| One of the biggest hurtles that aspiring nursing school | | | | yourself. First, talk to your school guidance counselor. |
| students must face is the Nursing Entrance Test. This | | | | He or she can point you in the direction of |
| is a nationally standardized test that is administered | | | | appropriate schools and help determine your course |
| prior to placing students on the long waiting list for | | | | of study. Most nursing programs will look for two to |
| nursing school. Even if the student has passed all the | | | | four years of math and science, four years of |
| prerequisites required for admission, such as anatomy | | | | English, one to two years of health studies, and |
| and physiology, English 131 and 132, Sociology, | | | | some foreign language and computer science skills. |
| Pharmacology, and Chemistry, this doesn't guarantee | | | | Most of the prep books cover a plethora of topics |
| admission to nursing school. | | | | associated with various exams offered in the many |
| Most RN as well as LVN/LPN nursing schools are now | | | | fields of health care. This is insufficient for the |
| requiring an entrance exam. The most popular is the | | | | knowledge that is required for passing the Nursing |
| NET, or Nursing Entrance Test. It is a | | | | Entrance Test. Those who feel that the test is |
| computer-based test which consists of seven parts. | | | | simply a remedial exercise in review are surprised |
| These include: | | | | when they sit for the test, because many have |
| * math skills (from basics through algebra) | | | | forgotten some basic math and algebra principals. |
| * reading comprehension (at the 10th grade level) for | | | | Unfortunately, there are those who have been away |
| science textbooks | | | | from school for such a long time that when they sit |
| * a reading rate exam | | | | for the exam they do very poorly. Some students |
| * an evaluation of test-taking skills | | | | have never learned math skills efficiently enough to |
| * a stress level profile | | | | be able to apply them in a test setting. The key to |
| * a social interaction profile | | | | remedy much of this stress is to provide those |
| * learning style evaluation | | | | students that are going to be taking the test with |
| Although there are required passing grades, of a C at | | | | materials that will prepare them for exactly what to |
| the least, the Nursing Entrance Test must be passed | | | | expect in the same method that the test is |
| in order to be put on the list for admission to nursing | | | | administered. |
| school. This is by far the most nerve racking test | | | | There is another level of stress that has been added |
| that students must face. The main reason for this | | | | to the test recently. That is, that the student is now |
| anxiety is that many students have come into the | | | | only allowed to fail up to three times. After which, |
| test either unprepared or just overconfident. | | | | the student can no longer enroll in the nursing |
| Unfortunately, the preparatory literature that is | | | | program at that particular school. For instance, Henry |
| currently available does not do complete justice to | | | | Ford Community College has now adopted this rule. |
| covering all that is necessary for the Nursing Entrance | | | | This is very annoying and frustrating to those |
| Test. | | | | students who have taken all of their prerequisites |
| Most schools require at least a score of 50 on the | | | | and are on their last chance. They are faced with |
| math and reading comprehension sections. Students | | | | having to transfer their credits to another nursing |
| must be able to comprehend science textbooks | | | | school program and take the test again at another |
| which are written at a 10th grade reading level. This | | | | school. This prolongs their admission to nursing school |
| is considered to be the "norm" for adult reading levels | | | | which is usually a two to three year wait at the |
| for college applicants. Algebra is essential for | | | | minimum. Some students have opted to take a |
| medication calculations. The two combined give a | | | | refresher math course. However, this is in no way a |
| good indication of the ability to use critical thinking | | | | guarantee that they will pass the Nursing Entrance |
| skills which are essential to RN programs. | | | | Test. Much of the math in a remedial math course is |
| If you're a prospective nursing student still in high | | | | not sufficient to pass the Nursing Entrance Test. |
| school, you can do a number of things to prepare | | | | |