PSP Entrance exam

**1shot1kill** · October 7th, 2008, 10:47 AM

Hey, I just got my letter from the PSP stating I can go take the entrance exams. Now I looked at the study guide they placed online but it really tells me nothing more about the test than I learned to pass the SAT's back in high school. Has anyone else here taken them, and can tell me what to expect and what I should know. I will be graduating from Penn State next December with a degree in Crime Law and Justice and I am wondering if the information from my law classes will be enough or if there is another place I should look for resources. I hear I have to be in the top 300's in order to move on so I am looking for all the information I can get. Thanks

**HiredGoon** · October 7th, 2008, 12:11 PM

Here is a forum that a lot of potential PSP candidates AND some current PSP troopers visit...maybe you can join and find some more answers or just read the posts and find out more as well. Link.

**1shot1kill** · October 7th, 2008, 10:24 PM

Thanks that forum has some good insight. I appreciate it

**mikey** · October 7th, 2008, 11:09 PM

I took the written PSP test about 20 years ago, but I have no idea if it has changed since then. If not, expect alot of questions about "how likely would you be, to do" such and such. It was very odd, to say the least. For example, I remember one question asked: "if you were walking down the street, in your own neighborhood, and someone came up behind you and jumped on your back, how likely would you be to take defensive action" or something like that. then the answers were:
a. Highly Likely
b. Somewhat Likely
c. Not Very Likely
d. Highly Un-Likely

Now this was very hard to answer because there are so many variables to consider here, being that there are so few details given. If it was in your neighborhood, there is a chance that it is one of your friends messing around, in which case, you would not want to hurt them. They don't tell you if they are attacking you, just that they are jumping on your back. It was so bizarre, you don't know what they are looking for, for an answer.

Another was a question that read: "If you ran out of clean underwear, and didn't have time to do wash, how likely would you be, to take dirty ones out of the hamper, and wear them" I almost felt like I was on "Candid Camera". I was thinking to myself, is this for real???

We also listened to audio recordings, and had to remember details about what was said, and answer questions about it, in a short amount of time, between passages.

I hope, for your sake, they don't ask stupid shit like that anymore. I ended up scoring around 1000th, out of about 7000 that took the test, state wide, so I never went on to the physical fitness test.

**1shot1kill** · October 8th, 2008, 05:57 PM

Thanks for the Input!!
yeah I hope they do not ask any questions like that anymore because who knows what that kind of question was judging about you. Temperment, or situational awareness who knows. I really appreciate the help

**TaePo** · October 9th, 2008, 06:26 PM

I took the test around ten years ago.

You played the role of an insurance adjuster.

They played out scenarios. Then you answered questions about the scenarios. They wanted to know how well you could 'right' think a problem on the fly. Questions were downright tricky, some were easy.

At the time, they changed the oral boards as minorities felt there was discrimination at this point as you can see a candidates race. So they went to a completely random drawing (lotto or draft, if you will) of those who passed the written test instead. Needless to say, both times my random number was too high. (Two classes that year).

So I 'wasted' 6 months of intensive physical training and weightloss and study. Although, for awhile, I was in shape.

I think they have since gone back to the oral boards as well. The test may be different. I even bought some study guide books for municiple officer's training to get into how to think like an officer. That helped.

**Jackal** · November 5th, 2008, 09:47 PM

Can anyone include information about the nature of the polygraph, i.e. what type of questions are asked, and also what the background check is all about.

I honestly wish there was more info about it, their website and online (from what I have seen) does not have much information in my opinion about becoming a trooper