FSCJ Summer 2014 Hopefuls

Aye_Ne · Oct 17, 2013

Hi MaleCNA84,

Your grades are not bad at all. I don't see any C's so you have a pretty good point range as it is. Per the application, you have to wait 3 months in between taking the Nat again and it can only be taken twice a year. I hope you let us know how GOOD you did. Good luck and make sure you tell us eager folks what was on the science section, Ha Ha Ha!

MaleCNA84 · Oct 17, 2013

Thanks KKJM and Aye_Ne!!! I just got out of the testing center. I did pretty well considering this was supposed to be a dry run.

Academic Aptitude: 64 (94%)

Reading Comprehension: 21 (80%)

Info in natural sciences: 74 (95%)

Total: 101.76 + prerequisites 195 for application

I will prob go back and do it again to fix the reading comp. But with my grades looking like about 94 (without Microbiology) and Nat 101, I might get lucky and get in for summer!! Whoop Whoop!! If not, I can wait and apply for fall 2014 after I take micro. Science was a lot of voltage, cell, microscopic stuff and chemistry. Very little anatomy. I just took too long analyzing the paragraphs in reading comp.

kjkkm · Oct 17, 2013

Thanks KKJM and Aye_Ne!!! I just got out of the testing center. I did pretty well considering this was supposed to be a dry run.
Academic Aptitude: 64 (94%)
Reading Comprehension: 21 (80%)
Info in natural sciences: 74 (95%)
Total: 101.76 + prerequisites 195 for application
I will prob go back and do it again to fix the reading comp. But with my grades looking like about 94 (without Microbiology) and Nat 101, I might get lucky and get in for summer!! Whoop Whoop!! If not, I can wait and apply for fall 2014 after I take micro. Science was a lot of voltage, cell, microscopic stuff and chemistry. Very little anatomy. I just took too long analyzing the paragraphs in reading comp.

That is awesome!! Congratulations :)

Aye_Ne · Oct 18, 2013

Woo-hoo!!! Congrats MaleCNA84! So happy for you. I really think you are going to get in. Fall 2013 cutoff was 187.xx so if you are sitting at a 195, I wouldn't worry and just prepare to start Nursing school in May. Awesome job!

MaleCNA84 · Oct 18, 2013

Jeez Aye_Ne, I really hope you are right! There are so many rumors floating around about past class cutoffs being around 205. I really hope I am able to join the Summer curriculum. If not, I know that I will be ok after I take micro and get my 16-12 extra points. It is really great how everybody is so supportive of each other on this blog. I will give a break down of my thoughts during the NAT.

Reading comprehension- I think that I only got through 2 different paragraphs with answers from those paragraphs, before I started to run out of time, and just "C"ed my way out. (hit the letter C for every problem). There were several questions for each paragraph. I ended up with 80th percentile. I think I should have read the paragraph and then answered the questions. Instead I read the answers and skimmed the paragraphs, which I think was detrimental.

Academic Aptitude: This section had to do with distinguishing the difference between meanings of words, math problems, and how shapes relate to each other. Meanings of words: Questions went something like: ugly, revolting, gross, beautiful. You have to guess the one that doesn't fit. Math: fractions/ add, subtract, mult,divide/ and word problems like if you make this amount per year, and taxes are taken out, how much did you make? Shapes: IfI is to i, than L is to l. Just make sure you pay attention to the shapes that are shown and even the dots or shading inside of the shapes. It is a very "Pay attention to detail", test.

Information in Natural Science: This section seemed to be about light Chem, cell biology, very little anatomy, energy, voltage, mitosis, proteins, DNA, Krebs Cycle, elements, protons, solutions, acids, bases, solvents, and that kind of thing. I watched like 1 hour of you tube videos before I went. My recommendation for quick learning is "Biology Lectures- By The New Boston. This kid knows what he is talking about, and tries to keep it interesting in a fashion that is quick and to the point. Also he draws what he is talking about for all those visual types. He has like 50 five minute lectures about biology and chemistry.

I earned a 101.76 out of 120 total. I am not that smart. I am 29, and have been in the military for the last 8 years. I just eliminated my answers, and if I was low on time, I just "C"ed my way out" meaning I clicked "C" for every answer I didn't have time to complete. Most science answers were like: What does a dog do: Scream, Squeal, Groan, Bark. Do what you know, but make sure you fill in every blank you can, since wrong answers do no hurt you.

I really hope my analysis helps to ease the anxiety that people are expected to have. I believe that my scores are representative of someone that is lucky to get as high of a score that I got since it was my first try, and to hopefully get into the nursing program. This is due to the amount of people on previous blogs that talk about their 206 points for application. I have seen people talking about the cutoffs being like 186, but I think this is relative to the semester.

Aye_Ne · Oct 18, 2013

Hi Malecna84,

I honestly think you are fine. I do remember the cutoff being in the 200's but that was over a year ago. I think the cutoff score has dropped a lot since then. I know for a fact Spring and Summer 2013 cutoff's were in the 187.xx range and it's posted on this blog as proof. I think you have a great chance and like I said before, I would start preparing for nursing school if I were you. I also think you are very smart so don't say that about yourself. Anyone who can go into this test and do as well as you did the first time shows me alot. Plus, you have awesome grades and if you have 94 points without Micro, you aren't doing to bad for yourself. I know like you mentioned it depends on the semester but I would be very suprised if the cutoff jumped that high in one semester, but just watch out for someone to post the cutoff for Spring 2014 and if you are over that, you have a great chance. Thank you for all of the information. This is exactly what I have been preparing for. I wish you well. I hope I get to meet you in May.:)

Aye_Ne · Oct 18, 2013

Sorry, I think it was Summer and Fall 2013

Aye_Ne · Oct 19, 2013

Spring 2014 started receiving their acceptance letters yesterday. Someone got in with a 182. WOW. I can't wait to see the cutoff score.

MaleCNA84 · Oct 20, 2013

182 is really low. Hopefully that trend continues for us.

AmandaWachter · Oct 21, 2013

I am also applying for Summer 2014. I am so excited to start!!!! I was hoping to start in Spring but night/weekends will be so much better for my family. If anybody can tell me about the n/w schedule I would appreciate it very much :)

I have all A's on my prereqs, so 120 pt. for that and have yet to take my NAT but I hear it is a breeze. Good luck to everyone, I can't wait to start learning the good stuff!

MaleCNA84 · Oct 21, 2013

AmandaWachter, The NAT is easy material. What trips people up is the time you have to take it. With straight A's, I have no doubt that you will do fine but you should go take the NAT now so you can see if you need to improve on it before application. From what I've read, if you take it twice, they take the best sections from each test so you have the best possible score. Also like others have said and what I experienced myself, if you plan to take the NAT twice, then the 1st time is just practice, therefore you are not stressed, which in turn, seems to make people do better. You will probably do great either way you go anyway. Good Luck!

MaleCNA84 · Oct 21, 2013

(JUST VENTING) :madface:

What is going on with people getting points towards the nursing program for being employed as EMT, LPN, Medical Corpsman, Respiratory Therapist, Paramedic, or FSCJ Trained Medical Assistant, but not CNA's. I have only been a CNA for about 3 months since I just separated from the Navy in June, therefore I would not be eligible for points anyway, but I am still a little offended that Certified Nursing Assistants don't get an opportunity to receive points towards the Nursing Program from their medical experience.

As a CNA, even in my short experience, I can tell everyone that where the nurses are standing on the sidelines of patient interaction, I as a CNA am elbow deep in patient care. Not only in a cleaning manner, but in a medical assessment, care, and emotional manner. I mean who do the nurses ask about how the patients are doing? CNA's. Who informs the nurses about changes in the patients due to just knowing the patient? CNA's. Lastly, who diagnoses patients before the nurse even knows based on sight, smell, and color? CNA's.

All the above professions rightly deserve to receive points for their medical experience and like I said before, even if they did offer points for CNA's, I wouldn't due to lack of experience. I would just like a little love for my brothers and sisters out there doing the work everyday on a much deeper medical and emotional level and not being recognized for it.