Best CritiCall Test Prep (2024): Which Option Should You Choose?
On this page, you’ll find a detailed review of the best CritiCall test prep available in 2024.
The review covers leading test prep sites that offer CritiCall practice tests and study guides:
We used four metrics to compare and analyze each site to find the ultimate winner with the best value for money and the most accurate practice material.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
Looking for a free practice test? Visit our comprehensive free CritiCall practice test with 49 questions and answers!
Best CritiCall Test Prep
Our Pick – JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep offers the largest number of CritiCall practice tests that resemble the actual exam. Additionally, their simple and easy-to-use interface, combined with instant and personal customer service, make them the best preparation option for 2024.
Below, we covered each of these sites’ CritiCall test prep courses thoroughly to show you how we came to this conclusion.
Interface and Ease of Use
iPrep
The dashboard consists of quick navigation links for all the course’s sections:
It lets you jump to any test module you’d like to practice. Also, there are internal navigation links at the bottom of each section so that you don’t need to return to the main dashboard page each time you finish a module.
That said, the navigation still feels overwhelming on your first use (especially the course navigation on the right bar). So we went back to the habit of returning to the main dashboard.
Conclusion
The interface looks organized and easy to use at first sight. But, once you start using it, it feels overwhelming, and you can easily get lost and find yourself clicking back to the main dashboard page.
Moreover, there are no initial instructions on what question types to practice first and what modules are more common.
It looks like the creators wanted to present the comprehensiveness of the course but compromised on its usability.
JobTestPrep
The main dashboard includes a short introduction and recommended instructions on using the practice pack.
The navigation is simple. You have two sub-categories for common and ‘other’ modules. Each module is divided into several practice tests (audio/non-audio, extra practice, etc.)
There’s no specific order for using the practice modules, and you can jump from one to another by going back to the main dashboard.
Conclusion
The interface is simple, and it’s easy to navigate between the practice modules. The instructions are basic but help you understand where to start.
9-1-1 Professor
9-1-1 Professor doesn’t have a dashboard like the other sites since the core of its preparation kit consists of full-length practice tests. There are no instructions or explanations, just a welcome screen where you enter your login details and then start the test immediately:
PrepTerminal
The interface of the dashboard is simple, and it’s easy to navigate between the practice modules.
Each practice category consists of a written guide and short practice tests. The instructions at the beginning tell you to start practicing from the Data-Entry module. However, they don’t explain what are the more common modules and what is the preferred practice order.
Also, one of the sentences in the introduction is truncated, and there are irrelevant customer reviews at the bottom, some for other products. The idea behind these reviews isn’t clear since you’ve already bought the product.
Conclusion
The interface is simple and easy to use, but the instructions at the beginning are not helpful enough, and there’s redundant content (such as customer reviews).
The Winner of this Category: JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep has the simplest interface and the clearest instructions on using the preparation materials. It’s easy to navigate between the practice tests, and the whole practice experience is user-friendly.
Resemblance to the Real Test
We analyzed the resemblance using these two questions:
- Do the practice tests have the same context, structure, and format as the actual test?
- Do the practice tests measure the same dispatcher skills as the real test?
Here’s a table that summarizes the similarity between the different practice modules and the actual CritiCall test:
| iPrep | JobTestPrep | 9-1-1 Professor | PrepTerminal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry | Partially similar. Includes only one version of the test (audio), while there’s a non-audio version as well. | Similar. Includes both an audio and non-audio version with a multitasking feature. | Similar. Includes both an audio and non-audio version with a multitasking feature. | Partially similar. Some of the questions don’t have the right law-enforcement context. No multitasking feature. |
| Call Summarization | Partially similar. There’s another version of the real test that includes responding to emergency messages, but this practice test doesn’t have it. | Partially similar. It doesn’t include the version with the emergency messages. | Partially similar. On the real test, the passages are 100-150 word-long, while this passage is 200 word-long. Also, the passages on the actual test include two types of content, and this practice test has only one. | Partially similar. Only covers one version of the real test. |
| Reading Comprehension | Not similar. The passages are way longer than on the real test. | Partially similar. There are passages with the same number of words as the real test, but their context isn’t related to law enforcement. | Not similar. There are no reading comprehension questions in this practice module, but rather synonyms, antonyms, and others. | Similar. The questions’ structure resembles the real test, and they’re all related to law enforcement. |
| Sentence Clarity | Partially similar. The practice questions measure the same skills, but the format and structure are different. | Similar. The questions’ structure resembles the real test, and they’re all related to law enforcement. | Partially similar. The practice questions measure the same skills, but the format and structure differ. | Not similar. The structure and format of the questions are different (a mix of reading comprehension and other irrelevant question types) |
| Proofreading | Not similar. The practice questions are much shorter than the real test or taken from a Yellow Pages photo. Also, there are no emergency messages. | Not available. | Not available. | Not available. |
| Spelling | Similar. The questions’ structure and format resemble the real test. | Similar. The questions’ structure and format resemble the real test. | Partially similar. Evaluates the same skills but their structure and context are different. | Not similar. On the real test, the questions are audio-based. In this practice module, they are only text-based. |
| Cross-Referencing (Non-Audio) | Partially similar. Has the same concept, but the question’s format and structure are different. | Similar. The structure and format resemble the actual test and include emergency messages. | Not similar. The info is presented on a Yellow Pages photo, while on the real test, it’s not. Also, there are no emergency messages. | Not similar. Different format and structure and there are no emergency messages. |
| Cross-Referencing (Audio) | Not similar. Different format and structure, and there are no emergency messages. | Similar. The structure and format resemble the actual test and include emergency messages. | Not available. | Not similar. Different format and structure and there are no emergency messages. |
| Probability | Partially similar. Has law enforcement context but the sentences are much longer than on the test. | Similar. Same structure and format and law-enforcement context. | Partially similar. Some of the questions are longer and require math probability calculations, while on the actual test it’s not math-related. | Not available. |
| Character Comparison | Not similar. The practice test evaluates similar skills, but the structure is different from the actual test. | Similar. It has the same structure and question format. | Similar. It has the same structure and question format. | Not available. |
| Map Reading | Partially similar. It measures the same skills but the maps are totally different (Google maps). | Similar. The maps and questions’ structure resemble the actual test. | Partially similar. It evaluates the same skills but the maps are different (taken from Google maps) and most questions have a different format. | Partially similar. Only some of the questions resemble the actual test and include an audio version that doesn’t exist on the real thing. |
| Memory Recall | Partially similar. Only a few questions resemble the real test. The rest don’t follow the same format. | Similar. It covers the three versions that might appear on the real test. | Partially similar. Covers one version of the module only. | Partially similar. It covers two versions of the module but the third one is missing (word pairs). |
| Mathematics | Not similar. The questions on the real test are shorter and less complex. | Similar. The math questions’ level resembles the real test, although there are additional questions that are harder. | Similar. The structure and context are similar. | Partially similar. Some of the math questions resemble the real test but others are completely irrelevant (such as geometry and algebra questions). |
| Prioritization | Similar. The questions have a similar format and structure. | Partially similar. It evaluates the same skills but the structure and format are different. | Similar. The questions have a similar format and structure. | Not available. |
| Decision-making | Partially similar. The questions on the actual test are much shorter. | Similar. Follows the same structure and format. | Partially similar. The questions on the real test are much shorter. | Not similar. It has a totally different structure and format from the actual test. |
| Typing (Keyboarding) | Not available. | Partially similar. Evaluates the same skills but the typing platform is different. | Not available. | Not available. |
| # of Practice Modules Similar to the Real Test | 3 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
The Winner of This Category: JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep has the highest number of practice modules that resemble the actual test (10).
Also, it’s the only prep site that offers practice for the typing (keyboarding) portion, which is one of the most important sections of the test.
Another thing that makes JobTestPrep stand out is the realistic emergency messages that appear at the bottom of the screen, similar to the actual test. No other prep site has this feature.
Sidenote:
iPrep and 9-1-1 Professor also offer full-length practice tests, but they don’t simulate the actual test’s format and structure. The questions are mixed instead of showing each section at a time, and some question types aren’t realistic.
Since every agency chooses a different batch of modules, you can’t simulate the full test without knowing what the agency uses. That’s why practicing the CritiCall modules separately is the best option.
Comprehensiveness
The table below compares the amount of practice material you get on each site. It also checks if the numbers advertised on the sites’ sales pages are true.
| iPrep | JobTestPrep | 9-1-1 Professor | PrepTerminal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Practice Tests | Advertised – 34 Actual – 39 | Advertised – 124 Actual – 124 | Advertised – 5 actual – 5 | Advertised – 50 Actual – 50 |
| Number of Practice Questions | Advertised – 1212 Actual – 687 | Not advertised. Actual – 1188 | Advertised – 409 Actual – 409 | Not advertised. Actual – 689 |
| Other Preparation Materials | General test tips, question types introduction (17 pages in total) | 6 study guides | Study guide | 11 study guides, 1 interview prep videos |
* 9-1-1 Professor offers each full-length practice test for a separate price, or you can purchase them as a bundle.
The Winner of this Category: JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep provides the largest number of practice tests and practice questions (compared to the other three sites), making it the best value for money.
Reliability and Credibility
In this section, we answered several questions to evaluate the test prep companies’ reliability and trustworthiness:
- Is there customer service or customer support available?
- Is there a money-back guarantee?
- Are there customer reviews on the site? What about reviews on external sites?
- Who are the people behind the product?
These are important metrics since you want to get decent support from actual human beings in case of a problem or that you’ll get your money back if you’re unhappy with the product. And, of course – that other test-takers found the product useful.
Customer Service
JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep has a contact us page with several different contact options. Additionally, you can send a personal email to the author of the page or chat with a representative using Whatsapp.
iPrep
iPrep has a contact us form and an email address you can send your inquiry to.
9-1-1 Professor
9-1-1 Professor has an email address at the bottom of their site, but no other contact options.
PrepTerminal
PrepTerminal has a contact us form and a personal email address of the page’s author.
Money-back Guarantee
JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep has a specific money-back guarantee and refund policy stated on this page. There are two cases in which you can get a refund – (1) if there was no match between the practice materials and the actual test, and (2) if there was a partial match between the two.
iPrep
iPrep has a 30-day money-back guarantee mentioned on this page and their sales page. However, it doesn’t mention in which cases you can receive it.
9-1-1 Professor
9-1-1 Professor doesn’t have a money-back guarantee.
PrepTerminal
PrepTerminal offers a 30-day or 10-day money-back guarantee, which is mentioned on this page.
Customer Reviews
JobTestPrep
There are 133 customer reviews on their CritiCall sales page and two reviews on the Trustpilot site (out of 200+ reviews overall for this site).
iPrep
There are 172 customer reviews on their sales page, but nothing on Trustpilot.
9-1-1 Professor
There are only 17 reviews on their page and no Trustpilot reviews.
PrepTerminal
There are 21 customer reviews on their sales page and no Trustpilot reviews.
People Behind the Product
JobTestPrep
The name and email address of the page’s writer is mentioned at the top of the page, and there’s a separate page with more information and credentials about the person. Additionally, there’s a dedicated page for the whole team who runs JobTestPrep, which shows that you’re dealing with authentic people.
iPrep
The author’s name is mentioned on the right side of the page, and there’s more information about her credentials on a separate page. It’s the same person who’s behind the 9-1-1 Professor site. Other than that, there’s no information about the people who run this website.
9-1-1 Professor
The person behind this website can be seen on Facebook and Instagram, so you can tell it’s a real person. Additionally, there’s an email address you can contact.
PrepTerminal
The name and email address of the page’s author is mentioned at the top of the page. Besides that, there’s no other information about the people who run or own the site.
The Winner of this Category: JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep is the only site among these four with various contact methods (including an instant Whatsapp chat), a specific money-back guarantee with no time limit, customer reviews from an external site, and showcases its entire team of workers.