Failed BARB twice — what finally helped me pass on attempt three

by Marcus T. 3 views3 replies
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Marcus T.OP
May 27, 2026

So I've been lurking here for a while and figured it's time to actually contribute something useful. I'm trying to enlist in the British Army and the BARB test has been my biggest obstacle. Failed the first time with a 42, needed a 60 for the trade I wanted (communications). Second attempt I scored a 58 — so close it hurt. I was doing random online quizzes but nothing structured, which I think was my problem.

Between my second and third attempts I finally got serious. I spent about 3 weeks doing dedicated BARB practice test sessions every morning, focusing specifically on the reasoning and number distance sections because those were killing me. I also found a study guide that actually broke down the question types properly instead of just throwing random questions at you. Things like distance number reasoning and odd one out — once I understood the patterns, my speed improved a lot.

Third attempt: 71. Got my trade choice. Happy to share what worked if anyone's preparing right now. What sections are you guys struggling with most?

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Carlos B.
May 27, 2026
Congrats on the 71! The reasoning sections wrecked me too on my first go. What really helped me was timing myself strictly — the BARB is so time-pressured that even if you know the answers, being slow kills your score. I'd do 50 questions in 20 minutes daily for two weeks. Went from a 55 to a 68. The exam tips I picked up about skipping and coming back actually don't apply here the same way as other tests — you have to just commit and move on.
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Jordan L.
May 28, 2026
Can I ask which study guide you used? I've got my BARB booked for July and I'm honestly terrified. I need a 50 for the role I want but I've heard the number distance part is brutal if you haven't seen it before. I tried a few free BARB practice test sites but they all feel slightly different from what people describe the real thing being like. Did the practice questions feel representative of what you actually saw on test day?
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Ravi S.
May 28, 2026
The letter checking section catches so many people off guard — everyone ignores it in prep because it sounds easy, but at speed it's genuinely tricky. Drill that one specifically. Saved me probably 10 points.

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