POSS (Power Plant Operator Selection System) Test

[NoogaTiger]

I hate to sound pessimistic, but that would be 60%.
Doesn't sound too promising.
If you didn't pass though, you have a pretty concrete thing to work on for next time.

[luke7750]

Yeah hopefully I miscounted and maybe got more answered. I just tried to count really quick after the lady called time.
I thought the actual test was more difficult than the practice tests other than the math section for me. Maybe I squeezed by. Fingers crossed. I will post when I get the results.

Btw I used a method for taking the test that I read on this forum. If I didn't know the answer rather than guessing I moved on to the problems I knew I could answer correctly and then came back to the other ones if time permitted. Again thanks for everyone who provided me with helpful info on this site.

[luke7750]

Well I got an email yesterday telling me based on my poss c test results that I did not meet the requirements. I have a strong feeling it was the assembly portion of the test which I only answered 12 out of 20. If I get another chance in the future I will prepare more and try to make educated guesses for the problems I am unsure about. Also I have noticed that the nuc plants in my area are hiring alot of operation guys. Is there a high turnover rate for these jobs or are they just trying to beef up the work force? any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[MacGyver]

Well I got an email yesterday telling me based on my poss c test results that I did not meet the requirements. I have a strong feeling it was the assembly portion of the test which I only answered 12 out of 20. If I get another chance in the future I will prepare more and try to make educated guesses for the problems I am unsure about. Also I have noticed that the nuc plants in my area are hiring alot of operation guys. Is there a high turnover rate for these jobs or are they just trying to beef up the work force? any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

Both.

Operations operators (Non-Licensed variety / Entry Level) are going to move on to Licensed Operators and into the Plants Craft positions when a position and seniority provide such an opportunity.

Operations departments are beefing up (late) for retirements and for the new work rules implemented just not long ago.

NLO/SO/NEO/AUO/etc is always going to have a higher turnover than any other Plant (i.e. House) jobs.

[GLW]

...A GREAT place to eat is the Angry Bull near Route 2. It's about 35 miles east of the Bess...

I've been living one  mile down the street from the Angry Bull since May 2007, the beef is phenomenal,...

Everything else is average so, go for the beef and be happy you did,...

THEN if you feel like it go to Wellington, Ohio, home of the Mighty Dukes and get some of the best pizza in the US at the Pizza House. And while you're there say hello to my Aunt Carmen for me

Six tables in a Main Street storefront two four seaters, one six seater, and three eight seaters. Established in 1966, there is a stamped tin ceiling painted dark brown without a trace of dust to be seen anywhere on that ceiling. The place is as clean as a nunnery.

Good pizza, we went for the mushroom, ham and tomato on a 16" pie, it's a thin crust style. We opted out of the onions as they tend to overwhelm and mask the subtler pleasures of pizza. I love onions on pizza but it's nice to know it was a good pizza before I massacre it with my favorite pizza topping.

Aunt Carmen was not there at 1930 on a Wednesday night, but the staff was nice and service was prompt, the fried raviolas were pleasant and the water was potable which is not all that common in North Central Ohio. We took home a pepperoni calzone for a family member who opted to stay home, a bit smallish by New York pizzeria convention but then all those New York calzones have not helped me maintain my girlish figure over the years either.

The calzone in Wellington is reminiscent of scacciata for those who have enjoyed such.

The stay at home judged the calzone to be good also.

If you're working DB, either restaurant is a good stop while enjoying North-Central Ohio.

(Sure are an awful lot of slate roofs in Wellington, Ohio,...  )

[Fermi2]

THANKS!!!! What you call Thin Crust we Wellingtonians call just plain regular crust! She will be so pleased about what you wrote especially about the cleanliness. Virtually all her help is Local High School kids and she screens them carefully so I'll let her know her process of "If you are rude and inefficient I WILL tell your parents" works!

I know exactly how every bit of that dang slate made it to those roofs!!! One rule of thumb: Apparently slate cannot be carried to a roof unless it is at least 90F with 95% humidity.

[mdanner423]

Hey all,

I am taking the POSS on Tuesday for a utility in the south east. Really excited for the opportunity but am nervous about the Assembly part. It's the only part I had any struggle with during the practice tests and it just doesn't seem to be my cup of tea. I bought the Arco book and some other spatial relations practice books and do think I am improving, but am not doing as well as I want to be doing.

Could you share your strategy for tackling assembly problems? I've been trying the pick two pieces and assemble them correctly in your mind. Now, look at the answer choices and X out any of them were those two pieces don't match, and go from there approach. It does help, but was curious if any of you wise people know another method or an extension to that method to help me out.

Also, I've bought some furniture in box form and put it together and returned it to practice....

--Matthew

[Starkist]

Sorry, but theres no "trick" to it. The only quasi tricks I can think of is that some of the answers are blatantly wrong, so you can mark them off instantly. Also, I think they do it on purpose, but some of them are flat out difficult to see. If you get stuck on one, MOVE ON! Dont guess, dont spend 5 minutes thinking about it, just skip it. 

[ProudFather]

My son got his results back from his poss test and his (by far) weakest section was mechanical concepts.
He answered all 44 but missed 12 which really shocked him because the really thought he may have done the best on that section.

Any suggestion on how to study for those type questions?

[drayer54]

My son got his results back from his poss test and his (by far) weakest section was mechanical concepts.
He answered all 44 but missed 12 which really shocked him because the really thought he may have done the best on that section.

Any suggestion on how to study for those type questions?

I would argue that you don't study them.

Build up the largest test bank possible with online and published resources and then PRACTICE.

The questions on the POSS are simple, the challenge is time. If you have a large test bank, odds are that you'll be able to practice every type of problem...


Good luck!

[ProudFather]

I can see much value in your comment.  We went over the EEI July 2009 vr. on the 10 hour trip to the test site, which seems to be the most common vr.  Links to other would be a great help!

[drayer54]

I can see much value in your comment.  We went over the EEI July 2009 vr. on the 10 hour trip to the test site, which seems to be the most common vr.  Links to other would be a great help!

This one has some good practice questions and answers. I reviewed it on the flight to my test site. (BTW: 10 hr trip? Something is wrong with that? )

Plant Operator Selection System Secrets Study Guide: POSS Test Review for the Plant Operator Selection System

Otherwise, the EEI website or google away!

[ProudFather]

He got an email to on a monday to take the test on a thursday.  Too short of notice to get reasonable flights and we thought it was worth the drive to South Florida to take the test for his first time to be better prepared for the test if offered closer to home.

[mdanner423]

Passed! Waiting to know the results of the interview... Thanks!

--Matthew

[UncaBuffalo]

Passed! Waiting to know the results of the interview... Thanks!

--Matthew

Congrats! 

[Rennhack]

Passed! Waiting to know the results of the interview... Thanks!

--Matthew

Congrats! 

What he said.

[Laundry Man]

Congratulations!  Hope you get an offer.
LM

[newbie99]

Does anyone know what conversions i should memorize for the POSS...or at least what I should look at the most?

[GLW]

Does anyone know what conversions i should memorize for the POSS...or at least what I should look at the most?

Yeah, first move your cursor over to the Forum tab at the top of the home page at nukeworker.com,...

After the pull down menu appears click on Forum Home,...

Then type "POSS" in the Search field on the right hand side of the Forum Home screen,...

Then click on the Search button,...

You will then get 3 full pages plus of threads, many of which speak directly to your question. If you take the time to read through them you will gain insight on how to proceed, perhaps you could PM a person or two on how they persevered, passed the POSS and landed a job. Who knows how much you can glean with some additional effort on your part?

EJT!!!,...

(sic)

[newbie99]

I have looked at most of those threads and didn't see one that answers the question I asked specifically

[drayer54]

I have looked at most of those threads and didn't see one that answers the question I asked specifically

You don't need to memorize any conversions.

You do need to be familiar with them and know how to convert units.

Good Luck

[eaton1981]

Unless you can memorize all of those conversions COLD, don't worry about it. Practice using the chart given on the practice tests to answer the questions.

For example...on my test I had a question that needed a conversion from pints to gallons. I have a very strong memory in my head that there are 8 pints in a gallon. But, I've had that rattling in my head since I was 11 years old and I use that conversion quite a bit (about once every week or two).

On the other hand, something like acres to square feet I never use.

In my opinion, it's faster to just glance at the chart, get the conversion you need, then do the math. Wasting time trying to remember rarely-used conversions will cause to to not finish all the questions, even if you go into the test THINKING you have them all memorized. You'll find that using your memory (unless you're one of those savants that just have the conversions so deeply ingrained in your memory that it's second nature), will cause you to lose a lot of time.

[cheme09]

The only one I think might be helpful is knowing how to go from degrees to radians.  But that might be more for the BMST and not the POSS; I don't really remember which test I used it on.

[newbie99]

Well I know how to use degrees to radians I used that quite often in school...and I have basic conversions memorized....but was lookin on practice test on eei website and never heard of chains and some other ones...on the actually poss are the conversions basic or ones that are unheard of...and I prefer to memorize as much as I can so I save time cause I read that someone gets 7 minutes for 20 convertions...and I was also reading about it on here that to pass I would only need to get 11 qurstions right in every section...is that correct or am I missing something?

[cheme09]

but was lookin on practice test on eei website and never heard of chains and some other ones

Then you should have also seen the small box of conversions that is given on the test.  No need to memorize.  Just do the ones you know how to do or can do easily first then come back and do the ones that take a few steps.  It's all about being comfortable and quick with simple math and having basic test taking skills.

As for converting temperature to area, don't worry about that.  That's more advanced than the POSS.  If you make it as an NLO though, be sure to ask questions to the instructors about it early so you can show your initiative and desire to succeed.