Because Postal Service Exam 473 is an aptitude test rather than a facts-and-figures test, the best way to prepare is to practice.

How Do I Prepare for the USPS Exam?

Because Postal Service Exam 473 is an aptitude test rather than a facts-and-figures test, the best way to prepare is to practice. By taking a practice test like ours, you can get comfortable with the format of the exam and a general feel for the questions.

Obviously, on the real test, the addresses, forms, codes and specific questions will be different from our sample test, but you'll be able to enter the real exam with a little more confidence, knowing you have a good feel for what to expect.

1. Practice Test Preparation

Taking practice tests is the most effective way to prepare for the exam. Practice tests help you:

• Get comfortable with the exam format
• Understand the types of questions you'll encounter
• Build confidence by familiarizing yourself with test structure
• Identify areas where you need more practice

2. Address Familiarity

A significant portion of the exam involves working with addresses. To prepare:

• Learn how addresses are properly written and formatted
• Practice distinguishing between similar addresses quickly
• Understand common address coding techniques
• Develop speed in comparing addresses for differences

3. Coding Section Strategy

The coding section is crucial for success. Follow these tips:

• Take your time during the coding section when you have the reference sheet
• Carefully memorize codes as they will help in the memory section
• Don't rush through this part of the exam - accuracy is key
• Create mental associations to remember code patterns

4. Form Completion

Accuracy is essential in the forms completion section:

• Pay close attention to detail when filling out forms
• Read instructions carefully before answering
• Avoid making careless mistakes by double-checking your work
• Practice with sample forms to improve speed and accuracy

5. Personality Section

The personal characteristics inventory assesses your fit for postal service work:

• Answer personality questions honestly
• Be genuine about your work style and preferences
• Don't try to guess what they want to hear
• Reflect your true work habits and attitudes

Helpful Tips

While we keep saying it's difficult to study for the test, there are a couple things you can do to familiarize yourself with the information you'll need to do well on Postal Service Exam 473.

Get familiar with addresses and how they're written. On the test, you'll need to be able to tell the difference between two similar addresses, and you'll also have to place addresses into the correct codes, both using a reference sheet and from memory. The more familiar you are with what an address is and should be, the better you'll do on the test.

Take advantage of the coding section to help you with the memory section. During Part C of the USPS test, you'll first be asked to code different addresses based on a reference sheet you'll have in front of you. In the next section, you'll be given the same task, but without the reference sheet. If you rush through the coding section, you may not be able to commit the codes to memory as well as if you do a thorough, careful job, making the effort to memorize the codes.

Don't rush through the forms section. Properly filling out a form seems like it should be straightforward, but if you don't pay attention, it's easy to make a silly mistake.

Be yourself on the personality section. "Be yourself" may sound cliché, but the personality section of Postal Service Test 473 is both for you and the USPS, attempting to determine how you'll fit in with the culture. Answer honestly and to the best of your ability.