DLR Certificate on the 15/07/24 in English

[jvhg]

Dear Community,

as it happened to many others before, I also wanted to share about my experience as this website helped me so much. I took the test in English, so I'll write my experience in English, as there are so few entries for non-German-speaking applicants.

Firstly, these were my metrics before the test with the amount of times I practiced, the average of the last 3 attempts and the highest result achieved.

1x ENS: 92
3x TVT: 1°attempt 75, then 85 and last 95.
6x KRN: ⌀85, best 92
38x OWT: ⌀94, best 100
13x PPT: ⌀98 in 17:25, best 100 in 13:24
38x RMS: ⌀5.71, best 6.2
20x SKT: ⌀95% with 99.5 figures, best 96% with 100.3 figures
19x VMC: ⌀89, best 93
12x WFG: ⌀99, best 100

As for the techniques/methods I used:

ENS: Well, I believe if you are taking the test in English, this section won't be a problem.
TVT: This part requires more than just one paragraph.

First, join the WhatsApp group to get in touch with other people who most likely have the same concerns you have, but be very cautions with checking the chat all the time... even though the group is helpful, it can also make you feel very nervous about your capabilities to pass this section so focus on studying more than in reading the chat.

For people who are taking the test in English, I would recommend you to use the famous "Skript" which is available in the WhatsApp group and on this community. The document is in German, but I personally translated the 40 pages to English using DeepL, so it can be somewhat helpful.

About the Skript I might say that it includes all the topics I was asked during the test... but the Skript itself lacks a lot of content on many of the topics, so print it out and add notes to it as you study so it covers much more. To explain myself about this take for example that in the document you can find the basics about the period of a simple pendulum whose equation is T=2π√(L/g) and in the actual test I was asked about the period of a spring pendulum, whose equation is T=2π√(m/K) so the Skript is not wrong about pendulums being a relevant topic, but it lacks content so focus on adding that as you study.

Second, use the book Thinking Physics, which is also a highly recommended book. If you try to find the book online with its name in German (Denksport-Physik) it'll be impossible to find it, but in English just type Thinking Physics PDF and the second link (one with some words on Arab) is the one with the book as PDF completely virus free. If you can't find it also try asking for it in the WhatsApp group as I once shared it there.

Third, if you need help with some topic people usually recommend checking a website called Lifiphysik which is only in German so not very helpful if you are taking the test in English. For this I would recommend you a website called Byju's which I'd say is its English counterpart.
https://byjus.com/physics/#level0collapse25

The videos from ilectureonline on YouTube are also really helpful: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelvanBiezen


There are a thousand questions you probably have that I can't cover in this small message, but I believe the #1 question is: Do you have to use formulas or do difficult calculations during the PHY part? And my answer is no and yes. No because the most difficult formula I had to apply was Ohm's Law, but I'd also say yes because I had one question where I had to calculate the average acceleration and the calculation was (75-35)/25 which is 1,6, now doing that under pressure and fast is something I consider difficult and that isn't the only example I can give where I had to mentally calculate a division like that.

Lastly, I'd recommend anyone to use the CBT just a few times. A first time to see how you are doing and which questions you couldn't answer with confidence. Then study the subjects with the resources I just mentioned before and try it again because each time you practice you'll get the same questions in the same order. The very last time you try it, compare your answer to the correct answers on this link as a final feedback:

http://www.pilotenboard.de/viewtopic.php?t=41477&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=tvt+l%F6sungen

KRN:

This is the other section where many resources listed on this community are useless for someone who'll take the test in English. People mention Mathemakustik a lot as a key tool, but that app is only available in German, so not very helpful.
I recommend the app "Mental Math" which is on IOS (don't know Android but probably also there)... this app is not the one with a green logo, this one blue with a red brain on it.
That app is the best, it actually already is a great tool to prepare for the test, but I even talked to the developer (cheers to Ramon) and mentioned some improvements to him specifically for the DLR, and he told me he'll add them soon, but as for how the app is right now it was maybe the best thing for me.

In that app you can make worksheets with specific operators like multiplications, sums, etc., and you can set them with exactly the same recommendations people recommend for Mathemakustik. You can make the questions to be shown or hidden, and a voice dictates the problem, just like in the CBT. What I really liked about this app is that first, I helped me practice very specific problems like multiply 2 two-digit numbers, and second, that compared to Mathemakustik that is only available for PC, Mental Math is on my phone, so I was able to practice anytime I wanted (in the bus, while eating, waiting in line at the supermarket...).

You have to pay for using the app, but for the month or so you practice for the test paying €3 compared to the €20 it costs to purchase Mathemakustik I believe is worth it... oh, and the app is available in german so if you are taking the test in german I just saved you a Dönner with fries and the tickets for the metro/bus the day you take the test.


OWT, PPT, WFG; SKT : just practice like crazy, you'll get better with time. The minimum is to practice at least 25 times at the hardest level before the test.

VMC:

For this part it really helped me to give names to the figures as the figures on the CBT are the same of the ones you'll see in the actual test. From 2-back to 4-back try to remember both shape and color, from 5-back just remember the color.
As for 4-back to 6-back a really helpful tip I'd give is to sing the names in your head instead of just saying them, your mind is more likely to remember names and sounds than visual stuff, I tried that, and I took me a week maybe to get used to recognizing the shape with the name I gave it but the moment it turned natural I noticed a tremendous improvement.



Now, my results were as listed here:

Information processing: A
Spatial and numerical abilities: A
Technical comprehension: B

English Language Proficiency: B
Psychomotor Abilities: B
Multitasking: B

The rest also As or Bs.


Now, for one last final tip I highly recommend you to uninstall any app on your phone that distracts you... social media, YouTube, games whatever just uninstall it or use a content blocker during the time you dedicate to this test. There is a time for fun and there is a time for focus and sacrifice, so if you really want this commit to it a leave any distraction aside for a couple of weeks... that is my perspective at least.

Enjoy the process and if you are a person of faith leave the rest to God, if not just have confidence in yourself.

I wish anyone who reads this the best of luck!!

DLR: 15-7-2024 ✓
LHG assessment: 8-8-2024 ✓