amason

Turns out Uworld worked for me. Passed in 75. I went through about 2/3 of the questions over the course of 3-4 weeks. I did start with the Sauders book, but only made it through about 1/3 of it b/c it felt like it was too vague.

I started with Saunders for a brush up, and then switch to UWorld about a month before taking the test. Honestly I felt like the Saunders book was a bit of a waste and wish I would've gone straight to UWorld - the rationales are wonderful and the questions are almost identical to the ones on the NCLEX.

Most of the folks in my cohort used UWorld and passed first try. I did the same - spent 4 weeks with 100+ questions daily. Just took it yesterday, ended in 75 questions, lots of SATA, and I got the good popup. I'll post when I find out! But yeah, UWorld is what everyone around me has used sucessfully. I was surprised just how similar to the NCLEX questions were - I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

Graduated in May, but my school incorrectly submitted my transcript so I had to wait six months to take the test. This was kind of infuriating as I could feel the info draining away. I did 4 weeks of studying (mostly UWorld), which seemed to work really well. The rationales are great, and they are *incredibly* similar to the NCLEX itself. I'm in the 48-hr window post NCLEX. It kicked me off right at 75 questions, it felt like it was mostly SATAs, and I've gotten the "good popup" from the Pearson site. Just before I graduated my last Kaplan exam gave me a 97% probability of passing, but we'll see. But yeah, take it as soon as you can after graduation, while things are still fresh.

Hey folks, I got my response Thursday night - I was accepted! Looks like I'll see some of you in the fall :).

Hi Shireen, How did your interview go? I had mine on Thursday and they're supposed to let us know by the end of the month. I hope you feel like it went well! One thing I've found unique about SFSU's process is how numbers-based the process seems to be. The interview was interesting (we're not supposed to give any details) and I've been surprised that there's no place for personal statements or letters of recommendation in the application. I re-entered school last year after working for 15 years and have pulled a 4.0 since then, including this past Fall when I took Anatomy, MB and Physiology all at the same time. Hopefully that will count for something! i haven't heard back yet, but here's a little about me: 37 y/o M prereq GPA 3.93 overall GPA 3.06 TEAS 93.3% (99th percentile) I'm also lucky this application season in that I've at least figured out that I'll be going to SFSU either way. I'm transferring in as a senior, so if I don't make it into the BSN program I'll be on track to graduate with a BA in economics next May, and then go into a program like SMU's ABSN. Anyone else waiting to hear from SFSU?

I felt good about the rest of the exam. I ended up with the following scores: Reading Comprehension 92.00% Grammar 96.00% Vocabulary & Knowledge 98.00% Anatomy & Physiology 96.00% Math 98.00% Cumulative Score: 96.00% Im taking it to apply into Samuel Merritt so my test didn't include Biology or Chemistry. I took Anatomy, Physiology and Microbiology all last semester so they're still (relatively) fresh in my head. Take your time with the math. Some of the online videos have people calculating the surface areas of square pyramids, but it's nothing like that. Know how to convert things like grams to kilograms, meters to cm, cups to ounces and you'll do fine. One thing I found helpful was Elsevier's vocab list. You can't memorize the dictionary, but at least a few of those on their study guide list showed up on the test. Someone made a quizlet out of it here: HESI vocabulary Flashcards | Quizlet Good luck!

Hi DM - You've probably taken the test by now, but just in case you're taking it this evening, I've just finished and here are my thoughts on your questions: Overall, I felt it went well. The test was similar to the TEAS (multiple choice, computer) and I didn't find any "gotcha" questions. There was one reading / comprehension essay that seemed off in that it seemed to be referencing a concept that was implied but not explicitly stated in the text, but otherwise it was a solid test. The calculator is available for every math question - even the ones that were like "what is 3/4 in decimal" - but it was awkwardly placed. On my screen you had to scroll to the side to use the calculator, which meant that you couldn't read the question while using the calculator. But if you scroll side to side enough you get through. Good luck!

I took the VI in December and one thing I was surprised by was the math section. I took a few of the TEAS V practice tests earlier in the year and I was able to do them in my head and get 100% every time. They were basic algebra and I figured I'd just breeze through them as well. The TEAS VI ended up having a few things that I hadn't considered initially - things like order of operations (i.e. what is 6 + 4 * 3 - 2?). I think I ended up with an 85% on the math section. I didn't get to see the exact things I missed, but I was surprised so watch out. The thing I found most helpful was taking the practice tests on ATI's website. They're expensive (I think like $40) but they have the kinds of questions and the kind of wording that was on the TEAS VI. They were also accurate in my case - I ended up with a practice score of 94% and a final score of 93.3%.

I took the TEAS VI last month and found that the practice tests on the ATI website were expensive (~$40 if I remember right) but they were accurate and were very representative of the kinds of questions that were on the test. I scored a 94% on the practice test and a 93.3% on the actual test. Things like order of operations (i.e. what is 6 + 4 * 3 - 2?) wasn't on my list of things to study, but sure enough there it was on the test.

About a year ago I looked into these two options, and I started on a path to my NP. I decided on this for two reasons. First, NPs are recognized all over the world. PAs have many of the same skills, but the role is an American creation, and it seems far easier for NPs to work internationally. I remember finding a few organizations like "PAs for Global Health" whose missions were to help the rest of the world understand the PA role. That doesn't bode well for someone like me who wants to have international options. Second, looking into positions in San Francisco (my home at the moment), it seems like many of the roles that would be for a PA are open to both PAs and NPs. I'm sure there's a difference in training, but many institutions in SF treat them the same. To me this says that NPs have all the benefits of PAs without a few of the limitations. Who knows if all this will still be true when I'm done, but the PA / NP choice was an easy one for me.

I'm 37 and on this path as well, taking prereqs and applying into programs this January. One of the things I'm constantly aware of is the age range of people on this path. I'm coming from the startup tech world where the average age is something like 26 and the goal is to retire by 32. You get used to the sea of entitled 20-something white dudes experimenting with facial hair. I was one (minus the facial hair). But sitting in these classes with people in their teens, 20s, 30s & 40s who are here because they want to be makes me appreciate my decision even more. It makes me feel like the people who are doing this are doing it because they're driven to, not because there's an easy paycheck. I totally agree that it's weird to be taking community college classes with people literally 1/2 my age. Oddly stressful and feels like somehow the bar is higher. But it's also exciting to be learning about something so interesting and so helpful. The way I figure, If you're learning about something you find fascinating and working to help the people around you, that's awesome. And there's no age limit on that.