Wonderlic test guides
Everything we know about the Wonderlic test, in plain English, with sources for every fact about the real test. When you are ready, take the free Wonderlic practice test.
Basics
- The Wonderlic test: what it is, how it works and how to prepareThe Wonderlic cognitive ability test is 50 questions in 12 minutes. What is on it, how it is scored, and how to prepare before test day.
- How many questions are on the Wonderlic test?The Wonderlic has 50 questions and a 12-minute limit, about 14 seconds each. Versions compared, and why most people never reach question 50.
- Is the Wonderlic test hard?The Wonderlic questions are mostly short and easy. The 12-minute clock is what makes the test hard. What trips people up and how to fix it.
Scores
- Wonderlic score to IQThere is no official Wonderlic-to-IQ table. How rough conversions are built, why they are estimates and what to do with yours.
- What is a good Wonderlic score?The average Wonderlic score is around 20 out of 50 on the classic test. What counts as good depends on the job, and how to read your result.
- Is the Wonderlic an IQ test?The Wonderlic is a hiring screen, not an IQ test. What it measures, how it differs from an IQ test, and what your score does and does not mean.
Strategy
- Wonderlic time per question: how to pace 50 in 12 minutesYou get about 14 seconds a question on the Wonderlic. A checkpoint table for the 12-minute clock, and how to bank time for harder questions.
- Do you lose points for wrong answers on the Wonderlic?Should you guess on the Wonderlic? How the classic test is scored, what Wonderlic says about guessing on its current test, and what we recommend.
- Can you use a calculator on the Wonderlic?Plan on not having a calculator on the Wonderlic. What the math looks like, and quick ways to do it by hand inside the 12-minute limit.
- Can you retake the Wonderlic test?Whether you can retake the Wonderlic is the employer’s decision. What to ask the recruiter, and how to prepare if you only get one attempt.
- Should you skip questions on the Wonderlic?A simple rule for when to skip a Wonderlic question. How skipping lifts your score even if you answer fewer questions.
- How to pass the Wonderlic: a 7-day planHow to prepare for the Wonderlic: practice the clock, set a skip rule, fix your weakest question type. A short plan for the week before and test day.
- Wonderlic test day checklistA short checklist for the day of your Wonderlic test: setup, scratch paper, timing and what to do in the first and last minute.
- Wonderlic test anxiety: how to stay calm on the clockNerves cost people points on timed tests. Practical ways to keep your head on the Wonderlic: a routine, a reset for hard questions, and practice.
Question types
- Wonderlic math questionsThe arithmetic and word problems on the Wonderlic, with four worked examples and the quick methods that save seconds on each.
- Wonderlic verbal questions: vocabulary and analogiesHow the Wonderlic tests vocabulary and analogies, four worked examples, and fast ways to handle a word you do not know.
- Wonderlic number seriesNumber series questions ask for the next number. A fast order of checks, with five worked examples: differences, ratios, alternating patterns.
- Wonderlic logic questionsHow to handle the logic questions on the Wonderlic: ordering, syllogisms and calendar reasoning, with four worked examples.
- Wonderlic sample questions with answersTwelve original Wonderlic-style sample questions with answers and explanations: math, vocabulary, series and logic. Then try the full timed test.
Versions
- Wonderlic vs CCAT: what is different?Both are fast cognitive tests used in hiring. How the Wonderlic and the Criteria CCAT differ in time and content, and which to practice.
- The Wonderlic SLE for nursing schoolThe Wonderlic SLE is a 50-question, 12-minute admissions test used by many schools. What Wonderlic says about it and how to prepare.