I took the ATC test in the mid 80's, "no experience". It is most definitely an aptitude for this type of thinking that helps and as long as you study the pretest manual that was available at the time you knew pretty much if you could handle the test. That is of course until you take the test. I don't know the current criteria but back then there was an Equal Opportunity push for civil employment. For scoring 5% was added to your final score military, minority, or female, and it was cumulative. Still don't get how you could do that with such an important test. The test is intense, as you can imagine, consisting of an ever increasing array of radar screen shot diagrams and severe time constraints to answer questions pertaining to what you see and to how to direct traffic. Plenty general knowledge questions about separation rules and other things. What always baffled me, well not really, is I scored 94% and got a letter that all but said due to their hiring requirements at that time I would not be considered. I can't remember exactly what it said, but everyone i showed it to agreed it basically said i wasn't a minority. According to two very good friends, one was an approach controller at ORD and the other was a regional controller at Aurora (northern IL) and they told me a 94% was a guarantee...guess not. That was then though. The tough part is that I was employed at the time and had i been picked I would have had to go the OKC with no guarantee of employment by the FAA as the washout rate was above 50%. And yes, part of the application was I could give a preference but had to go where they told me.