Meter Reader Aptitude Battery (MRAB) Test Preparation 2024

If you thought being a graduate meant your days of exams were over, boy were you wrong. Pre-employment screening has become the norm for job seekers today. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) has been instrumental in developing and administering these screening exams to their many member companies in the energy industry. If you are having thoughts about becoming a meter reader, then the EEI’s Meter Reader Aptitude Battery is an exam you need to prepare for.

What Is the MRAB Test?

The Meter Reader Aptitude Battery or MRAB is an exam used to help select candidates responsible for monitoring and reading company meters. The test was developed after research funded by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which found the MRAB test to be relevant to meter reading jobs and could be used as a suitable predictive index, predicting a prospective employee’s likelihood of job success.  

Meter Reader Aptitude Battery (MRAB) Test Sections

The MRAB test lasts no more than 20 minutes and is split into two sections. The two sections are detailed below:

• Using Tables – The test is used to assess the candidate’s ability to correctly obtain information from a number table. With a time limit of 6 minutes to cover 85 questions, the candidate’s speed is also an important factor.
• Coding – The candidate is presented with 18 sets of data each containing 4 questions to be completed in 5 minutes. The candidate is expected to use a coding scheme and correctly assign a code to data provided. The test is an assessment of the candidate’s ability to assign codes correctly.

MRAB Test Scoring

The two sections are combined to provide a single overall score, which serves as a reflection of the candidate’s reasoning ability, perceptual speed and ability to retain information. All these skills are relevant to predicting the candidate’s likelihood to perform well on the job.

How to Pass the Meter Reader Aptitude Battery (MRAB) Test?

At 20 minutes long with over 100 items, the exam is brief but intense. Candidates need to correctly answer these questions while pressed for time. With approximately 11.5 seconds per question, time management is key in the exam preparation exercise.

To help with time management, candidates should attempt the Meter Reader Aptitude Battery practice test in exam conditions. Recreate the conditions that are expected in the assessment center in a quiet environment. With a timer on, attempt as many questions as possible. If your MRAB practice test happens to come with both questions and answers, you can then compare your answers with that of the answer key provided.

Study guides are also a great way to prepare as they provide general tips and point the candidate towards additional resources which may come in handy during the preparation process. These can be found online, sometimes on the employer’s website, along with practice questions.

Conclusion

A 20-minute psychometric evaluation stands between you and your job; all you need to do is ace it. Put in the work, and prepare adequately leaving no stone unturned. Thorough preparation will no doubt make the exam a little easier to bear.