Hi Limusina,
Nice to meet you and thanks!
In terms of preparation, I practiced several weeks and more intensively on the tests that were a bit more obscure to me, e.g. abstract reasoning and numerical, while I felt more confident in the others. I has already prepared for other tests of the kind, and therefore I have also relied on that preparation, which was really helpful. The test that I suggest 'practicing' (or at least going through in more detail) is the competency test, for which I would suggest reading EU news, going through the main articles of the Treaties and in generally famiarising with the key EU concepts from an EU law manual (e.g. the EU institutions, the formation of political parties in the EP, etc).
Hope this helps!

Silvia

Hi Raluca,
Thanks and nice to meet you!

With regard to your question about the various sections, I feel that the key thing for me was to keep focus for the entire 2 hour lenght of the test. That would be one of the main things that I would focus on in your preparation - take the 10 minute pause, if you feel it is worth doing for you and set your mind on other things, don't rush to get to the end. The most challenging section for me where the abstract reasoning and the numerical, not much because they are super difficult in themselves, but because these are the one that I struggle the most. All section were feasible within the time available to me, although I very much tried to focus on the two that I felt were most challenging to me. Maybe one thing to stress is that the abstract reasoning and the the numerical have a joint threshold (10 out of 20 together), so you need to score that much to pass on both.

I relied on previous preparation for other tests of the kind, which were pretty similar, especially the Baneth testbook for exercising the multi-choice test. They are pretty similar to those that are used for the AD concour. Once you get used to those in the testbook and particularly the speed at which you need to answer, then you are already pretty well positioned to pass the CAST. In terms fo competency test, I prepared by reading the EU treaties and going through the main features of the EU, e.g. you could go through an EU law testbook if you have it already. I think this is pretty used, and also some EU news in relation to the current EU Commission, who's the President, and so on.

I hope this useful and good luck with your test!
Silvia