Shauntell Chapman HESI A2 Test Testimonial

Speaker: Shauntell Chapman

Shauntell Chapman: So the test that I took was the HESI A2 exam. Um I took it because I was trying to get into an LPN or licensed practical nursing program. And um, after I took the test, they viewed my results and all that stuff, I actually got accepted into a higher program, the Bachelors of Science and nursing at the same institution that I tested for.

Shauntell Chapman: The most difficult section for me on the test was math just because I've always struggled in math since like seventh grade. Um And then it didn't help that on the HESI A2 you would do. There's a few that were like regular math problems, I guess where you'd have to find the value of X or whatever the case may be, solve the equation. But then there were also a few questions about Roman numerals, um military time, which that part wasn't such a struggle. Um There were word problems where you had to use conversion to find the answer like this many CCs is how many ounces or stuff like that. So, um it was pretty challenging but it is doable. Like if you put enough time, I only had six days to study for the HESI A2 and it was a lot of cramming a lot of all right, long, long hours trying to make sure that especially in math, I grasp the concept of everything, but it is very doable. I have three kids and still was able to cram push myself to get it done. So it, you can do it you just have to put in the work and believe in yourself.

Shauntell Chapman: Um my overall testing experience was pretty good. Um We were put in a room but there were like four of us, we were put in a room and given three hours, I believe it was to finish the sections that we had to do because like the HESI A2, it's an exam to where the um different colleges can choose which sections that they want to test incoming students on. So ours was um our institution, it was Math Graham. No, uh reading comprehension and vocabulary, I believe were the ones and the vocabulary part was um pretty much, there was a lot of, a lot of medical terminology in there that you had to make an educated guess if you didn't know or like learning uh prefixes, root words, suffixes that can really help on that part because even if you're not 100% sure what a word means, if you see like take cardiology, for example, if you see cardi and you know, it means heart, you're more likely to get the correct answer than just taking a while I guess. So that part um would be beneficial. Um Other than that, it was kind of, or there's parts where you would have to, like, fill in the blank with the right word or whatever from a list and stuff like that. Um, the only part that was kind of stressful was again, the math part just because I'm not good in it. And on the reading comprehension, it was just more like you read a paragraph or a short story, whatever the case may be and answer some questions just so, I mean, reading comprehension so they can make sure you're comprehending what you just read. But yeah, that was my experience. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Shauntell Chapman: So getting ready for the HESI A2 exam, um obviously people have different study habits that help the most. I mean, some people make flashcards, some people do a lot of reading, some people um maybe will quiz themselves or whatever the case may be. Watch youtube videos. Um For me personally, the I did a lot of um little quizzes. I actually did look at the iPREP website as well and um use the resources available there. I also use other websites to get um vocabulary lists of medical terminology so I could study those. I, I did not make flashcards. I usually do because that's one of the things that really helps me. But I'm also the type of person that I'm a note taker, so which I usually turn those notes into flashcards. But because I'm a note taker, the important stuff that I thought I would need to know. I wrote that down and highlighted and kept going over and over the same things. That's what helps stuff click for me. Obviously, like I've said, I've struggled with math for a long time. So I knew I was gonna need some extra attention in that area. So for that, I went to a couple of different websites. Um I checked out math with Mr J which is one of the websites my um emissions representative recommended to me, which was ok. It goes has videos that go step by step of how to do problems and stuff like that. But mostly again, I used um HESI A2 practice quizzes online, which I would write out the problem as it came up, write out the step by step solution and keep going over that. Um There's also a lot of conversion charts on the internet. Um Also, I would recommend if you do have anyone in the profession, you're looking to get into, talk to them, ask them for tips, um study, be your study buddy. If it's a class that they had to take for their institution, maybe get a heads up of like what to expect so that you might be able to figure out what may be on the exam. Uh For instance, my sister actually graduates next month in an LPM program. So if there was anything that I was struggling with on any part of the exam, especially math that I knew I'd have to do, I would ask her and she'd be like, OK, this converts to this send screenshots of notes she had taken in class to help out and give me some um websites and stuff that I could look at to help me. So yeah, notes, flash cards, asking other people for help. Um There's tons of websites, there's books, there's just whatever works for you. But my biggest thing, my biggest piece of advice would be, yeah, you're tested on multiple aspects of things but focus on the one that you struggle most in. Obviously mine was math. I did more on math. Reading comprehension was very easy for me. So I didn't study at all for that part actually, and just touched up a little bit on the medical terminology, but also not only put more emphasis on the area that she's struggling do it first. Like if there's um, subjects that, you know, are going to be easy for you, even if you do study for that part, do it later in the day after you've cleaned your house, got kids around stuff like that because you don't have to put as much thought into it. But if you work on your most challenging topic 1st, 1st thing in the morning, when you wake up before you go to work before you, whatever, as soon as the kids get off to school right after you eat breakfast, whatever the case may be, um, you're, you have a more fresh mind, it's easier to retain information and you're not like burnt out for the day already. So you're able to better focus on grasping those concepts. And again, just believe in yourself, that's the best thing you can do because I honestly was very, very nervous when I took, uh, the HESI A2 exam. I didn't know how well I was gonna do even though I did study a lot. But overall I ended up with a 92.67 cumulative grade or, yeah. And in the math part, which once again, that's the area I struggle in. I got a 92%. So it is possible. It is doable before I left that morning. I was nervous but I stood in that mirror and I was like, you got this Chanel, you can do it and that's all you have to do. Study, believe in yourself. Know that you got it.