Introduction
If a recruiter has invited you to an Aon assessment, or your email still calls it cut-e, you are about to take a battery of short, sharply timed online tests. This guide explains what the scales tests measure, why they are built so most people cannot finish, and how to prepare.
Quick answer: Aon's Assessment Solutions, formerly cut-e, is a psychometric-testing suite employers use during recruitment. A typical battery combines three to five short cognitive tests plus a personality questionnaire, runs in your browser in about 45 to 75 minutes, and is deliberately calibrated so most candidates do not finish every item.
Aon and cut-e: the same tests
Aon's Assessment Solutions is the psychometric-testing arm of Aon plc. It acquired the Hamburg-based provider cut-e in 2017 and rebranded the product as Aon's Assessment Solutions, but job ads and candidate emails still frequently call it cut-e. The two names refer to the same tests. Aon delivers them in more than 40 languages across 90-plus countries and runs roughly 30 million assessments a year.
The scales test family
The cognitive core is the scales family, where each test carries a short one or two-letter code. You will likely meet a few of these:
- Inductive and logical reasoning — scales cls (about 12 minutes), ix (about 6 minutes), and clx (about 16 minutes).
- Numerical reasoning — eql for equations, lst for tables, and nmg for graphs, running roughly 25 to 35 seconds per item, with a calculator usually allowed.
- Verbal reasoning — sxs, which uses a True, False, or Cannot Say format.
A full battery typically combines three to five of these tests plus a personality questionnaire. The personality assessment is the ADEPT-15, which measures 15 work-related behaviour dimensions and has no right or wrong answers.
Designed so you won't finish
This is the part that surprises most candidates. The scales tests are deliberately calibrated so that most people do not complete every item. According to independent prep analysis, top performers finish around 80 percent of items and the average is closer to 50 to 60 percent. Finishing is the wrong goal.
The practical implication is that both accuracy and speed matter, and the defining candidate complaint is the extreme time pressure. Items give you only seconds each. Prep guides consistently warn that trying to rush every question at the expense of accuracy backfires, because of how scoring works.
Scoring
Aon's own help material explains the model plainly. On cognitive ability tests you gain points for each correct answer and may lose points for incorrect ones, and your final result is the sum. On personality questionnaires there are no right or wrong answers, since they gauge fit with the role and company culture.
Prep guides add more detail. Most scales tests use formula scoring, where a fraction of your wrong answers, roughly a third to a quarter, is subtracted from your correct ones, which penalises wild guessing. Final scores are usually reported as percentiles against a benchmark group defined by country and role type. Typical employer cutoffs cited by prep analysis run from the 50th to 65th percentile for graduate schemes, 70th to 80th for pharma and consulting, and 80th and above for trading or strategy roles.
Gamified and chat-based formats
Beyond the classic scales tests, Aon also uses gamified Challenge and smartPredict games. Documented examples include switchChallenge for attention switching (about 8 to 12 minutes), gridChallenge for spatial pattern recognition (about 6 to 9 minutes), and gapChallenge, a deductive test of six questions in five minutes, plus digit and motion challenges.
smartPredict is designed mobile-first, which is unusual for cognitive assessments. Prep vendors note the gamified Challenges feel unfamiliar because of their bright, game-like interfaces, and that they reward practice precisely because the format is unlike other providers.
Who uses it
Aon assessments turn up across large employers. Prep guides cite Lufthansa, Bayer, Allianz, BMW, Deutsche Bahn, Siemens, Vodafone, EY, Mars, and Henkel among known customers, and airline forums indicate the tests are used in American Airlines and Delta pilot hiring.
Prep tips
- Use the free practice. Aon's official candidate page offers seven sets of free practice tasks plus intro videos. Do them, especially for the gamified Challenges you have not seen before.
- Train for speed and accuracy together. Both matter equally, and formula scoring means careless guessing can cost you.
- Do not aim to finish. Since the tests are built so most people cannot complete every item, focus on getting answers right within the time rather than racing to the end.
- Have a calculator and paper ready. Aon's help doc notes these can help, and a calculator is usually allowed on numerical tests.
- Check your setup. You only need a computer, smartphone, or tablet with an updated browser and stable internet, and mobile devices are supported.
Most Aon deployments are unproctored, though webcam proctoring is offered and some employers use it. Aon's help articles cover identity verification and why camera and microphone access may be required for certain assessments. Retakes are generally handled by the employer resetting the test rather than a candidate-initiated retry, and Aon publishes a support guide on how a test is reset. If you want broader context on how these tests fit into hiring, see our skills assessments hub.
FAQ
How long is the Aon assessment
A full battery usually takes about 45 to 75 minutes. It combines three to five short cognitive tests plus a personality questionnaire, and individual scales tests can run as little as 6 minutes each.
Why can't I finish the Aon test in time
Because it is designed that way. The scales tests are deliberately calibrated so most candidates do not complete every item, with top performers finishing around 80 percent, so not finishing is normal.
Should I focus on speed or accuracy on the cut-e test
Both. Most scales tests use formula scoring that subtracts a fraction of your wrong answers, so wild guessing hurts you, but items are timed to seconds, meaning speed matters too.
Can you retake the Aon assessment
Retakes are handled by the employer rather than the candidate. Aon publishes a guide on resetting a test, which means an administrator resets it rather than you starting a retry on your own.
Is the Aon test proctored
Sometimes. Webcam proctoring is offered but not used by all employers, and most deployments are unproctored, though some assessments require camera, microphone, or identity verification.
Is there free practice for the Aon cut-e test
Yes. Aon's official candidate page provides seven sets of free practice tasks plus intro videos, which is worth using given how unfamiliar the timed and gamified formats can feel.
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