Qudurat

Students seeking admission into universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have to sit for Qudurat, an assessment test also known as the General Aptitude Test in English. Universities use it as a standard tool for measuring academic ability. The National Centre organises it for Assessment in Higher Education (QIYAS).The test looks at the following skills:

• Problem-Solving
• Reading Comprehension
• Understanding/Inferential Abilities
• Logical Relations
• Training/Inductional Abilities

It observes the students' general learning capacity. The test is used during the admission process. The institutions of higher education require this test. Students can take it up either in the Arabic language or English language.

General Information

The test is made up of two sections - verbal and quantitative and is the duration of two and a half hours. Students will find:

1.    Verbal Section(is made up of sixty-eight questions for science students and ninety-one questions for humanities students)

-    Reading comprehension: students have to read, analyse the passage and answer the questions

-    Complete the Sentence: they have to fill the blanks with the right words. Students have to see that the answer makes sense.

-    Verbal analogy: students have to match the similar words

-    Synonymy: students have to match the meaning of the word with a synonym

2.    Quantitative Section (made up of general mathematical problems for science and humanities students)

-    Geometry

-    Statistical and analytical questions

-    Arithmetic

-    Algebra

Section two namely focuses on inference, problem-solving and measurement skills. Students have to use their basic knowledge. They will see that the questions have been set from the easiest to difficult for the own convenience. This will help them complete the test within the timeframe. The test is held twice, in the first and second semester. On a positive note, students who are not satisfied with their test results can make another attempt to sit the test. Students should be aware that this is not an achievement test but part of the admissions process. Initially, the test used to be in Arabic but due to the demand by higher learning private institutions, it was presented in the English language for non-Arabians.

Ways to Crack the Test

The basic or general knowledge needs to be a book. Students can go through various Math and English books to freshen up their skills in the subjects.  Some of the books which they will find helpful are:

-    Qudrat Test (Ram 1) by Dr Fahd Al-babtain

-    Ram one by Baha'a Fawzi Abu Zaid

-    Sulslat Altabseet Qudrat by Dr Nasser Al-abdulkarim

Experts say that students can prepare by familiarising themselves with the format of the papers. They can go through the guidelines and instructions to see what is needed. The content from sample papers and past year papers will prove helpful. Students can also get a brochure from the National Centre for Assessment in Higher Education. They can go through the preparation manual for more details. The Centre uses scientific methods to prepare the tests. Students can now prepare for this test through a mobile application called MobiQiyas. Through this application, students can take advantage of mock questions and answers. They only have to pay for the downloading cost. Students have the flexibility to prepare anytime, anywhere. Other ways students can prepare for the test is through time management. They have to work hard with determination and go through past year papers. There are a number of tutorial classes to take advantage of. They can study in groups or under the guidance of a mentor or a senior. Students can go through Qudurat test books. They can take help from the administrators. By going through the sample papers, students will see that the English component will not require much of their time compared to the Maths section. They need to practice to get a feel and grasp the type of questions. The advantage of sample papers is that it makes the students aware of the format. They can even prepare for the test while still in high school. It doesn't take much time. The students just need to focus and work towards whatever they want to achieve. If they find a question tough, they should move to other questions. Students should attempt the tough questions when they have finished the rest. If they complete the test well before time, then they are advised to go over their answers and relook at the choices. They can then hand over the paper. Students can ask the university admissions department about the schedule and venue of the test.