Practical Nursing January 2015 Applicants

TheSkyIsPurple · Jul 12, 2014

I was accepted for the Sept one in Conestoga, and I dont mind telling you my scores.

My average was around a 90-95% (due to grades being given a 10% extra credit for U level courses) and my HOAE result was an 81%.

Be careful on the HOAE, especially since you are in Canada, they have some imperial measurements!

I got 90-99 on almost all of the sections except for the parts where you were asked to use the imperial system. I find it a bit crappy that we use the metric system, and the HOAE uses the imperial, but just a heads up! There were quite a few questions that had that problem, and I had to guess @_@

Also for Conestoga if you have a 75% average grades wise, THEN You will take the HOAE. You will not be accepted until you take the HOAE and you get your score back. From what I know its a 50/50 between your grades and the HOAE test score.

Best of luck to you and I hope you get in!

Guest 828252 · Jul 14, 2014

Thank you so much for all those details, I never knew they added 10% extra credit for U level courses. That's good to hear! Do they do that for all the colleges or just Conestoga?

So basically acceptance into a program that requires the HOAE test is a two-step process? They check your grades first then offer then check your HOAE results and give a final offer?

Thanks again! Congratulations and good luck to you as well!

TheSkyIsPurple · Jul 14, 2014

They used to add 20% a few years ago but they said the grade point average became ridiculous (98-99%) so they had to drop 10% and add in the HOAE. (Thats what the registrar told me, so my info is secondary)

Yes, exactly as you said. They check your grades, and then they allow you to do the HOAE. If your average is under 75, they wont let you write the HOAE. If you do have over 75%, then they will let you write it and basically add those then find the average. Im not sure which one takes precedence...Say if you have a stellar HOAE and an okay average - Im not quite sure if they do favour one over the other, or if they simply add the two scores together and average them out. ^^;;

But yes, thats what Conestoga does. Ive only applied to Conestoga so Im afraid Im not sure about the other colleges' standards. ^_^

Never a problem. Hope this helps a bit!

joljenni · Jul 21, 2014

I was accepted to Conestoga's RPN Program for September 2014 too! It's not actually 50/50/. 50% is based on your grades, 45% is based on the HOAE test, and 5% is based on life experience applicable to your chosen field. Not every college averages the same way. Mohawk splits it 50/50 where Conestoga gives 5% for experience. not sure which one I would rather have...

TheSkyIsPurple · Jul 21, 2014

Forgive me, youre right. : )

I never took into account the 5% for experience since I never had any, haha.

And congratulations on your acceptance! : D

Guest 828252 · Jul 22, 2014

Thanks for the percentage breakdown and congratulations on the acceptance!

Guest 828252 · Jul 22, 2014

To everyone who has taken the HOAE, how did you prepare for it? I have mine scheduled for next week and I'm kind of overwhelmed by the Natural Sciences section, specially since I have never taken Physics. How did you find the questions? Were they very detailed and complicated or general overviews? How were the other sections?

Thank you for all your insights!

TheSkyIsPurple · Jul 22, 2014

Oh, I didnt study for it AT ALL. Like, zip, nil.

My mum was on me constantly telling me to study - but honestly, studying would have been a waste of time.

A LOT of the things on that test had nothing to do with Science. It was very vague and general. I would go so far as to say you either knew it, or you didnt. Maybe 10% of the test touched upon things we learned in high school, and that was mostly all math and general science questions that were very basic.

The only thing that threw me in for a loop that you CAN study for, is the imperial system. I couldnt do a lot of the questions due to no knowledge of imperial system. I learned metric, and assumed metric would be used in Canada. The test is done by the USA, so expect imperial system based questions. I had no metric system questions at all.

I got an 81% without studying at all. Most of the sections I ended up with 97, 98, 99... The section with the imperial system I ended with a 70, so it destroyed my average to an 81%.

Another part you can study is the spelling section, where it is all spelling based on scientific and medical terms. Again, this is such a weird section, and I havent seen 90% of those words in my life. I guessed almost all of them just based on words I would associate with them.

Now I really dont want to tell you not to study, if you are anxious about the test. Oh, and a question had to do with who won a Nobel Prize...Which I found ridiculous since that hardly seemed relevant at all. I just found the test impossible to study for, since it was so vague and broad and just......I would go so far as to call it an IQ test more so than an actual content based test.

You can also study for the math, but the math was so basic and simple... It was grade 7 Math. Fractions, multiplication, percentages, area and perimeter. Also the Pythagorean theorem. Again, if you are good with your math, this is something that you really never have to touch or study for.

Let me know if you have any questions about it. : ) This is all the info I could sprout off the top of my head, but if you have any specific questions I am more than happy to answer them for you! Most of all, dont stress about it! Youll pass it no problem. : D

joljenni · Jul 22, 2014

My advice is the exact same! I wasn't nervous because I wrote an aptitude test for the military, but there weren't any science questions. On the HOAE I killed it on everything except the spelling. So my average came out to an 83%. It's pretty much an I.Q. test, a comparison of words, what one doesn't fit, math questions, what is the correct spelling. The spelling is tricky because most are words you never use and read rarely. So you know what the word is...but not how to spell it perfectly I'm really confident academically so I finished the exam in only an hour and a half BUT the clock is intimidating. Especially in the subject you're not comfortable with. I never looked at the clock except for the spelling. Just go in knowing its an aptitude test. It's designed to see how intelligent you are, not how good of a student you are. You either know it or you don't. Just be confident in your intellect. The personality section is a GREAT way to boost your scores. It assesses if you're fit for a job in health care. Some answers are OBVIOUS. Clearly if asked if you like helping people....say yes If you are patient...say yes. If you like being trusted independently.....say yes etc. You'll nail it!

OH! I should add about Physics since you asked....I've never taken physics either! Bio, Chemistry, Kinesiology...but I hate physics So don't worry! They're general questions from grades 5 - 7. Cell biology, water displacement, what halogens (gases) are in the air we breathe...that's all I can remember...OH, and one question explained on The Big Bang Theory which I found funny!

TheSkyIsPurple · Jul 22, 2014

Oh right, about the time.... I finished in about an hour and a bit.

NEVER ran out of time, or even came close to. The trick is to not doubt yourself or second guess yourself. Go through the test with confidence like Jol said. If you doubt yourself you will just waste time. Trust yourself.

Guest 828252 · Jul 24, 2014

Thank you so much for your replies! There isn't much information out there about the HOAE so your experiences have been insightful. I am also really relieved that there won't be any complicated physics questions, that was the main thing I was anxious about.

Thank you again!