Tips for Success in the QLTS Multiple Choice Test (MCT) Assessment

Doing well in the test requires a solid understanding of the MCT course content, as well as a positive attitude and strategic planning and thinking.

Preparing for the MCT

• Use the suggested study guide and stick to it!
• Set realistic goals.
• Exercise daily.
• Read and review every book at least twice.
• Take breaks!
• Identify your areas of weakness and work to improve them.
• Remember – this is a closed-book test – you cannot take the books or other materials into the examination room. While it is not expected that you will be asked to memorise and cite the law, you will be required to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of Outcomes A1-A11 and apply fundamental legal principles.
• While past exams are not available, and it is not possible to predict every possible question, the 15 Mock Tests (with 1,350 questions in total) should give you some indication of what you might expect. They will also help you to determine the level of thinking (recognition, synthesis, analysis, application) and the degree of difference between incorrect and correct responses. Check our sample MCT Mock Test with 20 questions
• Communicate with other students through our online community on Facebook or LinkedIn – it will give you an opportunity to brainstorm and talk with other candidates who are also preparing for the MCT.

Test Day

• Arrive early at the examination centre – give yourself enough time to select a seat and calm down before the test begins.
• Don’t forget to bring with you all the certificates, letters, and identification documents as instructed by the assessment provider – make sure you are familiar with all the procedures, protocols, and policies of the test.
• Be prepared emotionally and physically, as well as intellectually – you are about to take an examination of five and a half hours, divided into morning and afternoon sessions of 2 hours and 45 minutes, each with 90 questions. At the same time, stay calm during the exam so you can think through the questions carefully.
• Stay away from others right before the test and in the break between the two sessions of the MCT – anxiety is highly contagious. It is best to focus on what you know rather than on what you don’t know. Reinforce your strengths and confine your weaknesses.
• Bring your own lunch with you – although the break between the two MCT sessions should be one hour, it may be much shorter due to logistical issues.
• If you are coming from other destinations – plan for extra travel time. Make sure to book your flight later in the evening or the day after the assessment – as the starting time of the test may be delayed.

Strategies

• Plan your time and pace yourself – generally speaking, you should spend less than two minutes (more accurately, 1 minute and 50 seconds) answering each question. If you cannot answer a question within this time, skip it and come back to it later. Set progress points at the beginning of the test and use them to monitor your progress – such as, know what question you should be answering at the 45-minute mark. Allocate time to review your answers
• Read each question carefully – multiple choice tests also examine your ability to read carefully and thoughtfully, as much as they test your ability to recall and reason.
• Questions start with a scenario. Identify which subject area the question relates to – e.g. Business Law, Taxation, Property, etc. – it might help you to narrow the choice of possible responses (the questions on the MCT are scrambled and do not necessarily follow the order that topics were presented in Outcomes A1 to A11).
• Identify keywords – circle or underline keywords, such as “all”, “always”, “never”, “must”, “may”, “none”, “not”, “few”, “many”, “some” and “sometimes”
• Identify what is being asked and answer each question within the context of the course material that was studied.
• Read each of the five possible answers – and don’t just stop when you come upon the one that seems likely.
• There is only one single best answer of five alternatives. You need to find the best answer, not the one that is correct/partially correct, or true.
• Don’t select an answer just because it is the longest one.
• Don’t select an answer just because you remember learning the information in the course; it may be a “true” statement in its own right, but not the best answer to the question.
• Don’t dismiss a response because it seems too obvious and simple as an answer; if you are well prepared for the test, some of the questions may appear very straightforward.
• Don’t be persuaded by fancy terms in the question.
• As you read through the possible responses, mark off the ones that you know are wrong. This will save time if you have to come back to the question later.
• When you identify the best possible answer, carefully mark this on the computer screen. If you are unable to make a choice and need to spend more time with the question, or you have answered the question but are not sure that you have made the correct choice, mark this with your marker on your erasable board (supplied by the assessment provider), and move on to the next one.
• Avoid getting bogged down with one question part of the way through the exam. It is much better to move on and finish all of those questions that you can answer and then come back later to process the problematic questions. Sometimes the answer will occur to you simply because you are more relaxed after having answered other questions.
• Should you change an answer? Change answers only if you have a good reason for doing so (changing your answer from response “C” just because you selected “C” to the previous two questions is not a good enough reason, for example).
• If two responses appear to be equally correct, eliminate the response that appears to be least related to the question being asked. Remember, you are looking for the best answer, not only a correct one. Some responses may be correct, but are not directly related to the question.
• If you are not certain of an answer, guess – there is no penalty for wrong answers. Eliminate the responses you know are incorrect. Narrow down your selection to two responses and then compare them and identify how they differ. Refer to the general principles of law in the question. Finally, make an intelligent and informed guess by using common sense.
• Don’t expect to know everything – it is highly unlikely that you will answer all questions correctly. Remember that in order to pass the test, candidates must obtain the overall pass mark for the MCT. This pass mark will be determined by a Standard Setting Panel convened by the SRA – so don’t panic if you see a question you did not anticipate or prepare for. Use everything you know about the content of the course and your own reasoning ability to analyse the question and identify a logical answer.

We hope you’ve found these tips useful in your preparation and planning for this test.

QLTS School Sample Material for the MCT

Ready to start? Learn more about MCT Course Packages to make sure you are well-prepared to pass on your first attempt.