Hi chaps,
Seminarian emeritus for A&B here; been there, done that (the psychological).
Basically, the psychological is nothing to worry about at all - it’s mostly a back-covering exercise.
Most dioceses in the UK (I think Shrewsbury might be the exception) send their candidates to St. Luke’s in Manchester. You’ll spend two or three days there (we did it over a weekend).
The testing itself, involves two computer-based personality tests (about half an hour and an hour and a half long), a clinical psychological interview, an spirituality interview and a sexuality and personal history interview. You are, of course, under the lens when looking at your general interactions around the house, and at Mass.
Your answers will be collated in a long document and read back to you at the end to check for factual errors (there were several quite egregious ones in mine!). They will usually make some broad recommendations, such as “take a propedadeutic year to discern further”, or “is more of a thinker than a feeler - this should be addressed by appropriate formation”. Once ok’d by you, this report will be sent to yourself, your Vocations Director and, when you enter the seminary, the Rector will also get a copy. Otherwise, it a strictly confidential document.
Unless you come up with some completely outrageous stuff, they will recommend you for formation.
Overall, my own experience (and that of my fellow candidates I went with, as well as, later on, my brother seminarians), wasn’t overly great. It wasn’t a great “get to know yourself better” exercise - they only record what you yourself told them. I suppose it does give the rector of the seminary more information about you, but he’ll get to know you quite well regardless.
Anything else you’d like to know, post here or PM me.
I’ll say one for you all - good luck!
) but I also get to see what some pretty extensive tests say about my personality, which should be interesting.