Aptitude Defined - The Ball Foundation

Joy comes from using your potential.— Will Schultz

Aptitude measures are powerful tools for self-discovery and for making informed decisions about how to invest time and energy. The reason for this is that aptitude testing reveals underlying potential. Specifically, aptitude is defined as the differential potential of a person to acquire the skills required to perform competently given adequate time and training.

The following is a detailed definition of aptitudes:

Differential.

Potential of a person to acquire skills.

Required to perform competently.

Given adequate time and training.

Aptitude is the potential to acquire a skill, not the skill itself. The acquisition of skills requires a certain commitment to learning and practice. There are generalizable amounts of time and energy one could expect to devote to performing at a certain level. Aptitudes provide an objective measure that indicates the probability of success in acquiring specific skills within that generalizable time frame. It is based on the assumption that individuals are equally motivated.

When you take a step back to objectively look at your aptitudes, you have the opportunity to discover different dimensions of yourself previously unconsidered, along with the types of tasks and activities that may come to you more quickly and easily. Examples of aptitude dimensions include creativity, spatial ability, problem solving and learning preferences.

There is often an element of surprise in learning about your aptitudes. Aptitude assessment is an overlooked and undervalued tool for discovering hidden or unknown talents.