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100+ Free PSB-RNSAE Practice Questions

Pass your PSB Registered Nursing School Aptitude Examination exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Question 1
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Choose the correctly spelled word.

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B
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to track
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Key Facts: PSB-RNSAE Exam

The PSB-RNSAE is a nursing-school entrance test with about 360 items in roughly 105 minutes across Academic Aptitude, Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Natural Sciences, and a personality index, scored by percentile rank.

Sample PSB-RNSAE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PSB-RNSAE exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In the PSB Academic Aptitude verbal subtest, you pick the word that differs MOST in meaning from the others. Which word is most different from the rest?
A.Generous
B.Charitable
C.Stingy
D.Giving
Explanation: The verbal subtest presents words that share a meaning and asks you to find the odd one out. Generous, charitable, and giving all describe willingness to share, while stingy means unwilling to share, making it the opposite.
2Which word is most different in meaning from the other three?
A.Brave
B.Courageous
C.Timid
D.Fearless
Explanation: Brave, courageous, and fearless all describe someone who confronts danger without fear. Timid means shy or easily frightened, the opposite quality, so it is the odd one out.
3Choose the word that does NOT belong with the others based on meaning.
A.Enlarge
B.Expand
C.Shrink
D.Increase
Explanation: Enlarge, expand, and increase all mean to make bigger. Shrink means to make smaller, the opposite, so it is the word that does not belong.
4A synonym is a word with the same or nearly the same meaning. Which word is a synonym for 'rapid'?
A.Swift
B.Slow
C.Steady
D.Late
Explanation: Rapid means happening quickly. Swift also means fast or quick, making it the correct synonym. Recognizing synonyms is a core verbal skill on the Academic Aptitude subtest.
5Which word is an antonym (opposite) of 'abundant'?
A.Plentiful
B.Ample
C.Scarce
D.Numerous
Explanation: Abundant means existing in large quantity. Scarce means in short supply, which is the direct opposite. Plentiful, ample, and numerous are all synonyms of abundant.
6Complete the analogy: Doctor is to hospital as teacher is to ___.
A.Student
B.Lesson
C.Textbook
D.School
Explanation: The analogy links a professional to the place where they typically work. A doctor works in a hospital, so a teacher works in a school. Analogies test the logical relationship between paired words.
7Complete the analogy: Thermometer is to temperature as clock is to ___.
A.Time
B.Hour
C.Hands
D.Wall
Explanation: An analogy links an instrument to what it measures. A thermometer measures temperature, so a clock measures time. The most precise quantity a clock measures is time.
8Which word is most different in meaning from the other three?
A.Honest
B.Truthful
C.Deceptive
D.Sincere
Explanation: Honest, truthful, and sincere all describe someone who tells the truth and means what they say. Deceptive means intending to mislead, the opposite, so it is the odd word out.
9Choose the word closest in meaning to 'fatigue', a term a nurse uses to describe a patient's tiredness.
A.Exhaustion
B.Energy
C.Appetite
D.Strength
Explanation: Fatigue means extreme tiredness or weariness. Exhaustion is the closest synonym. Verbal questions on the PSB often use health-related vocabulary that nursing students will encounter.
10Complete the analogy: Hot is to cold as up is to ___.
A.High
B.Top
C.Down
D.Above
Explanation: This analogy pairs antonyms. Hot is the opposite of cold, so up should pair with its opposite, which is down. Recognizing opposite relationships is essential for analogy items.

About the PSB-RNSAE Exam

The PSB Registered Nursing School Aptitude Examination (RNSAE) is a pre-admission test from the Psychological Services Bureau used by associate-degree, diploma, and other professional registered-nursing programs to predict an applicant's readiness for nursing study. The full exam contains about 360 items completed in roughly 105 minutes and is made up of five separately timed parts. Part I, Academic Aptitude, has Verbal, Arithmetic, and Non-Verbal subtests; Part II is Spelling; Part III is Reading Comprehension; Part IV is Information in the Natural Sciences covering chemistry, physics, earth science, and biology; and Part V is the Vocational Adjustment Index, an agree/disagree personality inventory. Scores are reported as percentile ranks comparing each candidate against other applicants to nursing programs in the United States and Canada. There is no universal passing score, so each nursing school sets its own admission cutoff.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

About 105 minutes total across five separately timed sections with no breaks between them.

Passing Score

No fixed pass mark; raw scores become percentile ranks against nursing-program applicants in the United States and Canada, and each school sets its own cutoff.

Exam Fee

Typically about $25 to $60, set by the nursing school or testing site administering the exam. (Psychological Services Bureau, Inc. (PSB))

PSB-RNSAE Exam Content Outline

30%

Information in the Natural Sciences

High-school-level chemistry, physics, earth science, and biology, including cells, body systems, atoms, pH, forces, energy, rocks, the water cycle, and astronomy.

25%

Academic Aptitude

Verbal vocabulary and analogies, eighth-grade arithmetic and basic algebra word problems, and non-verbal figure and pattern reasoning.

17%

Spelling

Choosing the correctly spelled word among variants, mixing everyday words with medical and science terminology.

13%

Reading Comprehension

Reading short health and science passages and answering main idea, detail, inference, and author's purpose questions.

15%

Vocational Adjustment Index

An agree/disagree personality inventory measuring attitudes and traits suited to nursing, with no right or wrong answers and no academic content.

How to Pass the PSB-RNSAE Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No fixed pass mark; raw scores become percentile ranks against nursing-program applicants in the United States and Canada, and each school sets its own cutoff.
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: About 105 minutes total across five separately timed sections with no breaks between them.
  • Exam fee: Typically about $25 to $60, set by the nursing school or testing site administering the exam.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PSB-RNSAE Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practice eighth-grade arithmetic, percentages, ratios, and basic algebra word problems so you can compute quickly under time pressure.
2Build vocabulary with synonyms, antonyms, and analogies, including common health-related terms used in nursing.
3Drill spelling of frequently confused everyday words and medical terms such as hemorrhage, antisepsis, and circulatory.
4Review high-school basics in chemistry, physics, earth science, and biology, since the Natural Sciences part is the largest academic section.
5Read short passages and practice finding the main idea, specific details, and logical inferences within strict time limits.
6Answer the Vocational Adjustment Index honestly, since it measures personality fit and has no right or wrong responses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PSB RNSAE exam?

The PSB Registered Nursing School Aptitude Examination is a pre-admission test from the Psychological Services Bureau that measures a candidate's readiness for a professional registered-nursing program through academic and personality sections.

How many questions are on the PSB RNSAE and how long is it?

The exam has about 360 items completed in roughly 105 minutes, split across five separately timed parts: Academic Aptitude, Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Natural Sciences, and the Vocational Adjustment Index.

What sections does the PSB RNSAE include?

It has five parts: Academic Aptitude (Verbal, Arithmetic, Non-Verbal), Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Information in the Natural Sciences, and the Vocational Adjustment Index, a personality inventory answered agree or disagree.

Is there a passing score on the PSB RNSAE?

There is no universal passing score. Raw scores are converted to percentile ranks comparing you against other nursing-program applicants, and each school sets its own admission cutoff.

What subjects are in the Natural Sciences section?

The Natural Sciences part covers basic high-school-level chemistry, physics, earth science, and biology, such as cells, body systems, atoms, the pH scale, forces, energy, rocks, and the water cycle.

Does the Vocational Adjustment Index affect my academic score?

The Vocational Adjustment Index is a personality inventory with no right or wrong answers. It assesses attitudes and traits suited to nursing and is reported separately from the academic subtests.