UPMC - PSB-RN Exam

[snow_bear]

Has anyone taken the PSB-RN Exam for the UPMC nursing programs? I took mine today and am not sure how I did.

There was not enough time to finish the verbal, spatial, math section. I didn't think it was hard, but I only finished 52 out of 90 questions in 30 minutes. I'm worried that won't be enough regardless how many I got correct of the ones I did. Minimum score is 60th percentile, but I don't know what the average is.

I finished both the science and reading comprehension sections within the time limit and I thought both of those were fairly easy. Vocab/spelling was the most difficult, but we won't be graded on that section.

[2BRN123]

so here is some food for thought...i took mercy on the 14th, and then shadyside on the 21st. same exact test. got my mercy tests results in the mail on tuesday, and i BOMBED them. terrible terrible terrible. i was horrified. of course i assumed shadyside would be about the same and to start thinking of other avenues. well. i got a message wednesday from shadyside that my results were in and i did great and to get my application going. i got the results in the mail today and somehow score 50% higher on math and 60% higher on verbal. no joke. i don't know what happened or how, but at least i passed one!!

This is akin to academic dishonesty and others have been denied from these programs for doing it. The registrations clearly say thatyou have to have a 60 day lapse between retest or proof of remediation. Though it might not have been your intention, it's very easy with the psb, to take the test and figure out what you need to study up on, then take it at a different campus and get a better score.

People have tried this and not been successful and with an academic dishonesty claim against you you won't get into anyone the upmc schools regardless of your scores.

I seriously would talk to the Natalie B, at Shadyside before you apply to either place and at least try to give them a heads up aboutyour situation, because it would look really suspicious for you tohave tanked the first test and then pass the second 7 days later at another campus.

I am not making accusations here, the test was tough and I'm glad passed :) but be sure to cover all your bases because these people will go over you with a fine tooth comb.

[lalasd]

Kitty Deville,

I am scheduled to take the PSB in 10 days! I've been studying, but am worried about the time restraints. You mentioned that you found yourself "skipping a lot of the math section" to try to finish the rest of the first section, but did that not impact your overall math score? Do you think it would be advisable to complete an equal amount of questions from all three subtests as opposed to completing all questions from one particular section at a time (i.e. all verbal questions first, then all the math, then all the nonverbal)?

[lalasd]

Jemadi33,

Wow! Congrats on your awesome scores! For the first part of the exam, Academic Aptitude, (which includes sub-sections Verbal, Math and Noverbal) does UPMC look for above a 65th percentile in each of those sub-sections or an average among all three sections? These posts have been so helpful so I just wanted to thank everyone who is participating in these forums!

P.S. If anyone else knows the answer to this question, please feel free to respond :-)

[2BRN123]

Jemadi33,

Wow! Congrats on your awesome scores! For the first part of the exam, Academic Aptitude, (which includes sub-sections Verbal, Math and Noverbal) does UPMC look for above a 65th percentile in each of those sub-sections or an average among all three sections? These posts have been so helpful so I just wanted to thank everyone who is participating in these forums!

P.S. If anyone else knows the answer to this question, please feel free to respond :-)

I've been told that the nonverbal doesn't factor but who knows, could email Natalie at Shadyside and see what she says: [email protected]

[jemadi33]

Thanks! They counted each of those sections separately. UPMC does look for a 65 in every section of the test. You should answer as many questions as possible because you aren't penalized for guessing incorrectly.

[kitty_deville13, BSN, RN]

you are most likely not going to finish all of the sections in the time they give you. in the first section, i answered like (at the most) 5 math questions because i'm horrific in math and i didn't want to kill my scores because i didn't know if we were penalized for guessing incorrectly. i did answer alot of the other questions in that section though. there are 5 section you're tested on.

i feel that this test is something you can't really prepare for. if you are feeling that you are not very good at a specific section, you should get a practice book and work on that section. i hear alot of people are having problems with the science section so maybe look at that too. and the spelling section is unbearable. i read over my practice book for a few days before the test but i didn't really cram or study it too much. i feel at this point you either know it or you don't.

good luck to you and let us know how you felt the exam was and how you did! :heartbeat

[2BRN123]

Theres also something weird about how the percentile works. The way the website explains it is quite different than how they explained it to me. Typical percentile ratings would rank you against other people who took the test, but I think this percentile rating is how many you got right vs. how many you answered vs. others who took the test. Good luck to all who are taking it / took it. The way its scored seems so bizarre to me :uhoh21:

[lalasd]

I love you guys! You guys rock! :-)) Just to put some perspective on this percentile business, do any of you recall your raw scores from the exam? I'll definitely let you all know what I thought of it and how I do :-)

[2BRN123]

I haven't gotten mine back yet, I know that I passed but don't know the score. I'll definitely pass mine along once I get them though.

[kitty_deville13, BSN, RN]

I passed but I don't know where I put my scores. Mostly in the 90's. I think I got 1 in the 80's. Enough to get accepted to mercy. Lol. Where are you trying to get into?

[lalasd]

So Leo, are you in??! Kitty, my first choice is Mercy (second is Shadyside) and they're still accepting applications so I hope I can make it in your class because I already like all of you, but I'm in no hurry.

Did the PSB test results break down your raw scores like 28/30 for Math or 25/30 for Verbal or are your results only given in percentile format? Thanks again, you guys :-)

[2BRN123]

I'm not in yet, dropped off my application on Thursday of last week, don't know how long it takes to hear back. Have a pit in my stomach while I wait. Are you applying for the fulltime program lalasd?