Numerical test feedback

tommy1234 Wed, 02/26/2025 - 18:33

After today's exam, I would like to address the issue of tools provided as part of the numerical test.

The method of using the place for taking notes (pdf scratchpad, etc.) is unclear, unintuitive, requires several clicks, and has to be repeated for each question. Given the amount of time given for each question, this is an additional, completely unnecessary complication.

I have the impression that this interface was programmed by someone who either wanted to make it as difficult as possible for the examinees to use it, or simply did not know of a tool such as a primitive Windows notepad, that would work much more effective.

Hello Tommy,

ireneperezoliva_181428 Thu, 02/27/2025 - 10:04 Permalink

Hello Tommy,

I am having my exams next week and I'm a bit worried about this scratchpad because I don't really know how to use it. I read the instructions on the TestWe platform but I feel this is not clear.

Well,

tommy1234 Mon, 03/03/2025 - 20:04 Permalink

Well,

my answer would not be encouraging. If individual results cannot be written down during calculations (and this is the case, because the scratchpad is a form of "sabotage", and the available calculator does not have any cache memory), solving individual tasks is basically guessing and responding "on the spot".

Hi, Tommy, I understand very

lasombradecain@gmail.com Thu, 02/27/2025 - 12:45 Permalink

Hi, Tommy, I understand very well your frustration.

I´m just another candidate, but I´ve been a candidate many times, long before the EPSO existed. What I am going to write is just my personal experience and my opinion: it is not based on anything I have read anywhere.

TestWE was first used, to my knowledge, by the European Parliament when EPSO wasn´t doing exams after what I call 'the pandemic crisis'. In the competition I took part with the EP (I insist, where EPSO did not intervene) TestWE worked fine because we only had to deal with text, there were no numerical, verbal or abstract tests.

When Prometic stopped being EPSO´s contractor, it seems EPSO turned to TestWE developers following such a successful experience with the EP. My guess is that the contractor adapted the software in whatever means possible in order to accommodate verbal, abstract and numericals tests.

There have been many complaints about the numerical and they have also reached the European Ombudsman.

EPSO is well aware of the issue. I wrote to them suggesting improvements in the video and guide, to no avail so far. They thanked me very much for my suggestions and they assured me they´re working very hard to improve the candidates´ experience, and I really want to believe them because they must be overwhelmed with hundreds of complaints.

I do not think the software can be changed so easily, but it might also be the case that the contractor won´t change anything because such an update is not contemplated in their contract: I have no idea, sorry.

There was a call for tenders at the end of 2024 and we don´t know who the future contractor will be, but hopefully they´ll do better with the numericals.

Ideally, CBTs should disappear, but I don´t think it´s going to happen.

In the meantime, we have to endure this situation and have loads of patience.

I understand very well how you feel: I´ve been there and I did even worse than you. In a recent competition I could not use the notepad at all.

Good luck with your results,

i've got the same problem

chris5177168 Thu, 02/27/2025 - 22:49 Permalink

i've got the same problem with numerical test , you need to open a claim

I have the same problem. It

Jo Ta Mon, 03/03/2025 - 20:32 Permalink

I have the same problem. It feels like they want us to fail. :( I'm frustrated...

I think they rather want us

tommy1234 Thu, 03/06/2025 - 19:06 Permalink

I think they rather want us to buy as many of their courses, webinars and podcasts as possible ;).

With respect, that's unfair -

ryan.elt_181326 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 15:02 Permalink

With respect, that's unfair - the EPSO and EU Training are separate entities. Your complaint is directed toward TestWE/EPSO, not to EU Training.

I am pretty sure I failed the

ryan.elt_181326 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 09:11 Permalink

I am pretty sure I failed the numerical section yesterday and I sent a message to TestWE support telling them that the crappy scratchpad did not help, at all. They responded telling me to submit my problem to the support chatbot, which if anything is actually worse than the scratchpad.

How do I open a claim?

Hello @ryan.elt_181326,

chris1258177168 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 11:24 Permalink

Hello @ryan.elt_181326,

You must first call TestWe so that they open a ticket and then you must immediately (at the latest within 3 days after the exam ) go here:

https://eu-careers.europa.eu/fr/contact-us/complaints

Kind Regards

Much obliged, Chris! I've

ryan.elt_181326 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 12:04 Permalink

Much obliged, Chris! I've done that.

I want to open a claim, too.

Jo Ta Fri, 03/07/2025 - 14:38 Permalink

I want to open a claim, too. I had the same problem during the numerical reasoning examination, but I'm afraid that if I open a claim I may make my situation worse, like, for example my paper won't count ... Do you think it possible?

I don't think they would be

rudastom_182520 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 14:43 Permalink

I don't think they would be that petty, but I don't think it would have much impact on your situation currently overall.

EPSO have replied already!

ryan.elt_181326 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 16:42 Permalink

EPSO have replied already! Basically, because I didn't call TestWe by phone AT THE TIME OF THE TEST ITSELF, i.e. during the actual numerical reasoning test, my complaint is declined. So, if you didn't call TestWe at the time of doing the test, don't bother opening a claim.

I see... Anyway, thanks for

Jo Ta Fri, 03/07/2025 - 18:00 Permalink

I see... Anyway, thanks for the info! And good luck!

Wonderful. There is so much

tommy1234 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 18:07 Permalink

Wonderful. There is so much time to make phone calls during the test ;)

Hi all, I received the same

vikje.nagy@gmail.com Fri, 03/14/2025 - 16:43 Permalink

Hi all, I received the same answer from EPSO. :/

Thank you.

Jo Ta Fri, 03/07/2025 - 16:09 Permalink

Thank you.

Hi! How do you exactly use

paulajimenez1212_179794 Thu, 03/13/2025 - 13:24 Permalink

Hi! How do you exactly use the notepad / scratchpad during the numerical reasoning exam? Because on the instructions it says on a pdf but how do you exactly open the feature during the exam? Is it two clicks on a word or what? I have the exam in a few days and I am scared of failing this part just because I cannot write down anything... Thank you.

Hello! I have the exam in a

paulajimenez1212_179794 Fri, 03/14/2025 - 11:40 Permalink

Hello! I have the exam in a few days and I am worried about the numerical reasoning. I was wondering how do you use the scratchpad / notepad? Because on the instructions it is explained for a pdf, but how do I access it on the exam? Do I have to double click on the words? Is it a button? If anyone could help me I would appreciate it. Thank you.

what can I say... I wasn't

Jo Ta Sat, 03/15/2025 - 06:25 Permalink

what can I say... I wasn't able to find a way to use it. It was not a nice experience... Practice your short-term memory so that you can recall the results before your final answer... Good luck!

A lot of questions require

s_183277 Sat, 03/22/2025 - 10:49 Permalink

A lot of questions require multiple calculations, using the TestWe application I could not see any way:

-to store in memory previous calculations to use later;
-any notepad available to write intermediary results

Was that the experience people had when tooking the exam? mine is only in april