Just took the POSS/MASS/BMST, a reflection

[Fermi2]

Perhaps it's just another aspect of your aptitude that the industry wants to monitor.  But I can tell you from experience that you can improve your "aptitude" by repetition and exercise.

I( don't give a flying F what you can tell me, you're a NUB. I've been a commercial nuke for 20 years, it has nothing to do with any jobs in the commercial world and no one knows why it's on the exam.

[mtr1514]

Im not even a nub but a wannabe nub.  Your right.

Though I am perplexed how my response could of evoked an emotional response from a twenty year commercial nuke veteran like yourself.

I hear Cancun is nice this time of year...

[Marlin]

Im not even a nub but a wannabe nub.  Your're right.

Though I am perplexed how my response could of evoked an emotional response from a twenty year commercial nuke veteran like yourself.

I hear Cancun is nice this time of year...

                 

[retired nuke]

Im not even a nub but a wannabe nub.  Your right.

Though I am perplexed how my response could of evoked an emotional response from a twenty year commercial nuke veteran like yourself.

I hear Cancun is nice this time of year...

I can tell you kid, youse gots chutzpah, lots of chutzpah 

[HydroDave63]

I hear Cancun is nice this time of year...

No, vacations aer for nubs, dayshifters and slackers. BZ has been getting grouchier year after year after leaving Das Boot. Perhaps it is 'Post-Patrol-Partum Depression' 

[GoneFission]

I had my first POSS experience yesterday and luckily I passed.  For the most part I credit this forum for my success - I feel certain I would have been unprepared without the resources here.  My test was just the POSS (no MASS) and included the "long" math section.  In hopes that my experience can benefit others, I'll do a section by section breakdown of my test:

1)  Assembly - I had 20 questions with an 8 minute time limit.  I was a little anxious about this section since it came first and I was afraid I wouldn't be sufficiently "warmed up."  Difficulty was varied, probably half were on par with the practice test and half were more difficult.  More difficult in the sense that they included more pieces and incorporated more rotations/perspectives.  The answer choices were also very similar requiring more time to eliminate incorrect answers.  I finished 19/20 with about 15 seconds to spare.  I chose not to answer the last one because I was unsure of my answer and if incorrect answers counted against me (which seems to be a bone of contention amongst other posters...)

2)  Mechanical Concepts - I expected this to be one of the easiest sections of the test, and it was.  Many of the questions were general physics knowledge or even common sense, however towards the end of the section difficulty increased noticeably.  I noticed a common theme of heat transfer (i.e. which skillet gets hot faster, a short flat one with lots of surface area contacting the stove, or a tall skinny one with little surface area) and continued spatial relationship-type problems (I had at least 4 problems asking which way to turn a worm gear or screw to close a valve, etc.).  I think I had 20 minutes to complete 42 problems.  I completed 41 with about 10 seconds to spare.  I left the one blank for the same reason as above.

3)  Tables and Graphs - Ah, I was dreading this section.  Broken into two sub-sections, the time constraints really came into play here.  Although the questions were almost identical to the practice test, the numbers were larger or involved more zeroes after the decimal.  Doesn't seem like a big deal until you get to the answer choices that are pretty close to identical except for one more or one less zero.  60 of these in 5 minutes.  The graphs section was much harder than the practice test.  As other people have mentioned, you really have to follow the lines back to the source as there are MANY more lines on the graph that overlap each other significantly.  What a pain.  I think there were 20 of these in 4 minutes?  I don't remember exactly, but if you're quick you can finish them all.  The key to both sections is a straight edge.  Some people have folded scratch paper and I tried this but it got in the way.  Too much flipping back and forth for me.  Instead I used my extra pencil.  Perfect.  Use this method and you spend less time flipping and more time answering.  Stay calm and focused and you'll be just fine..

We had a 5 minute break between sections 3 and 4. 

4)  Section 4 was Reading Comprehension.  Not much to say here - easiest section of the test hands down.  As another poster has said "if you can read the newspaper, you can ace this portion of the test."  I agree, just be careful and take your time as some of the answer choices are intended to trick you.  30 minutes to answer 36 questions is overkill.  I had at least 15 minutes to spare after finishing which I used to check my answers and begin gathering focus for the last section...

5) Math section.  Everyone hates this.  I had the long version which includes conversions, algebra, and word problems.  It is my understanding that utilities will choose short or long versions depending on their needs and/or wants.  The conversions on my test were actually substantially different than those on the practice test, but I had prepared by reviewing all distance, volume, area, and weight relationships.  This helped me immensely as it spared me precious seconds having to look at the charts.  Memorizing direct relationships (i.e. teaspoons in a gallon, tablespoons in a gallon, cups in a gallon) instead of just single-step conversions (i.e. a gallon has 4 quarts which have 2 pints which have 2 cups, etc..) saved me even more time.  Lots more to study and memorize, but the benefits outweigh the costs.  The algebra was nothing to worry about, mostly single variable relationships; 3x + 1 = 13, solve for x.  Not too difficult but practicing will save you precious moments.  Word problems were fairly easy, just time consuming.  I recall several of the type - "If it takes 30 minutes to go 20 miles, how long will it take to travel 360 miles?"  Start with conversions and work your way up.  Skip anything that looks like it will take too long or multiple steps.  Work your way through and start over when you are finished.  Repeat until time is up.  I finished all but 3 questions on the math before time was called. 


Other info:  Get plenty of rest if possible before taking the test.  I think this is often understated but is very important.  My test was first thing in the morning and I made sure I ate something for breakfast although I didn't really feel like it.  Finally, as BZ and others have said, get a practice ASVAB book from the local library or used bookstore.  Take the first test timing yourself.  Take the second one and try to shave off some time.  Take the third shaving more time, etc.  Many of the math problems in the ASVAB are actually more difficult than those on the POSS, but I found this to be a positive thing - when I got to the real thing, it was easier than studying!

If you have any questions or if I can help in any way feel free to PM me.  Many here have more experience, but I figure every little bit helps!

[retired nuke]

Congrats on passing.

This is an example of a great post. This should be the link we send everyone to when they come on NW as a nub and ask " what is the POSS test like?"  

I look forward to more posts from you - I expect we may see categories like "new hire - orientation", "initial training", etc    

[roadrunner]

Thank you....This is a huge help:)  I am scheduled to take the POSS, ANPEO and EEI all on the 23rd.  I am wondering if the ANPEO has the same concepts as the POSS??  I am stressing on that many exams in one day. Back to my books!!! 

[GoneFission]

HouseDad - You make me blush, but really I am just trying to give back.  Hopefully I have the opportunity to start those other threads you mention.

roadrunner - I wish I could give you advice about the ANPEO, but I don't know much about it.  I found only a few threads here that even reference it and you've probably already seen them.  Here's a link just in case:

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,11250.msg61464/topicseen.html#msg61464

Good luck on all those tests though.  I have a feeling that if you're studying as hard as you are, test day will be cake.  Keep us posted, and if you have anything to add after your tests, feel free. 

[gobigred]

I just finished taking the POSS test and thought I would jot down some notes while it is all fresh in my mind. I am a former Navy Nuke Electrician who is gainfully employed by an electrical contractor doing business development. I found that I missed the black and white world of Nuclear Power.

In preparation for the test, I read most of the posts on this website, bought an E-Book that I found on the internet, and bought Barron's Mechanical Reasoning and Spatial Relations Test Prep by Joel Wiesen, and used a GMAT study guide I already had. All were helpful in their own way.

The order of the sections are in the order the test was administered.

1) Assembly -

Thoughts going into test: I felt this section would be one of my strong suits. I had taken all the practice tests and did well on all of them.

In Reality: I had read somewhere on here that this section was a little harder than the practice tests. I concur with this assessment. Not a great deal harder, but I was only able to finish 16/20. Of those I completed, I feel pretty good about most of them.

2) Mechanical Reasoning:

Thoughts going into test: I also felt this section would be one of my better areas. Throughout all the practice tests, I would get 99% of the questions correct - with some exceptions on crappy/unclear pictures.

In Reality: Some were very easy - similar to all practice tests- but there were a few that threw me for a loop. Specifically, there were questions on horizontal and vertical gears, air going through a windmill, and some others that I really had to think about. I believe that my POSS hinges on how I did in this section. I left two blank and probably had to have "extra-thought" on about 6-8 more of them. Here is to guessing that is why the Navy made me an EM instead of an MM.

3) Tables and Graphs

Thoughts going into test: Was concerned about this section because of all the differing statements on what this test was like. I have heard that the graphs were way different on the real POSS and the Tables had numbers into the .001 range that you would have to differentiate.

In Reality: The tables were just like all the practice tests I took. I finished this section right in the nick of time. Would not be scared of this section unless you cannot find a number in a table every 5 seconds.

The graphs were a little bit more involved than the ones in the practice test – but I am going to give a nugget that may help someone out. The big differences were that the data lines were all the same (which I read on here) and the values requested were normally in between two larger numbers. Here iswhat the graph looked like:

Get a piece of graph paper
Label the "Y" axis by tens, but have each block on the graph paper count as two
Make 6-7 Data Lines that intersect each other quite often (I really hope this comes through in writing)

Most of the answers were numbers like 82, 76, 54. I finished 20/24 on this section.

4) Reading Comprehension –

Thoughts going into the test: I have never had a problem with reading comprehension, but used the GMAT reading comprehension to prepare. These are the hardest Reading Comprehension test I have ever seen.

In Reality: Having experience in a technical field really helped me out here. There were 5 reading blurbs, which all dealt with the physical sciences. If you understand Heat Transfer/Fluid Flow and term like viscosity, you should have no problems. I answered all the questions with plenty of time to spare.

Math:

Thoughts Going into test: This has always been a strong subject for me, but was a little scared by all the comments on here about how hard it was to finish. I read so many people only got to 3-4 Algebra Problems and one or two word problems. I used nearly every resource to study for this section.

In Reality: Much easier than I expected. I used the Plant Dispatcher Math test on EEI because it actually had conversions, algebra, and word problems. I am not sure why this practice test is not the POSS Math test. It is virtually the exact same type of questions. Taking the advice from this website I left 3-4 Conversions blank as to not get hung up. I did all the algebra problems and all but one of the word problems. One thing that was unexpected – there were 4-6 problems that were answered as "N". I am pretty sure were right, so expect to get answers that are not listed on the real test.

Based on what I have read on this website, I am pretty sure I answered enough questions to pass...it's is now just a matter of if I got enough correct. As previously stated, I believe my Mechanical Reasoning test is the key to my passing score.

Quest. Type   #Completed     #On Test

Assembly        16      20
Mechanical    42      44
Tables      60      60
Graphs      20      24
Reading      36      36
Math      42      47

[slarmox2]

Nice information to share with those who are planning on taking this test. I completed about the same amount 1 week ago, I was "recommended". Where did you take it and when do you find out?

[Harley Rider]

Excellent info Tad2001, this will help a number of people. Good luck on your progress.

[gobigred]

Harris Plant - New Bern, NC - Classing up July 5th. - We were all told we would recieve an email within 72 hours...I really hope they don't make me think about it all weekend.

[azkidd]

Its good that you studied.  Got to know what type of questions to look for.  But the point behind these tests:  Remember this....Do not spend time "thinking" or "figuring" the answer.  If you find yourself not able to answer the current question, move on!  It is not the amount you answer, it is the amount of "which" you answer, and of those, how many you have correct!  You will not be penalized for those you do not answer.  It has to do with speed vs accuracy.  I have done it three times, and passed every time.  Just a High School education, never studied. 

Don't get me wrong, this is good info that you gave.  But most people get nervous and fail, because they studied too much.  Just relax, and answer what you know.  If you finish before the time is up, go back and try to answer those you skipped.  Speed and accuracy!

[gobigred]

I can definitely understand how someone can get nervous and fail. I have a friend who is applying for the same position, but he is from out of state. He flew in last evening, took his test this morning, found out he passed an hour later, and promptly interviewed.

It would be much easier this way! I really hate waiting for test results. I have always hated it. I have never failed a test before, but I always worry about it.

According to my friend, 10 out of 14 people in his group passed the test. Seems like a very high percentage from some of the reported pass rates listed on this site.

I will keep on waiting, but I really hope I get an answer tomorrow! 

[gobigred]

I passed...I am not sure why I was so worried, but I am thankful that phase is completed.

[coalfired]

Hello everyone...I've been reading info on nuke worker for a few weeks...preparing for the mass/poss that I took last week. I will receive my results sometime in the next couple of weeks. The test that I took had five different sections. Assembly, mechanical, reading comprehension, "lines" test, and mathematical conversions. I am concerned with the amount of questions that I finished in each section. Is there a minimum amount that determines whether someone passes or fails. I finished about 2/3 on the assembly, all but two on mechanical, all of the reading, 14 of 35ish on the lines, and ten of nineteen on the conversions. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[crusemm]

I took the Poss a week ago, and found out today that I passed.  I just wanted to say thank you to all of the people that posted information about the exam, tips on what to study and how to study, and the encouragement of lots of members of this board.  What you guys have written here is a really invaluable tool for helping people trying to transition from the Navy into civilian nuclear power, or civilian life period. 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to these boards, it is appreciated, and more importantly, it is useful.

Have A Day
-Matt

[gobigred]

I recieved a job offer yesterday, and accepted it on the spot. Very excited to get started.

[AFT21]

Having just taken the POSS yesterday, I wanted to say that this is an excellent description of the POSS experience, and I'm really glad it's a sticky.  Since it is a sticky, I would also like to throw in a link to a similar description:

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?topic=23699.0

gobigred specifically mentions finding 4-6 math questions to be "N" which I also experienced.  That was probably my greatest concern walking out of the test, as I've read in other posts that there should not be any questions with the answer "N".  Maybe no "N" answers is only for the short math version?

There were also extra places to write/bubble in your SSN on each right hand page of the math booklet.  The fact that they were not required was supposed to be derived from the fact that putting it on the first page was the only thing mentioned in the instructions.  Hopefully that was not a go/no go, just a time waster.

Finally I would like to add that a person could look around this forum and find at least 10 different theories on what constitutes a passing score.  I don't believe there is good answer out there.  Different plants can set different requirements, and quality is better than quantity are really the only things that everyone seems to agree on.

[rbeck]

Were there many new conversions on the test that werent on the practice test...other than teaspoon/tables? There's ALOT of units of conversions out there, so I hate to waste time trying to memorize stuff I don't need.

Also did you see area of a triangle, volume of a pyramid, etc on the test?


Thanks

[c-zar]

Can someone let me know what POSS, ANPEO and EEI stand for. I am in the Canadian nuclear industry and these acronyms are foreign to me.

[sovbob]

POSS - Plant Operator Selection System (A test commonly administered to prospective employees in both nuclear and non-nuclear plants)

EEI - Edison Electric Institute (The company that developed and maintains the POSS, as well as several other pre-employment screening tests)

ANPEO - Apprentice Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (Not sure about this one.  It looks like it's used by Southern Edison.  I don't know if anybody else uses it)

[c-zar]

Thanks Sovbob, Point Lepreau uses the terms:

PPOIT - Power Plant Operator in Training (fully qualified in 12 - 18 months)
PPO - Power Plant Operator (field operator)

SPPOIT - Senior Power Plant Operator in Training (fully qualified in 6 - 12 months)
SPPO - Senior Power Plant Operator (field & control room operator)

OFSIT - Operations Field Supervisor in Training (fully qualified in 2 -3 months)
OFS - Operations Field Supervisor

CROIT - Control Room Operator in Training ( fully qualified in 3 -4 years)
CRO - Control Room Operator

SSIT - Shift Supervisor in Training (fully qualified in 12 - 18 months)
SS - Shift Supervisor

[Homer S.]

Thanks for the great info! I'm going to take the POSS in the near future and found this very helpful.