Some advice for those planning on taking the POSS

[wagnerag]

I have now taken the POSS test twice and have passed it twice. A lot of thanks to the poster of this board. They definitely contributed to my success.

Assembly:
This may be the most challenging part of the test. It seems to me that the questions get harder as your progress. My strategy for taking this section was to first identify the part that has the most labeled sides (the piece with the most letters on it). From there I pick one part, see where it should go on the "main" part and then eliminate the answer choices that are incorrect. I continue to do that until I have eliminated all but one answer. Most of the time it only takes to rounds of this method until I have the correct answer. The first time I took the test I answer all but two questions, the second time I finished it. On the second half of the test, if you get stuck, skip the question and come back to it latter.

Mechanical:
Very easy section. Both times I finished this section with plenty of time to spare. I would say this section only tests you over a few concepts. Gear, pulleys, leviers, very basic electric circuits, very basic heat transfer and moments of force (torque). Also know basic concepts for fluid flow in a pipe. In particular pv(in) = pv(out).

Graphs:
YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS SECTION. Very easy, but you need to work fast. I recommend using your spare pencil as a straight edge for reading the graphs.

Reading:
If you can read the newspaper, you can pass this. I finished this section with tons of time left each time I tested. Although you have plenty of time to read through the passages, the passages are about basic engineering concepts. Therefore, you can answer most of the questions without reading the actual passages. For example, one passage is over the three methods of heat transfer.

Math:
This section is is easy, buy you need to work fast. Make sure you are up to date with your arithmetic as there are no calculators aloud.  Both times I took the test I finished the conversions and algebra sections, but only answer 2 or three of the last section. IMO, the algebra section is the easiest. I would recommend skipping the conversions section  and going straight to the algebra. Once you have finished the algebra go onto the conversions. ***They use different unit conversion than on the practice test*** The first time I took the exam I memorized the conversions on the practice exam. Turned out to be a waste of time. Skip the problems that require a two step conversion. After you have finished all the one step conversions, go onto the last section and work as many as you can.

Hope this helps!

[MacGyver]

I have now taken the POSS test twice and have passed it twice. A lot of thanks to the poster of this board. They definitely contributed to my success.

Assembly:
This may be the most challenging part of the test. It seems to me that the questions get harder as your progress. My strategy for taking this section was to first identify the part that has the most labeled sides (the piece with the most letters on it). From there I pick one part, see where it should go on the "main" part and then eliminate the answer choices that are incorrect. I continue to do that until I have eliminated all but one answer. Most of the time it only takes to rounds of this method until I have the correct answer. The first time I took the test I answer all but two questions, the second time I finished it. On the second half of the test, if you get stuck, skip the question and come back to it latter.

Mechanical:
Very easy section. Both times I finished this section with plenty of time to spare. I would say this section only tests you over a few concepts. Gear, pulleys, leviers, very basic electric circuits, very basic heat transfer and moments of force (torque). Also know basic concepts for fluid flow in a pipe. In particular pv(in) = pv(out).

Graphs:
YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS SECTION. Very easy, but you need to work fast. I recommend using your spare pencil as a straight edge for reading the graphs.

Reading:
If you can read the newspaper, you can pass this. I finished this section with tons of time left each time I tested. Although you have plenty of time to read through the passages, the passages are about basic engineering concepts. Therefore, you can answer most of the questions without reading the actual passages. For example, one passage is over the three methods of heat transfer.

Math:
This section is is easy, buy you need to work fast. Make sure you are up to date with your arithmetic as there are no calculators aloud.  Both times I took the test I finished the conversions and algebra sections, but only answer 2 or three of the last section. IMO, the algebra section is the easiest. I would recommend skipping the conversions section  and going straight to the algebra. Once you have finished the algebra go onto the conversions. ***They use different unit conversion than on the practice test*** The first time I took the exam I memorized the conversions on the practice exam. Turned out to be a waste of time. Skip the problems that require a two step conversion. After you have finished all the one step conversions, go onto the last section and work as many as you can.

Hope this helps!

Obviously you didn't get the message ... My recent POSS Failure... too much conflicting info?   


















PS ... I forgot to mention ... Good Job, thank you for proving our point to the above poster.

[HydroDave63]

I have now taken the POSS test twice and have passed it twice. A lot of thanks to the poster of this board. They definitely contributed to my success.

Assembly:
This may be the most challenging part of the test. It seems to me that the questions get harder as your progress. My strategy for taking this section was to first identify the part that has the most labeled sides (the piece with the most letters on it). From there I pick one part, see where it should go on the "main" part and then eliminate the answer choices that are incorrect. I continue to do that until I have eliminated all but one answer. Most of the time it only takes to rounds of this method until I have the correct answer. The first time I took the test I answer all but two questions, the second time I finished it. On the second half of the test, if you get stuck, skip the question and come back to it latter.

Mechanical:
Very easy section. Both times I finished this section with plenty of time to spare. I would say this section only tests you over a few concepts. Gear, pulleys, leviers, very basic electric circuits, very basic heat transfer and moments of force (torque). Also know basic concepts for fluid flow in a pipe. In particular pv(in) = pv(out).

Graphs:
YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS SECTION. Very easy, but you need to work fast. I recommend using your spare pencil as a straight edge for reading the graphs.

Reading:
If you can read the newspaper, you can pass this. I finished this section with tons of time left each time I tested. Although you have plenty of time to read through the passages, the passages are about basic engineering concepts. Therefore, you can answer most of the questions without reading the actual passages. For example, one passage is over the three methods of heat transfer.

Math:
This section is is easy, buy you need to work fast. Make sure you are up to date with your arithmetic as there are no calculators aloud.  Both times I took the test I finished the conversions and algebra sections, but only answer 2 or three of the last section. IMO, the algebra section is the easiest. I would recommend skipping the conversions section  and going straight to the algebra. Once you have finished the algebra go onto the conversions. ***They use different unit conversion than on the practice test*** The first time I took the exam I memorized the conversions on the practice exam. Turned out to be a waste of time. Skip the problems that require a two step conversion. After you have finished all the one step conversions, go onto the last section and work as many as you can.

Hope this helps!

Very good news and timely!

[Starkist]

Good, albeit biased advice.

Dont let YOUR experience guide others into complacency. I found the assembly and mechanical section EXTREMELY easy, and I finished the graph section with time to spare. Mileage may vary with this test. I used the same strategy on the reading part. I didnt read the articles, the questions had common sense answers.

[HydroDave63]

I didnt read the articles, the questions had common sense answers.

So will well-written distractors.

[Starkist]

So will well-written distractors. I award you no points....

Interesting dave. When's the last time you took a poss,mass or tech test?  I took and passed all three within the last year.

[HydroDave63]

Interesting dave. When's the last time you took a pass,mass or tech test? 

Oh, a couple of times, part of the process where I qualified as plant operator and stood the watch. And you?

[Starkist]

Oh, a couple of times, part of the process where I qualified as plant operator and stood the watch. And you?

Didnt answer the question dave. I didnt ask how many times you took it.  Me and another person here used the same strategy to pass it, and very near and recent to each other.

Im very glad you take humour out of me getting laid off because I had a seizure dave. Very noble and shows your character very well.

Besides, I thought you were  an RP tech anyway...


edit : distracters on the poss eh? hahaha...

[MacGyver]

Didnt answer the question dave.

Listen Tuna (aka HAL lunnyar computernfused module) since when are you in a position to "demand" an answer from the esteemed HydroDave?  He has stood (and is still standing) the watch, what have you done?

[Fermi2]

Graphs:
YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS SECTION. Very easy, but you need to work fast. I recommend using your spare pencil as a straight edge for reading the graphs.

Incorrect. I finished this section twice with lots of time to spare.

And BTW Congrats! But uh if you passed the test twice did you get hired anywhere?

[wagnerag]

Broadzilla, I find it amazing that you finished the graphs sections with time to spare. Perhaps this section has changed since last you took it?

I got a job offer with Entergy and will start working for them as an NLO in three weeks. I won't hear back from the other company (Duke) until January, but I expect to also receive an offer from them.

[ski2313]

I also finished graphs with time to spare... just sayin'.

Line up the X and Y axis.. mark the bubble... not rocket science

[Fermi2]

Broadzilla, I find it amazing that you finished the graphs sections with time to spare. Perhaps this section has changed since last you took it?

I got a job offer with Entergy and will start working for them as an NLO in three weeks. I won't hear back from the other company (Duke) until January, but I expect to also receive an offer from them.

You are amazed yet you have no objective criteria on which to be amazed as you have never met me.

I'll take a bet on my dumbest day I'm probably twice as smart as you on your best...

Same test.

[HydroDave63]

Broadzilla, I find it amazing that you finished the graphs sections with time to spare. Perhaps this section has changed since last you took it?

I got a job offer with Entergy and will start working for them as an NLO in three weeks. I won't hear back from the other company (Duke) until January, but I expect to also receive an offer from them.

You are amazed yet you have no objective criteria on which to be amazed as you have never met me.

I'll take a bet on my dumbest day I'm probably twice as smart as you on your best...

Same test.

BZ, I'm sure he meant it as a compliment to someone on the wrong end of the corporate apartheid line blessed with fine motor skills in reading a graph ...after all, he has a B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering, and well... you are:

1. probably just one of those guys in the red shirt on Star Trek that gets eaten by the talking plant

2. a real credit to your humble background, someday you might become an engineer as well (if you ask nice)

3. living proof that a degree is what separates gentlemen from brash Shift Sups tossing procedures around and eating more than their fair share on wings-night-in-the-control room

4. probably going to make sure you get to do an INPO audit trip where you can have wagner fetch you some coffee

5. All of the above


On a hard question like that, do I skip and come back, guess, or leave it blank? 

[Fermi2]

BZ, I'm sure he meant it as a compliment to someone on the wrong end of the corporate apartheid line blessed with fine motor skills in reading a graph ...after all, he has a B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering, and well... you are:

1. probably just one of those guys in the red shirt on Star Trek that gets eaten by the talking plant

2. a real credit to your humble background, someday you might become an engineer as well (if you ask nice)

3. living proof that a degree is what separates gentlemen from brash Shift Sups tossing procedures around and eating more than their fair share on wings-night-in-the-control room

4. probably going to make sure you get to do an INPO audit trip where you can have wagner fetch you some coffee

5. All of the above


On a hard question like that, do I skip and come back, guess, or leave it blank? 

Too many hard questions there Dave so I'll jump back on my Shift Manager skills and say in a real gruff voice, "Go get me some coffee"

[Starkist]

You are amazed yet you have no objective criteria on which to be amazed as you have never met me.

I'll take a bet on my dumbest day I'm probably twice as smart as you on your best...

Same test.

[HydroDave63]

Too many hard questions there Dave so I'll jump back on my Shift Manager skills and say in a real gruff voice, "Go get me some coffee"

Okay, what poser at (censored) plant got into BZ's account? The Real BZ would have said "Go get me some coffee, NUB" !!!   

[MacGyver]

Too many hard questions there Dave so I'll jump back on my Shift Manager skills and say in a real gruff voice, "Go get me some coffee"

Where is BZ and what have you done with him?   

Now that is the BZ we know.

[Fermi2]

Okay, what poser at (censored) plant got into BZ's account? The Real BZ would have said "Go get me some coffee, NUB" !!!   

Dave I am mellowing out in my old age!

MacGyver LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I feel honored as Terry Tate is a true American Hero in my mind.

[HydroDave63]

Dave I am mellowing out in my old age!

Maybe enjoying some home-baked cookies? 

[Fermi2]

As always Dave. Chocolate Chip of course. Chocolate Chip cookies sooth the savage beast.

[HydroDave63]

As always Dave. Chocolate Chip of course. Chocolate Chip cookies sooth the savage beast.

Why , of course! Chocolate is full of bioflavinoids, and is mildly estrogenic!