Lets take *** as an example. They have been running 1st assessments since late November. I was told on one day they had over 25 people being tested on one day.
Now i hear they are still booking days up to mid Jan.
A massive money making exercise for the FTO at £250 a pop, I will let you do the math. They certainly operate differently to your standard graduate assessment days... Bar money I honestly can't see for any other reason why they are taking on so many candidates for 1st assessments. Stricter vetting of 1st applications would've done the trick.
Out of fairness, they cannot possibly start awarding 3rd stage offers until after the last assessments, say mid Jan. Unless they are particularly sinister
Maybe those who simply didn't meet the aptitude cut will be let down before Christmas or already have been. But if you're still in the running, I wouldn't hold out hope to hear until mid Jan. I am not.
Merry Christmas anyway, and congratulations to everyone who has attended thus far. It certainly is a stressful and gut wrenching week or so building up to your assessment.