This is the first time I posted on here but I took the Inital Selection Tests at Southampton yesterday. I didn't feel 100% going in as I have had a hectic couple weeks since applying and hadn't been able to go through the ATC booklet as much as I would have liked. But it would seem I did enough to get through to the next 2 tests. I finished 40 of the diagramming ones and felt confident I got them all correct. I also got through most of the cubes, 5 short, something like that and also felt confident they were all 100%.
To be honest, with what I have seen so far and am expecting, you either have it or you don't. The tests are not difficult if you have what NATS want. I believe you need the right internal skills, skills that you may not be able to neccessarily learn. Your brain definitely needs to work logically and analytically, processing data all at once and not one bit at a time.
I for one looked at 3 examples of diagramming and the cubes and told myself I cannot learn to get these right, I need to know I can get these right. I didn't revise this anymore than those 3 examples before the tests. I spent my little time reading the material and hoped my skills for those other 2 would be adequate.
I don't know if I have it or not, there is still a long way to go and I may fail at a test someone else finds simple, that makes them the ATC, not me. And I'm not going to say the tests are not difficult, the examples got progressively harder and took more and more time to work out.
Anyhow got the email at 9am this morning inviting me to the next stage, I'll be there on the 15th.
Last edited by extrasafe; 26th Feb 2013 at 18:09.