Warning: Errors in N.E.T. Test Abound

[hollyultrasound]

Hello, I am a student entering the sonography program at a community college.

Along with the students hoping to enter the LVN and RN programs, I had to take the N.E.T. These programs are all very competitive, and the college awards points towards admittance on a one-per-one basis. So, if you get an 80 on the N.E.T., you gain 80 points towards admission, and so on.

I just took the N.E.T. I am APPALLED to report that it has a number of errors in the math section. The reading section is also very poorly written and has a number of syntax errors that could confuse students.

Why is this critical? I personally know students who missed being accepted into their program of choice by A SINGLE POINT. Perhaps the point they "missed" was one of the math problems containing an error. For example, the test asked for the decimal equivalent to "one hundred fifty five thousands" and DID NOT LIST the correct answer. Obviously, they meant to ask for "thousandths," but did not. Incorrect mathematical notation is repeatedly used as well.

Many students taking the N.E.T. have poor math skills, and have been unable to detect that the reason they did poorly on it was not just their lack of skills, but rather that the test contains errors. I happen to have made almost a perfect score. Others are not so lucky. I want to compete fairly...this means the test needs to measure actual basic math skills, not someone's skills at using much higher math reasoning to correct a problem and arrive at the answer.

NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO 'INTERPRET' THE TEST TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE what was "meant."

I have alerted my Dean, and have written to the N.E.T. "owners," ERI. I urge you to be aware that the test contains errors. Please alert your own deans or program administrators to this serious problem. I am very upset about it. Thanks for your attention.

[PCGrad06]

when did you take your test? i took mine in feb. of this year. thanks for the information.:uhoh21:

[Ned the Red]

Care to share your letter with us? What errors did you find?

[Truly_Blessed]

Yep, I am wondering if you would care to share with us the specifics of what you found to be errors? I took it in April and did well on it.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Just out of curiosity, what score did you get on it?

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

What I found a hoot was the interpretation considered my work to be highly stressful. I was unemployed at the time.

[TLC RN]

I took it yesterday and they had a question that took me a few seconds to figure out.

It was something like 3(3a + a2) - 2(4a + a2) it took me forever to figure out the a2 was a squared. (It is prob just me, but I kind of need my exponents to be raised above the letter/number a bit to realize that. I just would think a math test would provide the information as we would see it in a text book....

I also had this question anyone care to tell me what and how they got the answer?

9/4 = (?)% x 3 3/4

a. 3/5

b. 3/4

c. 60

d. 80

[TLC RN]

I took it yesterday and they had a question that took me a few seconds to figure out.

It was something like 3(3a + a2) - 2(4a + a2) it took me forever to figure out the a2 was a squared. (It is prob just me, but I kind of need my exponents to be raised above the letter/number a bit to realize that. I just would think a math test would provide the information as we would see it in a text book....

I also had this question anyone care to tell me what and how they got the answer?

9/4 = (?)% x 3 3/4

a. 3/5

b. 3/4

c. 60

d. 80

Ok...big duh from me :) I figured it out just now...60 is the answer :)

[sabine_rn]

I took the NLN for RN and LPN. I had a study guide FULL of errors, and when I took the LPN test--some questions came from the RN study guide.

I was also confused about the fact that I found the LPN test much harder than the RN NET---and I truely believe the tests are all about who "bubbles in the dots the fastest"... :angryfire We had 80 science q's in 60 mins., same in reading/comp. with full articles to read, etc. There was really no way of reading it all and have time. I was very upset to have bought a study guide--recommended by the school, studied daily for 3 month, and it really did not improve my score. I got into the LPN program--I don't know how, but the test does not reflect ones ability, and/or IQ.

[Godswill]

I never notice the errors for the MAth and i took the test Saturday of ourse the addition with took was the 1996 addition. I for one thought the reading was something else, those question are really tricky and let not talk about how little time they give u. i think they should give u at least 45 minutes we only had 30 minutes and i think it was 30 question, now really who read that fast :uhoh21:

I am just believiing God that i passed they say we should know in a week but if we have not heared from them in 2 we need to call

[hollyultrasound]

I could spit. I just wrote a lengthy reply detailing the errors and when I went to post it, I got the "you are not logged in message," which is bunk!

Where did my reply go? Floating around in cyberspace forever, I guess.

The long and the short of it: I took the NET last week. I did exceptionally well. I found errors in notation, including errors that turned one algebraic expression into a differential equation, notation that is non-standard and is "nonsense" mathematically in a percentage problem, notation that is simply incorrect concerning variables, and an error in the decimal equivalent I mentioned. I found errors in syntax in the reading section.

Further, I believe the test to be scored incorrectly. If the last sections (concerning stress, learning style, etc) are scored incorrectly, I feel the rest of the test may be scored incorrectly. Example: I specifically chose answers to reflect that I am NOT an auditory learner. Result? The test scored me very highly as an auditory learner. Hmmm.

The first letter I wrote to ERI, the creators of the NET test (and very wealthy because of it), was too hotheaded to repeat. I am working on a calmer, follow-up version. ERI did not bother to reply to my contact as of this time.

I am shaken up; it was very upsetting to see my classmates standing around fighting back tears because they did not score highly enough to continue in our program. And some of the lost points are due to errors in the test, not their errors. That just isn't right.