How to prepare for an IQ test
You cannot raise your underlying reasoning ability in a weekend, but you can remove the things that make people score below their real level.
Before the test
- Sleep properly the night before. Tiredness lowers scores more than most people expect.
- Pick a quiet place and turn off notifications, so you can focus for the whole session.
- Look at example questions of each type so none of them feels strange on the day. Unfamiliar formats cost time.
During the test
- Read each question fully before looking at the options.
- Work out the answer yourself first, then check it against the choices. This avoids being pulled toward a tempting wrong option.
- If a question is taking too long, make your best guess and move on. A hard question is worth no more than an easy one in your time.
- Check units, directions and wording such as "not", "except" and "second", because many wrong answers come from missing one word.
Does practice raise your IQ?
Practising the same types of puzzles often raises your score a little, mainly because you become faster and more familiar with the formats. That is a gain in test skill, not necessarily in general reasoning ability, so a score after heavy practice may not mean the same as a first-time score.
For the most honest result, take the test once without cramming, and treat any later attempts as practice.
What to do with the result
Use it to learn which kinds of reasoning feel easy and which feel hard. The skills breakdown in the report is more useful than the single number. If you want a formal assessment for educational or medical reasons, ask a qualified psychologist.