Just took the POSS/MASS/BMST, a reflection

[Reflection]

woo-hoo!  I'm applying for an Apprentice Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (ANPEO) position at SONGS and I just found out I passed the MASS/POSS!  Now I have two weeks until I have to take their "Knowledge Test" which is basically focused on Math, Physics, Fluids Dynamics, and Thermodynamics.  I've been studying for the past few weeks and it's been a good refresher of the classes I took in college (BS Mechanical Engr).  I'm so glad I'm actually using the stuff I learned in school, unlike my previous job where I was wasting it and getting dumber by the day.

Well if you can't tell I'm pretty stoked.. I'm going to totally OWN that test. Then after I pass that test then finally I will be eligible for an interview.. then I heard training starts in October.  

[retired nuke]

woo-hoo!  I'm applying for an Apprentice Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (ANPEO) position at SONGS and I just found out I passed the MASS/POSS!  Now I have two weeks until I have to take their "Knowledge Test" which is basically focused on Math, Physics, Fluids Dynamics, and Thermodynamics.  I've been studying for the past few weeks and it's been a good refresher of the classes I took in college (BS Mechanical Engr).  I'm so glad I'm actually using the stuff I learned in school, unlike my previous job where I was wasting it and getting dumber by the day.

Well if you can't tell I'm pretty stoked.. I'm going to totally OWN that test. Then after I pass that test then finally I will be eligible for an interview.. then I heard training starts in October. 

Congrats - I hope things go well, and you become one of those Ops people we all ask questions of later on. Keep us posted.

[Brett LaVigne]

Congratulations! Keep us posted.

[B.PRESGROVE]

Hey I am waiting to hear when I am suppose to take the test can you give any pointers  .  Ive been doing those practice tests and doing alot studying on concepts, but is there anything else I can do to prepare for it?  Trying for an ops position at our local nuke plant. 

[Bleyse]

The practice tests given at the EEI website won't really prepare you for the real test.  They are just a small sample.

Most people around here advise using an ASVAB test prep book.  Try to find one that has at least three practice tests in it.

Good luck!

[Fermi2]

Yes,

Get an ASVAB Book. Most of the Prep Books have about 5 to 10 tests.

Take the first test at your own pace.

Then try to shave 5 minutes off each subsequent test.

On the real McCoy you won't see anything Nuclear Specific. You have to work fast because if you don't complete a certain amount of questions the section you are in won't be graded.

Mike

[Arkane]

Thanks for the support guys!

Besides the EEI practice tests I used the Barron's Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Tests book as a study guide.  It's good practice for the mechanical assembly part but only covered basic mechanical concepts.  Everything else in the book is irrelevant.  A LOT of the mechanical concept questions on the real test were way harder than the examples in the EEI practice test.  I relied a lot on what I've learned in physics and fluid dynamics. 

I've always been pretty good at doing calculations in my head so I was able to complete both math conversions/algebra sections.  They're not hard at all.  You just have to be QUICK, and that just takes practice.  Even if you memorize the conversions it won't help too much if you're busy doing calculations on the scratch paper.

Alright.. I gotta get back to studying. I'll make sure to keep you guys posted.

[B.PRESGROVE]

   Hey Arkane I want to appologize for not sayin congrats on passing  the test you took.  I was so anxious to see what you did to prepare that I forgot to do that.  I am currently looking for an ASVAB (I take it like the one I took to get into the military? ) test book.  I also was wonderin when I went to go get employed at our local DOE site we had to take a battery of tests, could this possibly be the same type of test ?  Just wonderin. 

[Arkane]

No worries man. Thanks!

I'm not too sure but the mass/poss I took was also described as a battery of pre-employment tests.  I've never taken the ASVAB but I just got done going through some online examples and it does look like good practice.

[Arkane]

So the "Knowledge Test" was this past Saturday.  I guess I did pretty well because I just came back from an interview. Now I have to wait about a month until I hear any news.. oh the agony of waiting.

[B.PRESGROVE]

Hey you gotta love that patience thing that God likes to teach us so much.  Congrats on the interview and making it this far.  Im still waiting on a phone call for the test dates.  Hope you get the job and blow the socks off of m.

[mark1272]

Hi, I'm a newbie and I am scheduled to take the POSS test.  About 18 months ago I took and passed the POSS and MASS.  I was told the results are good for life, Does anyone know how I would go about getting the results of those tests?  BTW the tests were for a different company than the one I'm testing for now.

[Fermi2]

Hi, I'm a newbie and I am scheduled to take the POSS test.  About 18 months ago I took and passed the POSS and MASS.  I was told the results are good for life, Does anyone know how I would go about getting the results of those tests?  BTW the tests were for a different company than the one I'm testing for now.

They're only good for the company that offered you the exam. Each company has it's own criteria and use for the POSS. Results are never shared.

Mike

[thenuttyneutron]

They're only good for the company that offered you the exam. Each company has it's own criteria and use for the POSS. Results are never shared.

Mike

I am not sure what to believe about the POSS.  When I took the POSS 3 years ago, the HR recruiter told all the test takers that the results could be shared with other companies if we gave permission.  We were also told that if the results were not good enough to be offered a job, we must wait 6 weeks before retesting.  These HR people may just be blowing smoke up our collective rear ends.

I have heard many things about the POSS and I am still not sure what to beleive.  I have been told that this test only requires a certain number of correct answers in each section to be passed and that wrong answers take away from your score.  I have also been told that the test pass rate, about 15%, is about the same when looking at people with just a HS degree through college degree.

I am convinced every company has different policies regarding the POSS.  I think it all depends on whos facts you choose to use 

[Fermi2]

Well since I've been involved in administrating or evaluating the POSS at two utilities I can tell you how it's graded.

1: You have to complete a certain amount of questions to get it graded.

2: You have to have a certain number correct to pass.

It's how it's graded at ALL sites. Now the cut off based on the grades might be different.

No one gives the results of the POSS to anyone else, put it this way, do you think any utility wants to foot the bill for another utilities HR?

Mike

[azkidd]

From recent experience, I can tell you that a utility CAN, and WILL, find previous scores.  EEI keeps a data base for these scores.  Of course, I just interviewed as a returnee to a utility, and of course knowing I was a returnee, they knew I had taken the POSS prior.  All it took was sending a consent form to EEI.  You might try asking HR to inquire if their test might be the same as the one you passed.  I have taken two tests, which were the same test,  with no prior notice and have done fine.  Remember, speed, answer only those you can answer quickly, don't spend time on a problem, and don't GUESS.  You will not be penalized for questions NOT answered.

[Fermi2]

From recent experience, I can tell you that a utility CAN, and WILL, find previous scores.  EEI keeps a data base for these scores.  Of course, I just interviewed as a returnee to a utility, and of course knowing I was a returnee, they knew I had taken the POSS prior.  All it took was sending a consent form to EEI.  You might try asking HR to inquire if their test might be the same as the one you passed.  I have taken two tests, which were the same test,  with no prior notice and have done fine.  Remember, speed, answer only those you can answer quickly, don't spend time on a problem, and don't GUESS.  You will not be penalized for questions NOT answered.

Incorrect. I made an error in saying no utilities release the results but very few do. As for EEI keeping a data base that's not correct either. Neither my former or current utilities release the scores and neither inputs to any database. Again, why pay to test people for other utilities?

[taterhead]

Perhaps some do, Mike.  After I took the POSS, other companies inquired about who I took it with, saying that they could get the scores.  I wonder if certain companies can pay other for those scores under some kinds of informal courtesy agreements...sure would be worth it rather than all of the expense of getting a guy all the way to the test site.

[mark1272]

Thanks for the replies, I'm not going to try to jump through hoops to get the old test as I don't think I have enough time.  I test next week and the Poss did not seem to difficult, after that I have the BMST and that does seem like it will be much harder, it's been a long time since school and as you know it's use it or lose it.

[RVExotics]

I'm writing this post in order to hopefully help people who are preparing to take the POSS test. Before I begin, let me disclaimer this by saying this writing is based on my observations of the POSS test I took for an AO position at Arkansas Nuclear One, which I just finished about an hour ago. I assume the POSS test given by each facility is the same anywhere you take it, but just in case it isn't, there may be some deviation due to those differences or due to my memory.

Overview: I can honestly say the practice tests provided by the EEI that we all know so well were both a great help and a slight hindrance. It was good to get an idea of the format of the test so as to keep from going in and taking it cold. The practice tests, however, were far easier than the real thing. As a former teacher, it is my opinion that practice exams should be more difficult than the real thing. In that case, if you're proficient at taking the practice exams, the real exam will not be much of a problem. With this way of doing it, expectations going into the exam might put the examinee at a bit of a disadvantage when confronted with the real thing. This is just my opinion as a former educator.

Assembly: This test was pretty straightforward and very similar to the practice test. There were 20 problems that ranged from very easy to very complicated. It didn't go in order either – some of the ones at the end were easy. I believe we were given 10 minutes to complete this section. I didn't finish it – I believe I had 3 more to go when time was called.

(At this point the order of the test diverged from the practice tests, with Tables and Graphs coming next before Mechanical Concepts. The order of everything else was the same as the practice test.)

Tables and Graphs: This is one of the sections I feel was woefully misrepresented on the practice test. Well, the Table section was about the same, just far more to do – I think 40 – and 7 or 8 minutes in which to complete them. Be prepared to deal with decimals out to the thousandth place. I didn't need a straight edge to assist me, and in fact when I began and started using a straight edge, I found it got in the way. To each his/her own – if it helps you, great. Be prepared to chunk it (not literally) if it gets in the way. The Graph part though was the kicker. We were given 4 minutes for about 15 problems. Both the x and y-axes had a far larger magnitude of scale – out to 10k or so on the x-axis – than the practice test. Not only that, but the things being plotted on the graph weren't differentiated from each other in their respective lines. That, combined with the very small grid of the graph made reading the points quickly and accurately a very difficult affair. My recommendation here would be to try to find random line graphs online and make up your own practice test. Or better yet, have a friend make it, then administer it to you under a controlled time. Don't just rely on the EEI-provided practice test for this section.

Mechanical Concepts: Same as the test, just more problems. There were 40 problems and 20 minutes in which to do them. Nothing really to say here. Most of these were, for lack of a better description, 'intuitive' in nature. In other words, many, if not most, required no fundamental knowledge of physics. This was, in my opinion, the easiest part of the entire POSS test.

Reading Comprehension: Same as the POSS and any other reading comp test you've ever taken. As people have said before, many of the questions can be answered with prior knowledge. Be careful of that though – just in case whoever wrote the article was slightly off or you are, always double-check any answer you give off the top of your head with the article if you have time. There were 44 questions and we were given 30 minutes. I finished with about 5 minutes to spare and had plenty of time to go back and check the fuzzy ones.

Mathematical Usage: Ah, so here's the killer. This is the part of the test I was dreading most, and rightly so! I personally think this part should be given first, as by this time, your brain is already becoming somewhat fatigued. There were about 20 conversions, 20 algebra, and 20 word problems, and we were given 17 minutes in which to do them. I didn't even get to the word problems, and didn't completely finish the algebra. The conversions bank given on the practice test is not the same as on the POSS test, nor does it even include the same things. Most of the ones there are the same, but there are others like cup to tablespoon to gallon, etc. With that said, be flexible when you get to the exam. The algebra section began innocently enough, but quickly got to problems like 0.3x + 12 = 4/3x, etc. Be prepared to deal with lots of decimals.
**This is by far the portion I consider to be the hardest part of the entire POSS test. Most of everything else involves either enough time or is straightforward enough. This part gave very little time and demanded lots and lots of mental calculations. It was exhausting.

So that's my assessment of the POSS test. Hopefully I passed – I'll know in a week (wish they could grade it on site!). Hopefully if you're getting ready to take it, it'll make the test a little less ambiguous. I know I would've really liked to have something like this available before I took it.

[RVExotics]

Something I forgot to mention in the first post: I asked the exam moderator if the test was graded the way it has been discussed here, wherein if you attempt 20 but only get 17 correct, your score will actually be 14/20 (# correct - # incorrect). She said it was not graded that way. She said they simply count the number you get correct. Of course she could be mistaken, but she has worked in HR for 20-something years and has administered lots of POSS and other tests. Can anyone confirm or contradict this for sure?

[B.PRESGROVE]

I'll confirm that.  They told us the same thing when I took the test.  Not how many you answer but how many you get right is the kicker.

[93-383]

So is there no penalty for guessing wrong. Ergo if its multiple choice should you "shotgun" the remaining questions when you have say less than 10-15sec left.

[B.PRESGROVE]

No.  Do what you can and try to get as many right as you can.  The answers left blank wont count against you, which I love cause then you are not under any pressure to hurryup and finish them all.  I know youve taken the test already but a good word of advise for me was not to linger to long on one problem.  If you dont know the answer within a few seconds go on to the next one cause they wont count the ones you dont answer.  That being said if you just guess at them all and only get 10 correct out of lets say 40....well you didnt do so hot, but if you only answered 10 of those 40 questions and left the other 30 blank but got those 10 right you passed.  Did that make sense?  Quality not quantity. 

[RVExotics]

I received a letter from Entergy today telling me I was recommended based on my results. So that's a big sigh of relief. I'm grateful to all the posts here at Nukeworker I was able to read ahead of time to prepare myself properly for this test. I honestly was ambiguous about the result upon leaving, but I suppose I'm always like that after a high stakes test. I thought the math killed me, and it probably did suck a bit, but I must've done well enough.

To anyone getting ready to take it, I passed the exam with not even getting to the third section of the math part. I also only did about half of the graph subtest of the Tables and Graphs section. So if you do something similar when you take it, don't assume that it will cause you to fail.

Good luck to everyone else!

Now it's time to prepare for my interview...