RE: A&P Excelsior Exam, HELP!

barbiedee · Jun 5, 2005

This is one beast I haven't done yet, so I can't tell you exactly what to study. However, if you download the free A&P content guide from the Excelsior website, it will tell you exactly what to study and the practice exam at the end of the content guide will give you an example of the type of questions to expect on the exam. These free content guides are invaluable! Happy studying!

kimber3ks, ASN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 6, 2005

Hey,

I took the Excelsior A&P Exam back in February. I previously took A&P on campus about 7 yrs ago, but had to have it again as it was tool old for my program. I DID NOT want to take it again so I decided to attempt the test-out.

I studied for about 6 months, at a steady and slow rate. I was SOOOO nervous about it and used several different study guides along with practice exams and various tips/suggestions from this site as well as a few Yahoo groups for nursing students. I would encourage you join the Yahoo groups as they have a lot of information there. I would be happy to look up the specific names of the groups if you like.

The test was hard, no other way to put it. They give you 3 hrs, and I used all but 10 minutes of that time. You really have to know your sh-t, inside and out. There is no way to know "just enough" to pass because the context of most of the questions being so complex and intertwined. Know the urinary system, endocrine system INSIDE AND OUT. There are many questions throughout the exam, backwards/forwards, sideways, etc, lol. There was also a lot of focus on respiratory/pH/acid-base, etc. There were questions thrown in about skin layers, bone types, regions of the brain and their function.

As I said you really need to know all of the body systems and how they interact with one another. It is DOABLE, but make sure you go in there PREPARED to be freaked out. At one point during the exam, I started grabbing my head, breathing fast, saying to myself, "there is no way I am going to pass this,", but I calmed down, kept rereading the questions, skipping the ones I had no idea about, and eventually they all tied in together.

BTW, on that snowy night in February, I walked out of that testing center......with an "A" :) :) :)

You can do it, just take your time and be prepared, and use the many resources on the web. Good luck!

Kim

Has anyone has taking this exam at Excelsior College. I'm so nervous because I don't know what to study. If anyone knows please tell me what kind of questions they ask and what I have to study. Please help!

cutykaty · Jun 6, 2005

Hey,
I took the Excelsior A&P Exam back in February. I previously took A&P on campus about 7 yrs ago, but had to have it again as it was tool old for my program. I DID NOT want to take it again so I decided to attempt the test-out.
I studied for about 6 months, at a steady and slow rate. I was SOOOO nervous about it and used several different study guides along with practice exams and various tips/suggestions from this site as well as a few Yahoo groups for nursing students. I would encourage you join the Yahoo groups as they have a lot of information there. I would be happy to look up the specific names of the groups if you like.
The test was hard, no other way to put it. They give you 3 hrs, and I used all but 10 minutes of that time. You really have to know your sh-t, inside and out. There is no way to know "just enough" to pass because the context of most of the questions being so complex and intertwined. Know the urinary system, endocrine system INSIDE AND OUT. There are many questions throughout the exam, backwards/forwards, sideways, etc, lol. There was also a lot of focus on respiratory/pH/acid-base, etc. There were questions thrown in about skin layers, bone types, regions of the brain and their function.
As I said you really need to know all of the body systems and how they interact with one another. It is DOABLE, but make sure you go in there PREPARED to be freaked out. At one point during the exam, I started grabbing my head, breathing fast, saying to myself, "there is no way I am going to pass this,", but I calmed down, kept rereading the questions, skipping the ones I had no idea about, and eventually they all tied in together.
BTW, on that snowy night in February, I walked out of that testing center......with an "A" :) :) :)
You can do it, just take your time and be prepared, and use the many resources on the web. Good luck!
Kim

Thank you so much your information is really helpful, I'll look forward in to yahoo groups. But let me ask you of how do they exactly grade on this test? I mean is it on the basis of how many right and wrong and if missed question count as wrong answers? Thank yo0u again.

kimber3ks, ASN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 8, 2005

I really cannot remember how the grading goes, but I do remember reading to answer the questions you know right away, and then go back and try to figure out the other as best as you can...an educated guess is always better than a blank.

Kim

Thank you so much your information is really helpful, I'll look forward in to yahoo groups. But let me ask you of how do they exactly grade on this test? I mean is it on the basis of how many right and wrong and if missed question count as wrong answers? Thank yo0u again.

Jo Dirt · Jun 13, 2005

I took Excelsior A&P last November after studying for two weeks. I was scared, but I passed with a B.

It isn't rocket science and formulas, likely you will do a lot better than you think you will.

Just take your time and think about your answers.

A good guide to use to study is the Cliff's Notes Study Guide for A&P. It covers just about everything you'll see on the exam.

Firemedic7 · Jun 23, 2005

I too studied for 6 months and did what everyone told me, know your bones, cranial nerves etc. guess what?. It was almost all physiology and very little anatomy :chuckle

Not that you should not learn all the above things but make sure you also know how they work. I got an "A" , so it is achievable.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!

Erink26 · Feb 4, 2012

I have been studying for 3 weeks and I took the a&p practice exam, I got a 46% I got about 80% right on the subjects I had studied... im not sure how to feel about this, I am scheduled to take the exam march 28th, is this enough time?? Im freaking out!!!

lfdfiremedic · Feb 4, 2012

I studied for a month using vangonotes and the college network manual. I passed with a B. I probably was ready after three weeks, but better safe than sorry. This material can be very dry. Its tough, especially for me, to get motivated to study micro, but it actually was kind of interesting when to apply the concepts and info to nursing. Good Luck.