Wonderlic Practice Test

What the real test usually looks like

Wonderlic publishes the basics of its current assessment, Wonderlic Select, so the format is well documented:

• 50 questions in 12 minutes in the cognitive ability section, multiple choice and taken online (Wonderlic). That works out to about 14 seconds a question.
• Mixed question types. Wonderlic lists simple math, basic logic, language comprehension, spatial reasoning and pattern identification, all shuffled together rather than grouped into sections.
• It gets harder as you go. Wonderlic says the questions become increasingly difficult as the test progresses.
• No calculator, dictionary or other resources, according to Wonderlic's sample instructions.
• Most people do not finish. Wonderlic says test takers are not expected to complete every question in the time (candidate FAQ).

The full assessment has three parts. Wonderlic Select pairs the timed cognitive section with two untimed ones: a motivation section of 58 items, where you pick the work activities you would most like to do, and a personality section of 150 statements. Only the cognitive section has right and wrong answers. Wonderlic says most people finish the whole assessment in about 35 minutes (candidate FAQ).

What happens after you submit. Your results go to the employer. Wonderlic says the only result candidates receive is a Candidate Feedback Report, with no numerical cognitive score, and that employers are generally not required to share results. Invitation links usually stay active for up to 14 days, so you have some room to pick a calm moment.

Question types with worked examples

Wonderlic questions are short, so the skill is spotting the type in a second and using the fastest method for it. These original examples cover each type Wonderlic lists.

Percentages without a calculator. "A $60 toaster is marked down 15%. What is the sale price?" Split the percentage: 10% is $6 and 5% is $3, so the discount is $9 and the price is $51. The trap is the option that says $9: it is the discount, not the price. Check which number the question asks for before you choose.

Word meaning. "Which word means the same as CANDID?" Candid means frank or honest, so "frank" is right. The trap is a word that often appears near the target, like "camera" (as in candid camera). Related is not the same as similar.

Number series. "5, 8, 14, 26, ..." The gaps are 3, 6 and 12, doubling each time, so the next gap is 24 and the answer is 50. If the gaps are not constant, look at the gaps between the gaps. The trap is assuming a fixed step and answering 38.

Odd one out. "Which number does not belong: 16, 25, 36, 40, 49?" Most are square numbers (4 x 4, 5 x 5, 6 x 6, 7 x 7); 40 is not. The trap is grouping by even and odd, which leaves no single odd one out. If your rule picks out two items, it is the wrong rule.

Deduction. "All A are B. No B are C. Can an A be a C?" No: every A is a B, and no B is a C. Draw it as circles if you need to. The trap is swapping "all" for "some" in your head, which changes the answer.

Spatial reasoning. "How many 1 cm cubes fit inside a solid cube with 3 cm sides?" One layer holds 3 x 3 = 9 cubes and there are 3 layers, so 27. The trap is answering 9, the number of cubes on one face.

Checking. "Are these the same? 1428 Elm Street, Apt 3B / 1428 Elm Street, Apt 3D." No: the last letter differs. Compare from the end of the line, where differences often hide, and do not read the whole line twice.

How to prepare

1. Know your pace: about 14 seconds a question. 12 minutes is 720 seconds, and 720 / 50 = 14.4. At an even pace you would reach question 25 at the 6-minute mark. Because early questions are easier, aim to be a little ahead of that.
2. Follow Wonderlic's own advice on tough questions. Its instructions say to mark your best choice and move on if you are not sure, not to skip around, and that random guessing is unlikely to help (Wonderlic). So make a quick, reasoned choice rather than leaving a gap or clicking at random.
3. Do 10 minutes of mental math daily. Percentages, fractions of 100, times tables to 12 and simple rates come up again and again, and no calculator is allowed. Our percentage questions guide has the fast methods.
4. Learn the common series patterns. Doubling, growing gaps and alternating steps cover most number series. Our number series guide walks through them.
5. Build word speed. Read a few definitions each day and say analogies as a sentence ("a painter uses a brush"). Our verbal reasoning test gives more practice with words.
6. Read the last line of each question first. Many errors come from answering "which is not" as if it said "which is".
7. Practice full-length mocks. Twelve minutes of full concentration feels different from ten questions. Two or three full mocks before the test make the real one feel normal.
8. Sleep before the test. Speed tests punish tiredness more than knowledge tests do.

How scoring usually works

Wonderlic Select does not simply count right answers. Wonderlic says its scoring algorithm looks at your overall response pattern and weights each question by its difficulty and the effect of guessing (Wonderlic). The employer sees the result in a report, where Wonderlic places the cognitive score on a 0 to 100 scale that compares you with the typical applicant pool for the chosen job. A score above 50 means you scored higher than half of that pool (Wonderlic help center). The report groups scores into four bands:

• Weak (0 to 24): does not meet the cognitive demands of the role, in Wonderlic's wording.
• Cautionary (25 to 49): may not meet them.
• Moderate (50 to 74): likely to meet them.
• Strong (75 to 100): will meet or exceed them.

Wonderlic also says there is no universal "good" or "average" Wonderlic Select score, and candidates do not receive a numerical cognitive score (candidate FAQ). If you find a table of "Wonderlic scores by job" online, check where it comes from before you let it worry you.

Our practice score is the number you got right on our own questions. It is not a Wonderlic score, and it cannot be converted into one. Use it to track your own progress across mocks. Our guide to Wonderlic scores explains the score reports in more detail.

Common mistakes on Wonderlic-style tests

• Spending 40 seconds on question 5. Early questions are meant to be quick. If one is not, you have probably misread it; reread the last line once, choose and move on.
• Reaching for a calculator. Wonderlic's instructions rule it out, and the habit of checking with one slows you down even in practice. Practice without it from day one.
• Answering the opposite question. Words like "not", "least" and "except" flip the answer. Many wrong options are written for people who miss them.
• Trying to finish. Wonderlic says test takers are not expected to answer every question. Rushing the later, harder questions to reach number 50 usually costs accuracy.
• Clicking at random in the last seconds. Wonderlic says guessing is unlikely to improve your score, and its scoring accounts for guessing. A quick reasoned choice is fine; a pattern of blind clicks is not.
• Trying to game the personality section. It has no right answers. Answer as yourself and consistently; it is untimed, so read each statement properly.

A one-week study plan

This plan assumes about 30 minutes a day. If your test is in two or three days, do days 1, 5 and 6.

• Day 1: Take the free sample above with the timer on. Note which question types cost you the most time.
• Day 2: Percentages and fractions without a calculator, using the percentage questions guide. Then a short mixed set at 14 seconds a question.
• Day 3: Number series and letter patterns with the number series guide, then odd one out and simple deductions from our logical reasoning test.
• Day 4: Words: synonyms, opposites and analogies. Finish with checking questions, comparing pairs of names and numbers quickly.
• Day 5: Your first full 50-question mock, timed at 12 minutes. Review every wrong answer and every question you rushed.
• Day 6: Drill your two weakest types, then a second full mock. Compare your pace at the 6-minute mark with day 5.
• Day 7: Light review only. Check your invitation, plan when you will sit the test and get a good night's sleep.

Test day checklist

• Block about 45 minutes. The cognitive section is 12 minutes, but Wonderlic says the whole assessment takes about 35 minutes, and you want a margin.
• Use a laptop or desktop with a stable connection if you can, in a quiet room where nobody will interrupt you.
• Put the calculator away. Wonderlic's instructions say no calculator, dictionary or other resources.
• Check your link's expiry date. Wonderlic says links generally stay active for up to 14 days.
• Ask about adjustments early. Wonderlic says accommodations are arranged by the employer, so contact the hiring organization before you start if you need them.
• Read the instructions screen fully. The clock does not start until the questions do.