From school selection to medical and law admissions, these tests measure reasoning and critical thinking. Here is what public sources say about seven of them.
Admissions and school-entry tests measure reasoning, not what you have revised. Younger pupils meet verbal, number and shape puzzles in tests such as CAT4, CogAT and the ISEB Common Pre-Test. Older applicants meet critical-thinking and data tests such as UCAT, the Oxford TSA, HSRT and BCAT. The skills overlap with workplace tests, but timing and scoring differ.
This page covers seven tests one by one, with the format as far as public sources describe it, a worked example, common mistakes and a practice plan. Admissions tests change from year to year, so we flag the points where sources disagree. Check the official site for the intake you are applying to.
| Test | Typically used for | Main question types |
|---|---|---|
| UCAT | Medical and dental school admissions | Verbal, decision making, quantitative, judgement |
| CAT4 | School placement and learning support | Verbal, non-verbal, quantitative, spatial |
| CogAT | Gifted programmes and school placement, mainly in the US | Verbal, quantitative, nonverbal |
| ISEB CPT | Entry to many UK independent senior schools | English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning |
| Oxford TSA | University admissions for selected Oxford courses | Problem solving, critical thinking |
| HSRT | Nursing and health programme admissions | Inference, analysis, evaluating arguments |
| BCAT | Entry to the Bar course in England and Wales | Critical thinking, based on Watson-Glaser |
Descriptions as of 13 October 2026, from the sources named in each section. Formats vary by employer and version, so check your invitation.
The UCAT is an admissions test for medicine and dentistry. Recent third-party breakdowns describe three cognitive subtests and a situational judgement test, and say abstract reasoning has been removed.
Sources we found, none official, describe four timed subtests for 2026: Verbal Reasoning with 44 questions in 22 minutes, Decision Making with 35 questions in 37 minutes, Quantitative Reasoning with 36 questions in 26 minutes, and Situational Judgement with 69 questions in 26 minutes. Each subtest has a separate instruction screen. Older guides that list an Abstract Reasoning section are described as out of date.
Verbal Reasoning asks whether statements are true, false or cannot be determined from a passage. Decision Making uses Venn diagrams, syllogisms, probability and data interpretation. Quantitative Reasoning uses charts, graphs and data sets. Sources describe an on-screen calculator for the numerical subtests and no negative marking, so guessing is advised. Confirm all timings on the UCAT Consortium website.
Fast and accurate reading, logic under time pressure, quick data handling and mental arithmetic, with the discipline to flag and move on.
A train travels 150 km in 1 hour 30 minutes. What is its average speed?
Answer: 100 km/h
1 hour 30 minutes is 1.5 hours. Speed is distance divided by time: 150 ÷ 1.5 = 100 km/h.
ReasonEra is built for reasoning puzzles, so it suits logic, pattern and number practice relevant to Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning. Use the explanations to check your method and keep your pace in practice sets.
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Third-party sources say it has been removed for 2026, leaving three cognitive subtests and Situational Judgement. Check the UCAT Consortium website for your intake.
Sources describe no negative marking, so answering every question is advised. Confirm on the official site.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: third-party UCAT breakdowns; check the UCAT Consortium site. We did not find an official page with the timings, so treat the numbers as indicative.
CAT4 is GL Assessment's reasoning test for pupils. It assesses four areas, each split into two subtests, and is used by many schools to understand strengths and plan support.
GL Assessment says CAT4 measures verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning. One tutor guide lists the eight subtests as verbal classification and verbal analogies, figure classification and figure matrices, number analogies and number series, and figure analysis and figure recognition.
GL's own page lists 30 minutes for each of two sittings at ages 6 to 8 and 45 minutes for each of three sittings at ages 8 to 17 and above, in digital or paper form. Other sources give about 72 minutes of question time, and per-subtest timings vary, so exact figures should come from GL or the school. Sources also disagree on the number of levels, from Pre-A through Level G.
Pattern recognition in words, numbers and shapes, and mental rotation of figures. Because it is a reasoning test, it rewards familiarity with the question styles more than revision.
Find the next number: 4, 9, 19, 39, ?
Answer: 79
Each number is double the last plus 1: 4×2+1 = 9, 9×2+1 = 19, 19×2+1 = 39, so 39×2+1 = 79.
Adults helping a young learner can use ReasonEra to check a pattern puzzle and read the rule behind the answer. It is a practice tool for reasoning, and the school sets any test conditions.
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GL Assessment describes four reasoning areas: verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial, each with two subtests.
GL's page lists 30 minutes by two sittings for ages 6 to 8 and 45 minutes by three sittings for ages 8 to 17 and above. Other sources differ, so check with the school.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: GL Assessment: CAT4. Level names and per-subtest timings vary between sources.
The CogAT is a reasoning test from Riverside Insights used for placement and gifted programmes. It has three batteries, each with three subtests, across ten levels from kindergarten to grade 12.
Riverside's help pages say every level has Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal batteries. Form 7 lists verbal analogies, sentence completion and verbal classification; number analogies, number puzzles and number series; and figure matrices, paper folding and figure classification. Prep sites report the same structure for the latest form.
Levels for roughly kindergarten to grade 2 are picture-based, apart from the optional sentence completion subtest, while later levels are text-based. Each battery is timed separately, and prep sites say the whole test takes about two to three hours. The publisher's materials are the authority on timing.
Reasoning with words, numbers and figures, including analogies, series and paper folding, at a level matched to the pupil's grade.
Pencil is to writing as scissors is to ___.
Answer: cutting
A pencil is a tool used for writing. Scissors are a tool used for cutting, so the same relationship gives 'cutting'.
ReasonEra is for reasoning-test practice, so an adult can use it to check number and figure patterns and explain the rule. The school or district sets the real test conditions.
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Riverside's help pages describe Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal batteries, each with three subtests.
The publisher's help pages say ten levels span kindergarten to grade 12. An older encyclopedia entry describes 11 levels for an earlier edition.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: Riverside Insights online help: structure of the CogAT. Total test time comes from prep sites and varies by level.
The ISEB Common Pre-Test is a computer-adaptive assessment taken by pupils applying to UK independent senior schools. It combines curriculum-based English and maths with verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Sources agree on four sections: English (40 minutes), Maths (40 minutes), Verbal Reasoning (25 minutes) and Non-Verbal Reasoning (30 minutes), about two hours 15 minutes in total. All questions are multiple choice and the test is adaptive, so each child sees different questions and a different count. Children cannot go back, and the next button only appears once an answer is selected.
English and maths follow the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to the end of Year 5, while the reasoning sections are not part of the national curriculum. Results are a standardised age score, and one guide says top schools look for 120 or more, with 142 the highest possible. Figures for how many schools use the test differ widely between sources, so we do not give one.
Accurate English and maths at Year 5 level, plus verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and steady concentration across a long adaptive test.
A rectangle has a perimeter of 36 cm and a length of 11 cm. What is its width?
Answer: 7 cm
Half the perimeter is 18 cm, which equals length plus width. So width = 18 − 11 = 7 cm.
ReasonEra can help an adult check verbal and non-verbal style patterns and explain the rule. The English and maths sections need curriculum practice from other sources.
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Sources say yes: the system picks each next question based on earlier answers, so two children see different questions.
Sources say no, because the test is adaptive and the next button appears only after an answer is chosen.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: third-party ISEB guides (no official ISEB page was read). School counts and typical score thresholds differ between sources.
The Thinking Skills Assessment was an admissions test used for selected Oxford courses. One June 2026 guide says it has been replaced by a new test called TARA for 2027 entry, so check Oxford's own admissions pages before preparing.
Older descriptions of the TSA give 50 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, split into 25 problem-solving and 25 critical-thinking items, with no marks deducted for wrong answers and no calculators or dictionaries. Problem solving covered spatial reasoning, numerical skills and logic, while critical thinking covered argument comprehension, deduction and use of language. Oxford's question guide is the official document for that format.
A June 2026 guide says the TSA has been retired and replaced by TARA, with three modules (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and a Writing Task) of 40 minutes each, 120 minutes in total, scored 1.0 to 9.0. It reports that Oxford's admissions-tests page lists TARA under tests for 2027 entry. We could not confirm this against Oxford's site, so verify it.
Problem solving with numbers and logic, evaluating arguments, finding flaws and assumptions, and, in the reported new format, writing a clear short response.
Ana, Ben and Cal split an £84 bill. Ben pays twice what Cal pays, and Ana pays twice what Ben pays. How much does Ana pay?
Answer: £48
Let Cal pay x. Then Ben pays 2x and Ana pays 4x, so 7x = 84 and x = 12. Ana pays 4 × 12 = £48.
ReasonEra suits the puzzle and logic side of problem solving. Use the explanations to see the algebra setup, and practise critical-thinking reading separately.
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One June 2026 guide says it has been replaced by TARA for 2027 entry. We could not confirm this on Oxford's site, so check the official admissions page.
Older descriptions say calculators and dictionaries are not permitted. Check the rules for your entry year.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: Oxford TSA question guide. The TARA details come from a single third-party guide and are unconfirmed.
The HSRT is a critical-thinking test used in health-science programme admissions. It is produced by Insight Assessment and focuses on reasoning, not clinical knowledge.
One college describes the current version as a 50-minute, 35-question, multiple-choice online exam, while an older nursing-programme notice lists 33 questions in 50 minutes, so the count may vary by form or year. Items are based on reading material and diagrams, and any specialist information needed is given in the question, so no health-care background is required.
Questions invite you to draw inferences, interpret information, analyse claims and reasons, and evaluate arguments. Requirements are set by each programme: one college's minimum for its RN programme is 75%, scores expire one year after the test date, and a 14-day wait applies between attempts. Always follow the programme's own policy.
Separating what a passage supports from what it only suggests, spotting assumptions and judging the strength of evidence, all from the information provided.
A clinic found patients who received reminder texts attended appointments more often than patients who did not. Claim: the texts caused better attendance. Is the claim fully supported?
Answer: Not fully
The passage shows a link, not a cause. The groups might differ in other ways, such as age or distance from the clinic, so the claim goes beyond the evidence.
ReasonEra is a reasoning-practice tool, so use it to practise logic and inference questions and study the explanation of why an option is or is not supported. It is for practice and learning, not for a live assessment.
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One college describes 50 minutes and 35 multiple-choice questions, while an older notice lists 33 questions. Check your programme.
A source says any specialist information needed is given in the question, so no health-care background is required.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: Riverland Community College HSRT testing page and related programme notices. Question count, pass mark and retake rules vary by programme.
The BCAT is a computer-based critical-thinking test that Pearson TalentLens says is based on the Watson-Glaser methodology. It is used when applying to the Bar Professional Training Course.
Sources agree it is computer-based and taken at an authorised Pearson VUE test centre, but disagree on length: most say about an hour, one says 55 minutes, and one describes five sections. One source reports 60 multiple-choice questions, which we could not confirm elsewhere, and one says you need at least half correct to proceed, again from a single source.
Listed areas include drawing inferences, recognising assumptions, deduction, logical interpretation and evaluating arguments. This is the same family of skills as the Watson-Glaser test.
Critical thinking: judging whether an inference is warranted, spotting unstated assumptions, following deductions and weighing arguments.
Statement: 'The shop should extend its opening hours because customers complain about long queues.' Assumption: 'Longer opening hours would reduce the queues.' Is the assumption made?
Answer: Yes
The argument only works if longer hours would reduce queues. That unstated link is the assumption the statement relies on.
ReasonEra helps with logic and reasoning practice, so you can check your approach on practice items and read a worked explanation. For Watson-Glaser style drills, add dedicated critical-thinking material.
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Pearson TalentLens describes the BCAT as based on the Watson-Glaser critical-thinking methodology.
Sources say about an hour, with one saying 55 minutes. Check the current instructions from the provider.
Source basis, as of 13 October 2026: Pearson TalentLens: the Bar Course Aptitude Test. Question count and pass criteria come from single third-party sources.
ReasonEra is a specialised AI for reasoning-test questions. A tool made for puzzle patterns can be quicker and more focused than a general-purpose chatbot. See our own published benchmark for the method and results.
We maintain the model and keep developing it, adding new puzzle types and question formats as they appear.
Many candidates now use AI to study. ReasonEra gives you an AI tool for reasoning tests, with explanations that teach the pattern and not only the answer.
They share skills such as verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. Admissions tests differ in timing, scoring and purpose, and some, like UCAT and ISEB, are built for a specific selection process.
Yes. Familiarity with question types helps, because the tests measure reasoning more than revision. Keep practice short and relaxed, and avoid heavy cramming, especially for younger pupils.
UCAT and Oxford's admissions tests have changed in recent years. Check the official site for your intake, and be cautious about older guides that list sections no longer used.
Several come from publisher pages, and others from third-party guides that may be out of date or disagree. Each section names its basis, and the official instructions for your sitting are the authority.
ReasonEra is built for reasoning-test questions, so it suits pattern, logic and number practice with explanations. It does not replace curriculum study for English or maths, and it is for practice and learning, not for a live assessment.
Try pattern, logic and number practice questions in ReasonEra with the free trials, and learn the rule behind each answer.
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Notes. Facts on this page come from public pages and test-prep reports, and each section names its basis. Test formats change, so always confirm details in your own invitation. ReasonEra has no affiliation with the organisations named on this page, and the test names belong to their owners. ReasonEra is for practice and learning only.