is called the electronic Canadian Forces Aptitude Test (eCFAT). Or, you can complete the traditional paper version. You will complete the test at a recruiting centre.

Your CFAT result is used to determine your trade or profession. Various military trades require different minimum qualifying CFAT scores. If your CFAT score is high, you will have more Canadian Forces jobs open to you.

The CFAT Format

There are three sections of the CFAT consisting of spatial skills, verbal skills, and problem-solving.

In the three sections, you might encounter:

Word knowledge questions
Paragraph comprehension, also known as reading comprehension
Math reasoning problems
Math knowledge, such as concepts and applications
Assembling objects

The verbal skills portion of the CFAT is vocabulary-based. It will test your understanding of synonyms, opposites, and definitions, while the spatial aptitude questions assess whether you can understand and comprehend 2D and 3D space.

You will have forty-five minutes to complete the test.

Prepare to take the CFAT

There is only so much studying for the CFAT that can be done with internet searches. To do your best on the test, there are a few things you should consider.

To begin your studies, you will want to review both math and English. Focus most of your study time on your weakest subject. It is essential to remember that the higher your test score, the better chance you will score the job you want.

If you are struggling with English, spend time studying vocabulary and synonyms. If it is math that you fear, study long-hand math problems. To get a better handle on the types of questions, you might encounter on the CFAT, try an online test prep site. One of the best ways to prepare yourself for taking the CFAT is to try practice tests that offer the same material as the CFAT.

Not all online test prep sites are created equal, and you will want to find one that is worth your time and money. Police Test Tutor features a CFAT preparation with over 1200 practice questions that you can access from wherever you connect to the internet. That means you can practice for the CFAT whenever and wherever it is convenient to you. With instant scoring, you can focus on the questions with which you are not as familiar.

An excellent online test prep site like Police Test Tutor will help you capitalize on your test preparation and give you the insights and solutions you need to help you learn and achieve the highest score you can! With these tools under your belt, you will be more prepared to conquer the CFAT and get the trade or job you want with the Canadian Forces.