Guide
How to prepare for an IQ test
You cannot cram for an IQ test the way you cram for an exam, and you should be suspicious of anyone who says you can. But you can make sure the result reflects your real ability rather than nerves, noise or an unfamiliar format. Here is what helps, what does not, and how much difference practice really makes.
Want your own number? The test is 25 visual puzzles, about 12 minutes, no sign-up.
What preparation can and cannot change
The research here is clear and modest. A meta-analysis of retesting on cognitive ability tests found that scores rise by about a quarter of a standard deviation on average on a second attempt, roughly 4 IQ points, and more when the same test form is reused (Hausknecht et al., 2007).
That gain is real, but look at where it comes from. People who have seen the format know what is being asked, waste less time understanding instructions and are less thrown by the first hard item. When the exact same questions return, some people also remember answers. None of that changes the reasoning ability the test is trying to estimate. It removes noise, which is good, or adds memory, which is not.
So the goal of preparation is not to raise your score above your ability. It is to stop the score from falling below it.
Before the test
Learn the format, once
Seeing one example of each puzzle type removes most of the surprise. The practice page has a worked example for each of the five IQ Octopus sections. Our guides to pattern recognition, matrix reasoning and spatial reasoning list the rule types each puzzle uses. Knowing those lists turns a confusing picture into a checklist.
Pick your moment
Take the test when you are rested and not in a hurry. Most people need about 12 minutes, and the limit is 20, so block out 20 minutes where nothing will interrupt you. Late at night after a long day is a poor time to measure anything.
Set up the space
- Somewhere quiet, with notifications off.
- A laptop or tablet shows the puzzles larger, though a phone works.
- Good light and a stable connection. If the connection drops, your progress is saved, but the clock keeps running.
Try one · Spatial Reasoning
Which option is the same shape, only rotated?
Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.
Show the answer
Option 2 is the original figure turned a quarter turn counterclockwise.
How to solve it
- Pick a landmark: the marked cell or the end of the longest arm.
- Turn the figure in your head and watch where that landmark goes, and which side the other cells end up on.
- Turning the figure a quarter turn counterclockwise gives option 2.
- Each of the other options is a mirror image: flipping it over would match, but no turn does.
That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.
During the test
- Find every rule. The most common mistake is stopping after the first rule you notice. Wrong options are usually built to match the obvious rule and break another.
- Predict before you look. Picture the answer first, then find it among the options. It stops the options from leading you.
- Do not rush. On IQ Octopus your pace is described in the result but does not change your estimated IQ. Only correct answers count.
- Answer everything. Unanswered puzzles count as wrong. If you are stuck, rule out the options that clearly break a rule and pick from what is left.
- Let a hard one go. Puzzles get harder within each section. A hard one is supposed to feel hard. Make your best choice and move on rather than spending five minutes on it.
After the test
Read the confidence range, not just the number. Every test carries measurement error; even clinical scores are reported with an interval, often around plus or minus 5 points at 95% (Wechsler, 2008). A range is the honest way to read any score.
If you plan to retake, wait. A second attempt soon after the first will read a little higher from practice alone. IQ Octopus generates new puzzles each time, which removes memorized answers, but not familiarity. We suggest 30 days between attempts.
If you are preparing for a clinical test
If a psychologist is assessing you for a diagnosis, accommodation or placement, the goal is an accurate picture, not a high number. Practicing the specific test can make the result less useful to the people trying to help you. Get a good night's sleep, bring glasses if you need them, and follow the examiner's instructions. Our comparison of online and clinical tests explains how the two differ.
What we will not tell you
You will find plenty of advice online promising to raise your IQ by large amounts. We only repeat findings we can source, and the solid finding is the modest practice effect above. Learn the format, take the test once in good conditions, and read the result as an honest estimate.
Sources
- Hausknecht, J. P., Halpert, J. A., Di Paolo, N. T., & Moriarty Gerrard, M. O. (2007). Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 373-385. doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.2.373
- Wechsler, D. (2008). WAIS-IV Technical and Interpretive Manual. Pearson.
- Simons, D. J., Boot, W. R., Charness, N., Gathercole, S. E., Chabris, C. F., Hambrick, D. Z., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. L. (2016). Do "brain-training" programs work? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(3), 103-186. doi.org/10.1177/1529100616661983
- Federal Trade Commission (2016, January 5). Lumosity to Pay $2 Million to Settle FTC Deceptive Advertising Charges for Its "Brain Training" Program (read via Wayback Machine) www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/01/lumosity-pay-2-million-settle-ftc-deceptive-advertising-charges