TOLC-PSI preparation, built on the real weights of the test.
Many people choose Psychology precisely to leave maths behind. Then they open a TOLC-PSI practice test and find that maths and numerical reasoning are worth 40% of the score. That is exactly where we work, together with comprehension, verbal reasoning and biology, with a plan pitched at your own mistakes rather than a generic syllabus. Take the free TOLC-PSI practice test now, with the real structure and scoring.
Yes, Psychology has maths too.
The students I work with
- Students who chose Psychology to avoid maths and discover in the practice tests that maths and numerical reasoning are worth 40% of the score: it is the most common surprise, and the most expensive one if it arrives too late.
- School-leavers from classics, languages or humanities-track high schools whose maths is less solid than at a science-track school, and who need to restart from fractions, percentages and proportions against the clock.
- Students who have already tried the TOLC-PSI and want a higher score: it can be retaken once a month and the best score counts, so every extra attempt is an opportunity.
How it works
- A diagnostic mini-test, talked through: not only what you get wrong, but why (theory, method, rushing or anxiety).
- Two lessons a week focused on maths and numerical reasoning, where the recoverable points are.
- Exercises set and corrected for comprehension and verbal reasoning, where volume makes the difference.
- You handle biology on your own with diagrams that I review: it is the part a motivated student can do alone.
- Last two weeks: practice tests on the CISIA platform, reviewed together, question by question.
The 5 sections of the TOLC-PSI.
50 questions in 100 minutes, five sections timed separately. The first four are worth 80% of the score; biology, the only section you learn from books, is worth the remaining 20%. There is also an English section (30 questions, 15 minutes) that does not count towards the ranking.
- Reading comprehension
- Reading two passages with a purpose (questions first, text after)
- Telling "supported by the text" from "true in the world"
- Spotting distractors that are plausible but not written
- Basic maths
- Fractions, powers, percentages and proportions against the clock
- Algebraic expressions and special products
- First- and second-degree equations and inequalities, including fractional ones
- Elementary functions and reading graphs
- Basic plane and analytic geometry
- Verbal reasoning
- Correctly negating a universal statement
- Necessary vs sufficient condition
- Reasoning about logical form, not content
- Numerical reasoning
- Number series (differences, ratios, alternation)
- Reading tables and graphs, percentage changes
- Proportion problems (speeds, discounts, mixtures)
- Recognising when the data really is insufficient
- Biology
- Molecular composition of organisms
- Cell biology, mitosis and meiosis
- Mendelian genetics as probability, not as a fact to memorise
Structure, timing and syllabus can change from one year to the next: before setting up the plan, check the official CISIA syllabus for the current year and your university's call for applications. The overview above reflects the structure described in the complete TOLC-PSI guide.
TOLC-PSI: frequently asked questions.
How much does maths really count in the TOLC-PSI?
More than you think. Basic maths and numerical reasoning together are worth 20 questions out of 50, which is 40% of the score. Adding comprehension and verbal reasoning, the four "thinking" sections reach 80%: biology, the only subject you study from books, weighs just 20%. Students who prepare only for biology because "it is the only real subject" start at a disadvantage.
How is the test structured and how long does it last?
The TOLC-PSI is run by CISIA: 50 multiple-choice questions in 100 minutes, split into five sections timed separately (reading comprehension, maths, verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, biology). Scoring: +1 for a correct answer, −0.25 for a wrong one, 0 for a blank. Structure and syllabus can change from one year to the next: before studying, check the official CISIA syllabus for the current year and your university's call for applications.
Does the English section count towards the score?
No. The 30 English questions (15 minutes) are assessed separately and only help the university decide whether to add a language learning requirement (OFA): they do not enter the ranking and there is no penalty for wrong answers. In that section it is worth answering everything, without exception.
Can I retake the TOLC-PSI if my score does not convince me?
Yes, it can be retaken once a month (in different months) and almost all universities consider the best score among the valid attempts made before the application deadline. If you can still book two sessions before the deadline, it is worth doing so: the first attempt is also the most precise diagnosis there is.
How much time do I need to prepare?
With a plan built on the real weights (not on what "looks" studyable) the realistic time is 25-35 hours if you come from decent maths foundations, and 50-70 hours if maths has always been a struggle or you have been out of study for a while. I usually structure it over about 4 weeks: diagnosis, then maths, then reasoning and biology, then only timed practice tests in the last week.
Ready to prepare?
We start with a free diagnostic practice test. We find out where you really lose points (often not where you think) and build the plan around that.