Assessment Guides

The tests you'll actually face

Clear, current guides to the aptitude tests UK finance and consulting employers use — what each provider measures, how scoring really works, and how to prepare. Written for graduate applicants, kept honest and up to date.

SHL Tests in 2026: What UK Finance and Consulting Applicants Actually Face

What SHL tests look like in 2026 — formats, question types, norm-group scoring and how UK finance and consulting applicants should prepare.

6 min read · Read guide

The Aon (cut-e) Scales Numerical Test: Why It's Nothing Like SHL

The Aon (cut-e) scales numerical test explained — 37 questions in 12 minutes, penalty scoring, and why standard test advice backfires here.

5 min read · Read guide

Cappfinity Assessments Explained: The Provider Behind HSBC, Barclays and KPMG

What a Cappfinity assessment involves — the strengths-based provider behind HSBC, Barclays and KPMG online assessments, explained properly.

5 min read · Read guide

Arctic Shores Game-Based Assessment: What You Can (and Can't) Prepare For

The Arctic Shores game-based assessment explained — what the tasks measure, which parts you can prepare for, and which parts you genuinely can't.

5 min read · Read guide

Aptitude Test Scores Explained: Percentiles, Norm Groups and What Banks Actually Require

Aptitude test percentiles explained — norm groups, why banks never publish pass marks, and what score UK finance and consulting applicants really need.

5 min read · Read guide

When to Start Preparing for Aptitude Tests: A Timeline for 2026/27 UK Applications

When to start preparing for aptitude tests for 2026/27 UK graduate schemes — a month-by-month timeline built around real IB and Big 4 deadlines.

5 min read · Read guide

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