I'll be finishing up my pre-requisites this fall, and then applying in the spring for the Summer 2010 session. I still need to study for the NAT and actually take the exam and take a CPR course. I'm considering getting my CNA and trying to find work in healthcare to get my foot in the door.
I am so nervous about the whole process, nervous about whether I should try to work and go to school, and especially nervous if this is something I can handle. I am afraid of all the responsibility.
Anyone else planning for next Summer? What is your process looking like, what are your thoughts/feelings?
SalenaLPN- I just took it on Friday, and the hardest part for me was the time limit. Usually I'm one of the first, if not the first, person to finish a test and walk out of the classroom. I ran out of time on the academic aptitude part, had less than a minute to run back to the 7+ math problems I skipped, simply clicked a letter as quickly as I could and had to leave 1 blank. That being said, I still scored in the 99th percetile for academic aptitude. Focus on the verbal part (the antonyms) and the nonverbal (those weird visual analogy things) and do whatever math you can quickly answer. The reading part was similar- you will not have time to fully read each passage. Read the questions and skim the passages for the answers so you don't get too low on time. Science was straight forward- chemistry, A&P and a bit of micro- not at all like the TEAS which I studied like crazy for and 1/2 the science part was about rocks. Did you look at the website for the NAT and do the practice test? The problems are very similar to what you'll find on the test. You already have 112 from grades, you should do great on the NAT and have plenty of points to get in! :)
Specializes in Emergency, Med/Surg, Ortho, Home Health, Public He.
hjhd - Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it. I'm looking over some science right now just to refresh. So am I understanding it right that if I do well on the other two sections in the academic aptitude it will offset my math? Im thinking I also need train my brain to go through and answer what I can first then go back.
I think the way it worked for me was the antonym and non-verbal parts were so easy, that those were easy "correct" answers for me to gain points. I'm NOT great with math at all, and its been 8 years since I've had any math classes. By skipping the math questions I might have otherwise wasted time trying to answer (only to end up answering incorrectly), I was able to up points by completing all of the easy ones and not running out of time. If I would have tried to answer every math question in order, I'd have been out of time and missed getting the easy points for the non- math parts of the academic aptitude section. Not that I didn't answer a huge chunk of the math questions, but I completely guessed on quite a few. Does that make sense? You only have 30 mins for 90 questions. Obviously everyone is different and some people might think I'm crazy and not have had any problems with the time restraints, or they might be math geniuses and think I'm silly for needing to skip so much of the math. This is just what worked best for me.
Can anyone give me hints about what kinds of things from A&P and Micro are on the NAT? I'm feeling kind of braindead and wondering how much do I need to go and re-read. I'm taking the NAT on Thurs (yeah, waiting until the last minute LOL).
Science questions were pretty easy. Dont have to study at all for it if you remember the basic stuff from your classes.
Also, I just got my Basic Life Support CPR certification thing today. Only took like 2-3 hours for the class and 25 dollars.
All they gave me after was a paper card thing from the American Heart Association that says Healthcare Provider in the front and says the card certifies me for BLS.
Is that all we get/need to be certified? I expected more than a flimsy paper card, lol
But yeah... I've done all I can for the RN program so all I got left is to wait it out like everybody else.
I am going to hand deliver my application today. I applied last term and got accepted but I had to decline my seat The wait for the acceptance letter really was not that bad. I was planning my wedding though so that might have distracted me :)
Specializes in Emergency, Med/Surg, Ortho, Home Health, Public He.
I am taking the NAT today and walking over to the nursing dept and turning in my application. I hope I'm making the test seem harder than its going to be. Thanks to those that offered info regarding the test. I really appreciate it.
Don't worry Salena, you will do fine! Remember the scores that matter are: Nonverbal, Reading Comprehension, and Natural Science. So try to spend the most time on those. Good luck!
Specializes in Emergency, Med/Surg, Ortho, Home Health, Public He.
Jenjt83-Thanks! I take it at 1 today. It's the only thing I can think about rigjt now. I'm trying not to make myself nervous. Its not working Ill update later.
The wait for the acceptance letter really was not that bad. I was planning my wedding though so that might have distracted me :)
hjhd
110 Posts
SalenaLPN- I just took it on Friday, and the hardest part for me was the time limit. Usually I'm one of the first, if not the first, person to finish a test and walk out of the classroom. I ran out of time on the academic aptitude part, had less than a minute to run back to the 7+ math problems I skipped, simply clicked a letter as quickly as I could and had to leave 1 blank. That being said, I still scored in the 99th percetile for academic aptitude. Focus on the verbal part (the antonyms) and the nonverbal (those weird visual analogy things) and do whatever math you can quickly answer. The reading part was similar- you will not have time to fully read each passage. Read the questions and skim the passages for the answers so you don't get too low on time. Science was straight forward- chemistry, A&P and a bit of micro- not at all like the TEAS which I studied like crazy for and 1/2 the science part was about rocks. Did you look at the website for the NAT and do the practice test? The problems are very similar to what you'll find on the test. You already have 112 from grades, you should do great on the NAT and have plenty of points to get in! :)