Got my CAAT results back - Level 4 in math but Level 2 in reading, is that normal?
So I took the CAAT last week through my local employment center and just got my score report. I'm honestly confused about what the different levels mean in terms of where this places me. My math came back at Level 4 which I expected since I work in trades, but my reading comprehension was Level 2 and vocabulary was Level 3. Is that a big deal for most programs?
The test itself wasn't what I expected. I thought it'd be more like a high school exam but it's really more of an aptitude assessment. The mechanical reasoning section felt totally different from the language parts - I flew through it but had to really slow down on the reading passages because some of them were pretty dense. I had about 3 hours total with short breaks between sections.
I'm trying to get into a machinist apprenticeship program and they mentioned the assessment as part of the application. The coordinator said they look at math and mechanical reasoning most heavily for that trade, which made me feel a bit better about my reading score. Still wondering if I should retake to bring up the language levels.
Has anyone else had a mixed score profile like this and still gotten into their target program? I don't want to delay my application by waiting to retake if it's not necessary for a trades path.
I had a Level 2 reading on my first attempt and ended up retaking the language sections 6 months later. Brought reading up to Level 3 with some focused practice. Depends on your time pressure though - if the program starts soon just apply with what you've got.
The coordinator is usually your best resource, they see these mixed profiles all the time.
The reading comprehension section tripped me up too - those passages are dry and technical and you have to read carefully. A few basic test prep books before my retake helped more than I expected for that specific format.
Level 4 in math is solid - most programs start looking for a Level 3 minimum so you're above that bar. I'd call the employment center and ask them directly what the cutoffs are for your specific program before worrying about a retake.
For machinist apprenticeships the math and mechanical scores matter a lot more than language. My buddy got in with a Level 2 reading and Level 5 mechanical and had zero issues - they cared about technical aptitude, full stop.
If you were going into something like business administration they'd probably weigh the reading scores more critically.