We aimed to cover everything on the usefulness of the Highlands Ability Battery in this series. While there remain other aptitude tests for high school students, these aptitude tests are either inaccessible for most students or far too expensive (see the AIMS and Johnson O’Connor Aptitude Tests). As such, the Highlands Ability Battery (or HAB) remains the best aptitude test for high school students. This article wraps up our conversation on HAB.
We divided the series into three primary articles. Click the links below to explore the individual articles in detail.
- How much does the Highlands Ability Battery Cost?
- Is the Highlands Ability Battery A Useful Aptitude Test?
- How do I Take the Highlands Ability Battery?
How Much Does the Highlands Ability Battery Cost?
Parents need a career aptitude test for their students. They want this for a variety of reasons. Nonetheless, three main reasons are to help their students pick their college major, pick electives that capitalize on their strengths, and plan their careers. However, a reputable aptitude test provides data most run-of-the-mill personality assessments don’t provide. Hence, aptitude tests cost more than other psychometric tests. But how much does the HAB cost?
Most families pay between 450 and 600 USD for the Highlands Ability Battery. Odyssey College Prep’s Aptitude Testing Services cost $500 in 2024. This may seem expensive. Yet, when you compare the HAB to the other advanced aptitude tests, the price of HAB is put in a better context. For instance, if you travel to one of the Johnson O’Connor locations, it would cost at least $950, almost double the price of the HAB.
Is the Highlands Ability Battery A Useful Aptitude Test?
How does the HAB compare to other advanced aptitude tests? Is the HAB useful as an aptitude test? The short answer is an emphatic “yes.” Among many other things, here are a few student benefits from taking the Highlands Ability Battery.
Understand How Your Student Learns Best
Aptitude tests like the Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) identify how students learn most effectively, providing insights into the following memory types:
- Verbal Memory
- Tonal Memory
- Rhythm Memory
- Design Memory
- Number Memory
Select the Right Extracurriculars and Electives
The Highlands Ability Battery arms parents, students, and Educational Consultants with the data needed to advise students. This advice enables students to choose activities and classes that align with their strengths, preventing wasted time and effort on pursuits that don’t match their natural abilities.
Determine Foreign Language Aptitude
The HAB even helps students learn foreign languages more easily. With aptitudes like tonal memory, pitch discrimination, and verbal memory, students can discover which foreign language they are more likely to succeed in.[1]
Learn Problem-Solving Aptitudes for Career Planning
Aptitude tests provide valuable career guidance by identifying the types of problems a student naturally excels at solving. They help students select professions that align with their strengths. For instance, students with a higher classification are often drawn to fast-paced environments, while those with a lower classification tend to prefer roles that allow for more reflection before arriving at solutions.
Time Frame Orientation for Project Management
A student with a high or low Time Frame Orientation[2] impacts the way students perceive time. Practically, this aptitude influences whether a student moves towards short-term tasks versus long-term projects.
Time frame orientation measures how far out into the future a person prefers to set and work toward targets. This can influence the length of time a person expects to achieve goals such as the difference between project work and strategic planning.[3]
Uncover Musical Abilities
The HAB measures a student’s musical strengths by using the same aptitudes used for foreign languages.[4] These include tonal memory, pitch discrimination, and rhythm memory, helping families focus on the right instrument or musical training.
How to Take the Highlands Ability Battery?
If you decide to move forward with taking the HAB, what do you do? Taking the Highlands Ability Battery is pretty straightforward. You can find a Highlands Consultant who will give you access to the assessment.
Afterward, you take the assessment. After completing the HAB, you meet with your HAB consultant, who will review your results. Following that, they will give you access to your career reports (see sample report below).
Here’s a bulleted breakdown of each step you need to take to complete the HAB:
- Schedule an Intro Session with Your Consultant
- Your consultant will explain the HAB process, its purpose, and how the test works.
- Take the Highlands Ability Battery Test
- Complete 19 sections, each measuring a specific aptitude.
- The assessment 3 hours to complete but can be broken into multiple sittings.
- This Aptitude Test Includes interactive, timed tasks designed to assess natural abilities.
- Attend Your HAB Debrief
- Your consultant will review your test results and provide insights into how your aptitudes align with career options, helping guide your education and professional development.
- Your consultant will provide a detailed report showing career recommendations based on your test results, offering a roadmap for future planning.
Schedule Your Highlands Ability Battery Today
Taking the HAB enhances a student’s future. By giving students data-driven insights into their strengths, tested students can pick their college major and plan their careers with more strategic intention and keener confidence.
Schedule My Highlands Ability Battery
Did you find anything in this article helpful? If so, you might consider joining our email list. You’ll get updates on aptitude testing breakthroughs, college admissions updates, and career planning.
In the meantime, though, happy testing!
-Marc
References
[1] Stiles, Dori. “Natural Abilities – The Ability to Learn Languages Easily.” The Highlands Company, 16 May 2017, https://www.highlandsco.com/ability-to-learn-languages-easily/. Accessed 12 September 2024.
[2] The Highlands Company. “Your Highlands Ability Profile.” Highlands Ability Battery, https://www.abilitybattery.com/battery/pdfs/3a%20low%20time%20frame%201-35.pdf. Accessed 12 September 2024.
[3] The Highlands Company. “A Highlands Ability Battery and Natural Abilities FAQ for Parents.” The Highlands Company, https://consultants.highlandsco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Highlands_FAQS_for_Parents.pdf. Accessed 12 September 2024.
[4] The Highlands Company. “Natural Abilities – Specialized Music Abilities.” The Highlands Company, 15 September 2016, https://www.highlandsco.com/specialized-music-abilities/. Accessed 12 September 2024.
