do aptitude tests have any indication to leaving cert results?

hatethisfeeling

Just wondering what the point of the DAT's tests etc is and if they give any real indication of what you could get in the leaving cert. I got 8 in the education part of the dats test and my career guidance teacher said this indicates I could do very well in college and in the leaving cert which sounds like a load of bollix tbh.
But since the leaving cert is basically just a memory test for most subjects is this really true?.I dont think so.....
Just wonderin what your opinions are on these apptitude tests.

Gordon Gecko

In my opinion the DATs tell you very little that you don't already know about yourself. Work hard and you'll do well in school and college. Slack off and you won't. Simple as.

Chuchoter

I did the Cambridge Aptitude Tests (not a careers one, but a general skills to point you towards what careers you might be good at, it was spelling/language/numerical/spatial stuff) in 4th year and it was bull****. I found it so upsetting, I literally came home balling my eyes out after it. I got 99% in language and spelling and 20% in everything else and it effectively told me all my skills were worthless and I should be a secretary (nothing against secretaries now). I was told I would never be good at chemistry or physics because I wasn't 'spatially-minded' and that also I was **** at maths. I am awesome at all my sciences and pretty damn OK at HL maths as well. Sorry I get really pissed off thinking about that thing, because it kind of came at the worst possible time ever :P

Personally I think most aptitude tests are fairly worthless. You know what you are good at better than some dumb algorithm.

Diabhal Beag

It has very little importance. Just an idea of what your strengths may indicate about yourself.

i like pie

not really, the test is designed to show where your strengths and weaknesses are and it tries to point you in the direction of your future career. it has no ability to judge how well you do in the leaving cert, it's up to you how much you learn and study!

Teutorix

Meh i got like in the 98th percentile in mechanical, mathematical, spatial and language skills. I'm still a lazy bastard though :pac:

Dante

No. Many people in my school including myself did terrible in the DATs, yet got 450+ in the leaving cert. The DATs and other aptitude tests are designed to give you a vague outline of your ability in each of the different intelligences/skills, whereas the leaving cert is mainly about your ability to learn off and regurgitate information...They have little, if nothing in common IMO.

partyatmygaff

Incidentally, I got 98th percentile across the board in my DATS as well. It really means nothing though when it comes to the LC. It's all to do with effort and none to do with how well you do on a synthetic intelligence test.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Ya, I remember I scored very high in them as well but I only got 460 (which is good for a lot of people, I know!). No indication of how well you're gonna. Actually, now that I think about it a friend got one of the highest in the year and he only 380 points or something.
Its a bit of a cliché at this stage (to me anyways) but the LC isnt an intelligence exam, its a friggin memory test. Results are by and large proportional to the amount of work put in.

[Rasta]

Gordon Gecko wrote: »

In my opinion the DATs tell you very little that you don't already know about yourself. Work hard and you'll do well in school and college. Slack off and you won't. Simple as.

I never did any study and managed 475 points, which isnt great but still something.
problem officer? :pac: