Using Aptitude Testing To Pick A College Major

What is aptitude testing, and why do I need it?

First, let’s talk about what aptitude testing is not. Aptitude tests do not measure one’s IQ or intelligence. Aptitude tests also do not measure learned skills that have been acquired through study or hard work. Rather, aptitude tests measure a person’s inherent abilities that they are naturally born with. These abilities tend to crystallize around the age of fourteen and remain stable over time, throughout adulthood. Natural abilities are the inherent skills that allow a person to learn, execute, or “just get” something. If you’ve ever known someone who is a “natural” at learning foreign languages, or who has a “head for math” — those people likely have natural aptitudes that help them pick up those areas of study more easily. Other people might “just have an ear” for music or might be natural athletes. These abilities are different from learning a skill. Most people can learn a foreign language if they work hard at it, or can be taught the proper technique for shooting a basketball – but some people just have a natural advantage in specific areas.

So, how does this apply to aptitude testing and picking a college major? Many people, students and adults alike, have trouble understanding and identifying their own abilities. Not everyone easily finds their passion. Many students feel like they “aren’t really good at anything.” But that isn’t true! Everyone has natural abilities, and aptitude testing is a way for students to understand what they are good at, what they enjoy, and how they learn. When they can apply these strengths to potential careers, they can zero in on areas of study that they will find both fulfilling and that they can thrive in.

What is the Highland Aptitude Battery (HAB)?

Career counselors use a lot of tools to help students find their natural strengths and weaknesses. When it comes to measuring aptitude, the Highland Aptitude Battery (HAB) is the gold standard in the industry. The Highland Aptitude Battery (HAB) consists of a series of virtual tests or “work samples” that can be administered from one’s home computer. These nineteen work samples measure the test takers’ various abilities, or aptitudes, based on performance. Each exercise occurs within an allotted time period. The higher the test taker’s natural aptitude for a specific skill, the more they will achieve in any given work sample. Examples of exercises test takers will encounter include recreating designs from memory, manipulating blocks in space, and arranging images into a logical sequence.^[1]

So when we say “abilities,” what are we talking about? The HAB measures a number of aptitudes such as:

• Visual speed and accuracy
• Ability to work with numbers and designs
• Inductive Reasoning
• Analytical reasoning
• Idea flow
• Verbal aptitude
• Structural visualization
• Musical aptitude
• Memory and learning channels

In addition to abilities, it also measures vocabulary. While vocabulary is not considered a natural aptitude, it is seen as an important skill which has been found to predict occupational success in many fields.^[2]

If nineteen work samples sound like a lot, it is. But the HAB organizes all of this data into four easy-to-digest and understand general areas – Personal Style, Driving Abilities, and Specialized Abilities, along with Vocabulary.

Personal Style is broken down further into three subscales: Generalist/Specialist, Extrovert/Introvert, and Time Frames. The Personal Style scale does not dictate what type of career someone may be drawn to, but rather, their preferred style for how they might work within a particular environment. For example, a Generalist may be someone who prefers “big picture” work, someone who works well in groups, and may be able to focus broadly on several different moving parts. A Specialist, on the other hand, may be someone who has an eye for detail, likes to get into the nitty-gritty of jobs, and focuses on very specific areas. The Extrovert/Introvert subscale measures the preference for working with others, versus working alone. Time Frames are an indicator of how quickly someone prefers to see results. Someone with an immediate Time Frame may prefer to see results quickly, or at least within six months. Someone with a longer time frame tolerance may be able to stay motivated without immediate rewards. For example, someone who is in sales may work best on an immediate time frame. Someone who is in research may not require an immediate payoff for their work. Understanding personal style can help a student choose a career area which they can thrive in.

Driving Abilities is broken down into five subscales: Classification, Concept Organization, Idea Productivity, Spatial Relations Theory, and Spatial Relations Visualization. The Driving Abilities influence almost every part of our daily lives and heavily influence how we approach work tasks. Some of the specific abilities that these subscales measure include the ability to spot patterns, the ability to solve abstract problems, the ability to generate new ideas and problem solve, and the ability to organize information.

Specialized skills can assist or enhance one’s work life. These subskills are broken down as Design Memory, Observation, Verbal Memory, Tonal Memory, Rhythm Memory, Pitch Discrimination, Number Memory, and Visual Speed and Accuracy. Specialized skills may play a part in the type of career a person is drawn to, may influence hobbies that one enjoys, and may play a factor in a person’s creativity.

Finally, vocabulary is measured, as it is indicative of how well a person can express themselves and has been shown to be a predictor in future career success. Vocabulary is a learned skill, not an innate ability, and can be improved, particularly through reading.

The results of the HAB take into account all four scales and assess unique patterns that begin to emerge. By analyzing the test taker’s pattern of unique abilities, predictions and assessments can begin to be made regarding the test taker’s preferred working environment, the type of work they will enjoy most, and the type of work that will come most easily to them.^[3]

How do I get started?

Taking the HAB is easy and doesn’t require students to travel to a specialized testing site. I offer high school students a package that includes taking the HAB as well as a number of other follow-up services. I also offer aptitude testing as a stand-alone service. Once a student has signed up for my package or for the stand-alone test, I will send them a link to the HAB, which they may take at their convenience in their own home. Taking the HAB usually takes approximately two and a half hours; however, students do not need to take the entire test in one sitting. They may break it up as needed and take a pause after completing any of the work samples. Once the student is finished, a thirty-page report will be generated and sent to both the student and me. Once I have received and reviewed the results, we will schedule two debriefing session to go over your results. These sessions will last approximately an hour each.

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Can the HAB really make a difference in helping me choose a major?

The HAB has been independently researched through several studies and found to be a reliable instrument in assisting students and adults in making career decisions. In one study, Andrew G. Neiner, a Ph.D. and Organizational Psychologist, was tasked with studying the HAB’s Reliability, and found that each of the HAB’s nineteen work samples meets or exceeds professional standards for test reliability, and test scores are consistent over time.^[4] Dr. Neiner examined both test-retest consistency as well as internal consistency across work samples. His findings support the conclusion that the HAB measures the areas of aptitude that it claims to assess.

In a separate ten-year study, Dr. Corrie Brown administered the HAB to a group of first-year veterinary students. This study analyzed data from students who had all taken the same courses necessary to be accepted into veterinary school. The study could assume that all of these students had learned the same skills necessary to succeed in veterinary medicine, but wanted to see how the HAB could help students find micro areas of the field that would be the best personal fit for their natural abilities. The researchers provided specific examples of how the HAB was used to assist these students. For example, a student who is a strong specialist, an introvert and who has high organizational skills may prefer a career in the research side of veterinary medicine. Whereas a strong specialist who scores high in design memory and high classification ability may enjoy an area that involves rapid problem-solving, such as pathology. Overall, the study found that while ability scores are not a magic formula for overall career satisfaction, having greater self-awareness of one’s own abilities can help students make more informed choices when pursuing career opportunities, leading to a higher chance of long-term career satisfaction and happiness.^[5]

I took the HAB and now I have a thirty-page report. Now what?

As with any other psychological instrument, the HAB is best utilized when a certified instructor is available to help a student interpret the results. Unlike brief surveys that can be taken online, the HAB is meant for test takers to engage in an extensive debriefing session after the test. As a Highland Certified Consultant (HCC), I have gone through extensive training to help each student interpret their results and develop a plan for what comes next. After I review your results, I will schedule a debriefing session to help you understand your profile and learn what kind of environments and careers you may thrive in.

When debriefing the HAB results, I use a Whole Person Model to help you sift through the gold mine of information you have recently uncovered. Once we identify your natural abilities and strengths, we will then begin to apply them to who you are as a person and discuss potential directions you may wish to apply your abilities to. We will consider your values, goals, and interests, as well as the influences your family may have on your career choices, and brainstorm how this intersects with your abilities and skills.^[6] From there, we will come up with a road map of exploration that can help lead you to a fulfilling college major.

I feel overwhelmed by all of this information. Do I get support after I take the HAB?

Yes, my Aptitude and Career Discovery package offers ongoing support, following the initial debriefing session. Not only will students have their in-depth reports, which will be useful throughout their lifetime, but I also provide students with a wealth of resources to helpl them explore and identify the best majors, careers, internships, and extracurriculars that support their growth, happiness, and potential. I also offer ongoing text support and check-ins, as well as help set students up with meetings with one or two professionals in the field they are considering pursuing. Once students understand their own strengths and abilities, they can focus on areas within a larger field of study and narrow down where they will thrive personally and professionally, in any given field.

Contact us today to schedule your aptitude test

To schedule an aptitude test, simply contact us online or by telephone today. Also, by subscribing to our newsletter, through the form below, you will receive a ten percent discount on the cost of the assessment and coaching package.

References:

^[1] https://www.highlandsco.com/whats-highlands-ability-battery/

^[2] https://www.highlandsco.com/what-are-natural-abilities/

^[3] https://www.highlandsco.com/what-are-natural-abilities/

^[4] https://www.highlandsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1-Neiner-Technical-Reliability-Report.pdf

^[5] https://www.highlandsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/4-Using-A-Natural-Abilities-Battery.pdf

^[6] https://www.highlandsco.com/the-power-of-feedback-why-the-hab-includes-an-in-depth-debrief-session/