It's not surprising that many people equate being able to succeed in escape room games with having high IQ. But whatever your feelings might be about the validity of the intelligence quotient, it seems to play an increasingly important role in our lives today. In fact, IQ tests have been designed to test our relative intelligence in many different situations. If you sit for any high school examination or even employment screening processes, there's a chance you will have to fill out an IQ test. Even the big global exams such as SAT, GRE and GMAT,  make use of multiple choice questions based around IQ. In reality, it means that it's difficult to escape an IQ test. So the best chance you have of passing, is to try and develop strategies that can help you when it comes to taking them.

When it comes to multiple choice tests (MCT), many people assume that all you need is to have a high level of good recognition skills. But in truth, that was more commonly seen in examinations of the past. Today's questions are much more subtle and the range has been increased considerably. Rather than simply measuring spatial skills or basic logic, they look at such things as levels of intelligence, thinking skills and comprehension analysis. It's important that if you're considering taking any type of MCT test, then the first thing you need to do is familiarise yourself with the different types of questions that may come up.

All Sorts Of Multiple Choice Questions

Essentially, there are two parts of every multiple choice examination. The fastest of these is known as the stem. Following this we have multiple choice of answers. The stem can be in the form of either a direct question or an indirect one. It's incredibly important that you pay attention to the exact wording of the STEM question. You may well find that it's worded in such a way as to cause confusion. Keep in mind that under examination conditions, you are racing against the clock. By making questions deliberately opaque and even slightly confusing, the examiners know that they can increase your stress levels under pressure.

Answering Strategies For Multiple Choice Questions 

The first thing we should point out is that you will not pass any exam unless you have been studying. Yeah, we know that’s a bummer. And though a set of strategies can help you during the test, they cannot make up for lack of knowledge. 

Read And Understand The Question

Although this seems like the most basic of advice, it's also one of the most neglected strategies. Be sure of exactly what the question is asking you. Then you’ll find it much easier to focus on the answers. Whether they are keywords which need highlighting or ticks to be placed in boxes, truly understanding what the question is asking will save you a lot of time.

Check All The Options Before Choosing

It’s possible that an answer might spring into your mind straight away. But be sure to take a look at the other choices available. You may find that one is actually a better fit. So examine all the options with care.

Utilise The Process of Elimination

It's always a good idea to strike out options that seem totally improbable or irrelevant. This way, even if you're unsure of what the correct answer might be, you will be able to take an educated guess from the remaining options.

Don’t Look Too Deeply At The Question’s Meaning

It's super important that you're not trying to read too deeply into each question. If you tend to overanalyze, then you'll find yourself misinterpreting the question. And therefore reducing your chances of guessing the right answer. Though it's perfectly true there may well be some trick questions, it's best not to over complicate anything.

Absolutes Are Not Your Friends

When you're looking through the choices of answers, you may find some which are absolutes. Answers that make no accommodation for exceptions. On the whole, with most of these tests, you'll find that choices which contain an absolute for the answer are, more than likely, going to be incorrect.

Limit Your Time On Each Question

Take note that in IQ tests you'll find that time is not your friend. To this end, you must use it wisely. So if you come across a question that stumps you, then we suggest you quickly move on. There's no point in racking your brain as the time drains away. You can always come back to these questions later on when you’ve finished the rest of the test.

Stick To Your Answers

On the whole, we believe that you should go with your first choice. When you're rereading your IQ test paper you may feel the desire to change your answers. But more often than not, this is simply a matter of nerves and insecurity. So just leave things as they are!

Be Aware Of Trick Questions

You might find some of the answers to being incredibly obvious and therefore rather meaningless. But these types of questions are often placed there in order to trap you. There may well be some fine print or hidden links within the exam. Things that these questions will cause you to overlook. So always have your wits about you.

Escape Room Games Are IQ Tests 

Many of the above strategies will function perfectly well during an escape room game. You'll be faced with many different and varied puzzles and riddles. Like an IQ test, it's important not to overthink them. More often than not, the answer requires simply looking at a problem from a different angle. Likewise, if you get stumped with a puzzle, then move on to something else or encourage another member of your team to have a go at it. In a similar manner to an IQ test, the escape room also has a time limit. In both cases this adds to greater pressure. But by strategizing, in both an IQ test and when entering an escape room game, you‘ll be able to complete both with very satisfactory results.