The exam given to entry-level job candidates is called the Postal Exam 473, which other people call Test 473. The postal test doesn’t measure the knowledge of facts but rather, your general aptitude. Therefore, you can easily learn to improve your score if you prepare for the test in advance.

However, not many test-takers pass the postal exam. In fact, the Post Office Exams have a failure rate of more than 80%. The high failure rate is due to many mistakes that applicants make either when preparing for the test or when taking the actual exam.

Mistakes Candidates Make Preparing for the Test

• Failure to use an Exam Study Guide

Some candidates don’t buy a study guide while some buy but fail to make use of it. So, they take the test without having familiarized themselves with the exam layout, format of the questions and the time limits for each section. Postal exam 473 doesn’t measure knowledge of facts. It actually measures your general aptitude. Therefore, the only way to improve your score is by using a study guide.

• Using Outdated Exam Study Guide

Many candidates fail to score high in the postal test because they use outdated study guides. An outdated guide contains exam practice tests that do not present questions in the new format. Therefore, it confuses test-takers completely instead of helping them. The USPS changed its examination processes in 2009 and that made many study guides outdated. Because these guides are still available in the stores, some candidates use them to prepare for the new Postal Exam 473.

• Failure to Establish Study Routine

One of the main reasons people don’t score high in the postal test is failure to establish and stick to a study routine. In most cases, candidates have limited time to study because they have to carry out with their daily activities. For this reason, some people might establish a study routine but fail to stick to it. Others don’t allocate time for their daily studies at all. Without allocating time for your studies, chances are, you’ll be doing very little to prepare for the test and before you know it, the postal exam date reaches and you take the test without adequate or proper preparation.

Mistakes Candidates Make when Taking the Postal Exam

• Spending too much time on one question

Yes, it’s true that majority of candidates don’t score high in the postal test because they often spend too much time answering one question. The test is divided into four parts with each having specified time limitations. Some students tend to take more than the allocated time on one part of the exam, leaving no time to attend to the remaining sections.

• Allowing nervousness to take control

Even if you’ve adequately prepared for the postal test, but you allow fear of failure to take control of the situation, you can be sure that you’re not going to get your dream score in the test. Instead of focusing their energy and time on answering the questions, some students allow nervousness to get the better part of them.