Younger Applicants

[ollywood]

Hi,
Just wanted to speak to anyone who took the skills assesment at 17/18 years old. Currently i am 17 in my final year of 6th form studying Maths and Physics A- Levels and likely to recieve good grades.
I was thinking of taking my skills assesment early March/April time, as a younger applicant how long should i leave to prepare fully for the assesment, as i obviously have school work and other things that take up most of my day? How did you fit it all in?
Also, bearing in mind i do physics and maths, how much work and preparation did you actually need to do, as i am still confident with the GCSE stuff that is tested?
Fianlly as you were younger that most others at the assesment, did you feel that you were easily able to interact with others during the debates and teamworking exercises? Just a little worried as that is a part you cannot really prepare for.
Many thanks
Ol

[scoot43]

Hey mate. I was 18 when i did my assessment and i was fitting in my preperation for the assessment around my final A-Level exams! i basically found the aspects of maths which i needed to work on and hit it hard - for me this was my mental maths. I would test myself everywhich which way untill i was sure i was confident, and then i'd test myself again and again. Remeber that the Physics part is actually a "technical test" and scouting round the forums everyone will probably tell you that if you have a pretty sound knowledge of basic concepts and can apply a bit of common sense you should be alright. Don't go with the mentality that because you study A level physics and maths you don't need to study! in terms of fitting it in, i'd do the odd bit here and there... 15 min break at college - do some mental maths - get home, allocate time for tech revision and maths. just about balancing it i spose.

I wouldnt worry too much about the groups. You have a whole day and night to get to know each other which doesnt sound like alot, but when you say goodbye to eveyone you did your assessment with, it feels like you've known them a lifetime. Age shouldnt be looked on as an issue at all really, because you're all there for the same reason!

Hope that helped in some way!

[Jags]

Hi!

I did mine at age 17 (in fact exactly a year ago tomorrow!) and fitted in revision around (well, if I'm perfectly host, instead of!) my January A-Level module revision. Yes I should be told off for that... but hey!

Mental maths was always going to be my biggest downfall, but I worked and worked at it (great site called tutpup.com - meant for people younger than ourselves but still helped massively!) and I managed to get 6/7.

For everything else, flight sim I did quite a lot, and that helps - I believe - with hand-eye co-ordination, the instrument interpretation section, multi-tasking etc.

Then I just read, re-read, re-re-read Flight International for the week upto the assessment and searched some forums for likely interview questions (the "what strengths do you have?" type).

It is still my firm belief (be this right or wrong) that the whole skills assessment is more of a test of commitment than a test of aptitude. Yes you can't help it if you just don't have the hand-eye co-ordination, but if you are truely committed to becoming a pilot and doing it through OAA, then you will have done the preparation, revised the course structure and all the rest that goes with it!

As for being only 17 at the time... didn't seem to have any impact, as long as you come up with valid reasons in the interview for your reasons not to go to Uni and you seem mature enough in the group excersises there shouldn't be a problem!

Best of luck with it!

James

[ollywood]

Thanks a lot for those responses really helpful,
I am doing a bit of preparation for the assessment every night, but am just wondering if there are any sites where i can test myself, and see if what im doing is worthwhile and adequate enough to get to the standard required. I tried the maths and physics practice tests on the cabair integrated website, and found them quite easy, and passed the IPAS test by epst. Are there any other useful sites that have roughly the same standard maths and physics questions to test myself on??
Any help much appreciated.

[scoot43]

http://www.lumosity.com/ - This is like brain training without a DS, and i'd reccomend it to anyone doing the assessment. Again, i wouldn't say the maths part is meant for us, but it was still a massive help! As long as you're confident with the four basic operations you'll be fine.

I've got to agree with Jags in that your personality is just as important!

Enjoy it! i found at the end of it i was absolutly knackered and drained, but had alot more fun than i thought i would.

[Mike Griffith]

You'll be absolutely knackered and drained at the end of assessment too, so this sounds like a good prep tool!