- The CHA cognitive stage has exactly three domains: Verbal Reasoning, Math and Logic, and Spatial Reasoning.
- The test is 50 questions in 15 minutes with no penalty for wrong answers, so guessing beats skipping.
- Most roles set a 35/50 minimum; 43/50 or higher is considered an excellent score, and the average is 24/50.
- Calculators are banned but pen and paper are allowed for math and logic items.
Overview of the Three CHA Domains
The Crossover Hiring Assessment (CHA) is not one big undifferentiated quiz - it's built from three distinct content areas that Criteria's Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) measures in a single 50-question, 15-minute sitting. Every candidate applying through Crossover, regardless of the role they're pursuing, encounters the same three domains: Verbal Reasoning, Math and Logic, and Spatial Reasoning. Understanding how each domain behaves - the question style, the pacing pressure, and the specific skills tested - is the difference between a candidate who studies broadly and one who studies efficiently.
This guide breaks down each domain individually, then explains how the scoring thresholds work and what changes when finalists move to the live-proctored stage. If you haven't yet read a general walkthrough of the exam, the CHA Study Guide 2026 is a good companion piece, and if you're unsure whether the format even lines up with your strengths, How Hard Is the CHA Exam? covers the difficulty picture in more depth.
Domain 1: Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning items assess how quickly and accurately you can process written information under time pressure. This isn't a vocabulary contest - it's closer to reading comprehension combined with logical inference. Expect short passages or statements followed by a question that asks you to identify what's definitely true, definitely false, or unable to be determined from the given information.
Verbal Reasoning
Candidates must extract meaning quickly from dense, sometimes deliberately worded text and avoid letting outside assumptions creep into the answer.
- Analogy-style relationships between words and concepts
- Reading short passages and drawing valid conclusions only from stated facts
- Distinguishing between "true," "false," and "cannot be determined"
- Recognizing synonym and antonym relationships under time pressure
The biggest trap in this domain is over-thinking. Because there's no point deduction for wrong answers, spending 90 seconds agonizing over one verbal item is strictly worse than making your best inference and moving on. Practicing timed reading comprehension drills - even outside dedicated CHA materials - builds the pacing instinct this domain rewards.
Domain 2: Math and Logic
This domain blends arithmetic, word problems, number series, and logical deduction puzzles. It's typically the domain candidates feel least prepared for, because the questions look simple on the surface but are designed to be solved quickly without a calculator - which is explicitly prohibited during the CHA. Pen and paper, however, are allowed, and using them for quick scratch work is one of the highest-leverage habits you can build before test day.
Math and Logic
Candidates must perform mental arithmetic, interpret patterns, and apply deductive reasoning fast enough to keep pace with the rest of the test.
- Ratios, percentages, and basic algebraic word problems
- Number sequences and pattern completion
- Logical syllogisms and "if-then" deduction chains
- Estimation techniques for questions where exact calculation is too slow
Because calculators aren't permitted, the practical skill being tested is arithmetic fluency - being able to multiply, divide, and estimate percentages in your head faster than most people are used to doing. Candidates who haven't done mental math regularly since school often underestimate how much this slows them down on their first attempt.
Key Takeaway
Practice basic arithmetic without a calculator for at least 15-20 minutes a day in the two weeks before your test - it's a skill that atrophies quickly and rebuilds fast with light, consistent repetition.
Domain 3: Spatial Reasoning
Spatial Reasoning is the domain most candidates have the least natural practice with, since it rarely overlaps with day-to-day work tasks. These items typically involve visualizing how shapes rotate, fold, or fit together, and identifying which option correctly completes a pattern or matches a transformed image.
Spatial Reasoning
Candidates must mentally manipulate shapes and patterns without any physical aid beyond pen and paper for sketching.
- Mental rotation of 2D and 3D shapes
- Identifying the "odd one out" in a series of visual patterns
- Predicting how a folded or unfolded shape will appear
- Matching a shape to its mirrored or rotated counterpart quickly
Because this domain is visual rather than verbal or numeric, rereading the question won't help the way it might in the Verbal Reasoning domain. The skill improves mostly through repeated exposure to the pattern types, which is why timed practice sets focused specifically on spatial items tend to produce faster gains than general test-taking advice.
How the Domains Are Scored
All three domains combine into a single raw score out of 50. Crossover doesn't publish a universal passing score - instead, it sets role-specific thresholds, with 35/50 being the most common minimum bar across roles. A score of 43/50 or higher is considered excellent, while the average candidate scores around 24/50. There's no separate score reported per domain to the candidate; the 50-question total is what determines whether you clear the threshold set for the role you applied to.
| Score Range | What It Represents |
|---|---|
| 24/50 | Average score across candidates |
| 35/50 | Most common minimum threshold for roles |
| 43/50+ | Considered an excellent result |
For a deeper breakdown of exactly how these thresholds are applied and what a "pass" actually means role by role, see CHA Passing Score 2026 and the broader statistical picture in CHA Pass Rate 2026.
From the CCAT to the Live-Proctored PCCAT
The 50-question CCAT you take initially is free and self-administered online. But it isn't the final checkpoint. Candidates who advance to finalist status retake the identical 50-question structure - same three domains, same 15-minute window - as the PCCAT, a live-proctored version. This stage requires government-issued ID verification, a computer webcam, a second camera device positioned to show your hands and desk, and a workspace scan before the test begins.
The domain content doesn't change between the two stages - Verbal Reasoning, Math and Logic, and Spatial Reasoning questions follow the same style in both. What changes is the verification layer, designed to confirm that the finalist's proctored score matches the integrity expected of the initial result. Your CCAT score badge itself is valid for six months, and if you don't clear the threshold on your first attempt, Crossover requires a six-month wait before you can retake it - so domain-by-domain preparation matters more than a rushed retry strategy.
Key Takeaway
Because the retake wait is six months, treat your first CCAT attempt as the one that counts - there's no quick second try if you fall short of a role's threshold.
Mapping a Study Plan to the Domains
Rather than studying generically, allocate time by domain based on where you're weakest. A simple three-week structure works well for most candidates balancing prep with a job search or current role.
Diagnose and Drill Math and Logic
- Take a timed baseline practice set to see your pacing
- Rebuild mental arithmetic fluency without a calculator
- Practice number series and logical deduction daily
Sharpen Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning
- Practice timed reading comprehension for quick inference
- Work through mental rotation and pattern-completion exercises
- Track how many questions you complete per minute in each domain
Full-Length Timed Simulation
- Take complete 50-question timed runs mixing all three domains
- Review errors by domain to spot lingering weak spots
- Rest the day before your scheduled test to arrive sharp
Crossover officially endorses only its own guide and 12minprep as an approved third-party resource - this site is independent CHA exam prep content and doesn't claim any affiliation with Crossover, and it does not reproduce live test questions. Use official and approved materials for direct practice, and treat guides like this one for strategic context on domain structure and timing.
For a condensed, printable version of the key facts covered across this domain breakdown, the CHA Cheat Sheet 2026 is built to be reviewed the night before your test.
Who Actually Takes This Test
Crossover uses this three-domain assessment broadly across the remote roles it staffs for client companies, spanning technical, sales, and operations positions. Because the cognitive-aptitude stage is domain-general rather than role-specific in content, the same Verbal Reasoning, Math and Logic, and Spatial Reasoning questions appear whether you're applying for an engineering-adjacent role or an operations-focused one - only the passing threshold changes by role.
If you're still mapping out whether you meet the basic eligibility to apply in the first place, check CHA Requirements 2026. And if you're weighing whether the process and eventual placement are worth the time investment, Is the CHA Certification Worth It? lays out the tradeoffs candidates typically consider, while CHA Salary Guide 2026 covers the earnings side of roles sourced through this process.
Before you sit for the actual test, it's worth running a few full-length timed simulations on our practice test platform so the domain transitions - from verbal items to math and logic to spatial puzzles - feel automatic rather than jarring on test day. Repeated exposure through structured practice sessions is one of the most reliable ways to internalize pacing across all three domains at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crossover doesn't publish domain-specific weightings; candidates receive a single combined raw score out of 50 across Verbal Reasoning, Math and Logic, and Spatial Reasoning, which is then measured against a role-specific threshold.
Spatial Reasoning tends to feel least familiar since it rarely overlaps with everyday tasks, while Math and Logic is often slowed down by the lack of calculator access, which requires strong mental arithmetic.
No. The live-proctored PCCAT covers the same three domains and the same 50-question, 15-minute structure as the initial CCAT - the difference is added verification through ID checks, webcam monitoring, a second camera, and a workspace scan.
No, calculators are prohibited on the CHA. Pen and paper are allowed, so scratch work for arithmetic and logic problems is permitted even though electronic calculation tools are not.
Your combined score badge is valid for six months from the date you take the assessment. If you don't clear the threshold for your target role, Crossover requires a six-month wait before retaking it.