Logic-Based Reasoning
Not publishedof exam
SyllogismsQuantifiersConditional RulesContradictions11 Items
Figural Reasoning
Not publishedof exam
Pattern RulesMatrix LogicRotation ReflectionSequence Direction9 Items
Situational Judgment
Not publishedof exam
Core CompetenciesBest ResponseEthics ScenariosChain Of Command19 Items
Personality Assessment
Not publishedof exam
Forced ChoiceTrait ProfileConsistency CheckAdaptive Format100 Statements
Preferences And Interests
Not publishedof exam
Work StyleCareer FitAgreement ScaleMission Focus37 Items
SASS Process Facts
Not publishedof exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- FBI Phase I (SAET)
- Body
- FBI / SASS
- Time
- 3 hours total
- Sections
- 5
- Scoring
- Pass/Fail
- Fee
- $0 to candidates
- Pass Rate
- ~30% (third-party)
- Retake
- After 90 days
Quantifier Ladder
All, Most, Some, No: strength order
All: universal claimMost: majority not allSome: partial onlyNo: zero overlap
Logic-Based Vs Figural Reasoning
Logic-Based
- Text and word statements
- 11 items on real exam
Figural
- Shape and pattern sequences
- 9 items on real exam
Words vs shapes
Logic Statement Type Picker
- 'All X are Y' given→Treat as universal, no exceptions(Strongest claim type)
- 'Some X are Y' given→Treat as partial overlap only(Rest stays unknown)
- 'No X are Y' given→Treat as complete exclusion(Zero overlap)
- 'If X then Y' given→Use only the contrapositive(Skip the converse)
- Reversed conclusion offered→Mark it invalid(Converse error)
Statement Types
- All statements
- Universal claim, no exceptions
- No statements
- Complete exclusion, zero overlap
- Some statements
- Partial overlap, rest unknown
- If-then statements
- Conditional link between claims
- Most statements
- Majority true, not guaranteed all
- Contrapositive
- Only valid reversal form
Some Vs All Statements
Some
- Shows partial overlap only
- Rest stays unknown
- Weaker logical claim
All
- Shows universal, no exceptions
- Covers every member
- Stronger logical claim
Some never proves all
Validity Traps
- Converse error
- Assuming reverse is also true
- Illicit conversion
- Some to all overreach
- Outside knowledge
- Ignore facts not given
- Undistributed middle
- Invalid shared-term link
- Negation slip
- Not-A does not mean B
- False certainty
- Treating maybe as always
Approach Steps
- Step 1
- Read every premise carefully
- Step 2
- Mark quantifier words used
- Step 3
- Test each conclusion against text
- Step 4
- Reject any outside assumption
- Step 5
- Pick the literal valid match
Figural Rule Checklist
Rotate, reflect, resize, recolor, recount: name the rule
Rotate: fixed degree turnReflect: mirror flipResize: grow or shrinkRecount: add or remove
Rotation Vs Reflection Rule
Rotation
- Shape turns fixed degrees
- Orientation shifts, shape unchanged
Reflection
- Shape mirrors across an axis
- Orientation fully reverses
Turn vs flip
Figural Pattern Rule Picker
- Shape flips each frame→Apply the reflection rule
- Shape turns fixed degrees→Apply the rotation rule
- Shape grows or shrinks→Apply the size-change rule
- Elements appear or vanish→Apply the count-change rule
- Colors combine across cells→Apply the overlay rule
Pattern Rule Types
- Rotation
- Shape turns a fixed degree
- Reflection
- Shape mirrors across an axis
- Size change
- Shape grows or shrinks
- Count change
- Elements added or removed
- Color overlay
- Colors combine by fixed rule
- Shading shift
- Fill pattern changes each frame
- Position shift
- Element moves within the grid
- Alternation
- Pattern repeats every few frames
Matrix Strategy
- Scan order
- Rows first, then columns
- Name the rule
- Say transformation before choosing
- Check both axes
- Row logic and column logic
- Eliminate fast
- Drop options breaking the rule
- Watch distractors
- Near-miss shapes are traps
SJT Vs Personality Assessment
SJT
- 19 scenario items
- Best-response format used
- Scores chosen actions
Personality
- 100 statement pairs
- Forced-choice format used
- Scores trait patterns
Actions vs traits
SJT Best Response Picker
- Ethics or integrity at stake→Choose the most honest action
- Chain of command is unclear→Escalate through the proper channel
- Team conflict scenario shown→Choose the collaborative resolution
- Mission or safety at risk→Protect the mission over convenience
- Facts are incomplete or ambiguous→Document facts, avoid guessing
SJT Format Facts
- Item count
- 19 scenario-based questions
- Response style
- Pick single best response
- Options per item
- Five response choices given
- Scoring basis
- Matched to core competencies
- No neutral pick
- Every item forces a choice
FBI Core Competencies
- Collaboration
- Work well across teams
- Communication
- Clear written and verbal
- Flexibility
- Adapt quickly to change
- Initiative
- Act without being told
- Interpersonal ability
- Build trust across backgrounds
- Leadership
- Guide others toward outcomes
- Organizing and planning
- Prioritize tasks effectively
- Judgment
- Sound decisions under pressure
Personality Vs Preferences
Personality
- 100 forced-choice pairs
- Adaptive item order
- Measures trait profile
Preferences
- 37 agreement statements
- Fixed item order
- Measures work-style fit
Traits vs work style
Scoring Mechanics
- Format
- 100 statements, slider-rated
- No neutral option
- Must pick lesser disagreement
- Adaptive order
- Later items depend on earlier
- Cross-check
- Matched against SJT and preferences
- No single right item
- Overall pattern is scored
- Trait target
- Stable and conscientious profile favored
Answer Strategy
- Be honest
- But stay agent-minded
- Avoid extremes
- Unless genuinely true for you
- Stay consistent
- Across repeated similar statements
- Emotional control
- Favor calm, measured responses
- Integrity items
- Always endorse honesty and ethics
Preferences Format Facts
- Item count
- 37 agreement-scale statements
- Scale
- Five-point agree or disagree
- Focus
- Actual work style, not ideal job
- Instruction
- Reflect real habits, not FBI wishlist
Alignment Themes
- Mission focus
- Values public service work
- Team preference
- Enjoys collaborative task settings
- Structure respect
- Follows rules and protocol
- Field readiness
- Comfortable with travel and shifts
- Detail orientation
- Values accuracy over raw speed
SASS Phase Order
Apply, Phase I test, Phase II, Academy
Phase I: 3-hour written testPhase II: writing plus interviewAcademy: after conditional offerBackground: Top Secret SCI check
Phase I Vs Phase II
Phase I
- 3-hour computer-based test
- Pass/fail scoring only
- No interview involved
Phase II
- Writing plus structured interview
- IIa 2.5h + IIb 1h
- Given only after passing
Written test vs interview
Approach By Section Type
- Text passage with conclusions→Apply logic-based reasoning rules(No outside facts)
- Shape sequence missing a piece→Apply figural pattern rules(Name the rule first)
- Workplace ethics scenario shown→Pick the best-aligned response(SJT section)
- Forced-choice statement pair shown→Answer honestly, stay agent-minded(Personality section)
- Agreement-scale statement shown→Rate your real work habits(Preferences section)
SASS Phase Facts
- Phase I
- 3-hour computer-based written test
- Phase II
- Writing assessment plus structured interview
- Phase II length
- IIa written 2.5h, IIb 1h
- Meet and greet
- Regional office step before Phase II
- Academy
- Starts after conditional job offer
- Background check
- Top Secret SCI investigation required
Eligibility Facts
- Age range
- 23 to 36 at appointment
- Degree
- Bachelor's from accredited US school
- Experience
- 2 yrs; 1 w/ advanced degree
- Citizenship
- US citizenship required to apply
- Driver license
- Valid license required
- Candidate fee
- $0 to sit for Phase I
Timeline Facts
- Results
- Notified within about one hour
- Retake wait
- 90 days after first failure
- Second failure
- Permanently ends the application
- Schedule window
- Roughly 2 to 3 weeks
- Phase II wait
- Often several months later
Common Traps
Some ≠ All
Some shows partial overlap only ≠ All shows universal, no exceptions
Rotation ≠ Reflection
Rotation turns a fixed degree ≠ Reflection flips as a mirror
SJT ≠ Personality Assessment
SJT scores your chosen actions ≠ Personality scores your trait pattern
Phase I ≠ Phase II
Phase I is a written test ≠ Phase II is an interview stage
Honest ≠ Extreme Answers
Stay truthful and stay consistent ≠ Do not pick every extreme
Practice Bank ≠ Real Exam
Bank gives extra practice reps ≠ Real exam uses fixed item counts
Last Minute
- 1.Phase I lasts three hours total
- 2.FBI publishes no passing cutoff
- 3.Five sections make up Phase I
- 4.Answer logic items using text only
- 5.Name the figural rule first
- 6.Pick the most FBI-aligned SJT response
- 7.No wrong answers on personality items
- 8.Stay consistent across every section
- 9.Retake window opens after 90 days
- 10.A second failure ends eligibility
- 11.Age range is 23 to 36
- 12.Testing costs candidates zero dollars
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