Ultrasound Student Assessment Program

USA Program Overview

The Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) Program is a true aptitude test. An aptitude test is defined as a tool to assess if a person has the specific skills necessary to perform in a particular field. The USA program resulted from a more than ten-year longitudinal study to solve the high attrition rates that often exist in ultrasound programs. The purpose of the USA program is to help determine if a candidate is more or less likely to be successful in ultrasound. In essence, accepting candidates for ultrasound programs who are not well suited is costly both for the school and for the student. Of course, no test is or can be perfect, so the test results are intended not to provide a pure cut point, but rather information that, taken together with other student data, helps an ultrasound program make a more informed decision.

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The Difference

Most students are familiar with achievement-based tests, for which studying improves performance. Studying for a true aptitude test is not possible. Why is it not possible to study for this exam? This program primarily assesses topics that are not “taught” such as your hand-eye coordination, your ability to remain focused, your ability to see patterns in data, and reasoning. Unlike tests on mathematical formulas or mathematical conversions, you simply cannot study for the content of this test.

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Instructions to take the Exam

The Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) is an examination of intrinsic skills that are essential for the sonography profession. It is administered by Pegasus Lectures through a remote proctoring environment. The USA exam was created to specifically test examinees for: coordination, persistence, problem solving, spatial ability, judgment, graph interpretation, visualization, and logic. Study tools and practice exams are not available. Please visit the Pegasus website for additional information.

• How to Schedule: Students are required to email CollegeProgram@PegasusLectures.com or call Pegasus Lectures at 972-564-3056 to schedule a time and make payment via Visa/MC/AMEX or Discover for their test. The cost is $70.00 (including proctoring fee)
• Once the appointment and payment have been made, the applicant will receive an email from Pegasus Lectures confirming the appointment time.
• On the testing day, the applicant will receive an email prior to the testing time with a link for the proctor to connect to your computer. Make sure to follow the instructions in the email.
• The USA must be completed in one sitting. There is no time limit. Testing time is generally 1.5-2 hours.
• Close all other programs prior to starting the USA.
• When the USA asks if you are right-handed or left-handed, you can select your dominant hand or the hand that you use to operate a computer mouse.
• If you do not know your GPA, maximum GPA possible, rank in college, or how many students were in your class, click “enter” and N/A will be entered on the line(s).you will be asked for your:
• You will be asked to enter your School Name: [Jackson College], Instructor Name: [Alexandria Lamb] and Instructor Email: [LambAlexandS@jccmi.edu]
• Applicants may take the test only once prior to submitting the sonography program application.
• A recorded chat box with the exam proctor will be available during testing. If you have questions during the exam, be sure to ask for assistance. The proctor may or may not be able to answer your question depending on the nature of it. Do not continue with the test if significant technical difficulties arise.
  • If you have any technical questions, please contact techsupport@pegasuslectures.com.
• Applicants will not receive their scores upon completion of the USA. See FAQs below for additional information.

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Number of Items

The exam consists of 79 questions. The number of the question and the remaining number of questions is indicated in the upper right-hand corner of the test window.

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Time Allotted

This exam is not intended to be time intensive. There is no time limit for the exam. Most students complete the exam in approximately 2.5 hours – but some complete the exam more quickly, and some utilize more time. Remember that question types will vary through the exam, and that not all questions will require the same amount of time to complete.

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Information Section before Exam Starts

A series of informational questions are asked before the actual exam begins. These questions are intended to gather information about you as a student, but more importantly, to make sure that the test is configured appropriately for you (such as which hand you prefer to use to control your mouse). Additionally, you will be asked for your:

• High school (and college if applicable) Grade Point Average (GPA) and class rank. You should look this up before the exam date.  If you do not know these details, simply press “Enter” or leave them blank, and the system will automatically fill them in as “N/A.”
• You will be asked to enter your
  • School Name: [Jackson College],
  • Instructor Name: [Alexandria Lamb]
  • Instructor Email: [LambAlexandS@jccmi.edu]

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Required Setup for Proctored Exams

For proctored exams you should make sure of the following well before the exam start time:

• A computer with a screen resolution minimum of 1100 by 860
• Power to your computer or laptop (running from battery is not recommended)
• Reliable internet connection
• A well-functioning wired mouse and a mouse pad (not a laptop trackpad or other mouse substitute)
• A functioning video camera
• A quiet room in which to take the test

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Rules for a Proctored Exam

A list of the rules will be given at the time of the exam. Below is a partial list of the rules so that you can be prepared:

• You are not allowed to speak to anyone during the exam (with the exception of the exam proctor).
• You are not allowed to leave the computer or take any breaks during the exam. Be sure to use the bathroom before the exam starts.
• You are not allowed to open any computer applications or browser windows except the proctoring window and the actual exam window throughout the entirety of the exam.
• You are not allowed to use your phone, the internet, or any other electronic device during your exam.
• Once you complete a question and move on to the next question, you will not be able to return that the previous question.
• You are allowed to drink during the exam (water is highly recommended).
• You are allowed to use a pencil or pen, a calculator and up to three pages of clean scrap paper during the exam. You will need to number each side of the paper and show the proctor the pages before the exam starts. At the conclusion, you must destroy the pages while the proctor is watching.
• Attempting to screen capture any pages of the test will be detected and lead to an immediate failure and a direct indication on your score report.

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General Information

This program works on a Mac, but not with the Safari browser. You will need to install another browser like Chrome or Firefox.

This program does not work on an iPad, iPhone, Chromebook or any other mobile device.

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Technical Requirements

• You will be downloading USA to your computer to take the exam. The USA will not work on a Mac, Chromebook, tablet or phone.
• The applicant must have the following prior to starting the USA:
  • Windows operating system on their computer
  • A standard-size, free-moving mouse is required
  • A mouse pad is strongly suggested
  • A physical keyboard (touchscreens will not work for the exam)
  • A flat surface and clutter free area
  • Computer display settings at no more than 100%

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Scoring System

The Ultrasound Student Assessment accounts for a maximum of 30 points toward your application. Points are awarded algorithmically based on your Z-score for each test category.

Z-Score	Clinical (Max 21.0)	Physics (Max 4.5)	Question Analysis (Max 4.5)
(< 0.0)	0	0	0
0.00 to 0.49	4.2	0.9	0.9
0.50 to 0.99	8.4	1.8	1.8
1.00 to 1.49	12.6	2.7	2.7
1.50 to 1.99	16.8	3.6	3.6
2.00 or Higher	21	4.5	4.5

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What is a Z-score?

As it relates to the USA, a Z-score is a statistical value describing the relationship between the applicant’s scores and the average of all test takers. The average Z-score in any category is approximately 0. A positive Z-score indicates a score above the average of all test takers, and a negative Z-score indicates a score below the average of all test takers. Test categories include Physics, Clinical, and Question Analysis. A negative Z-score in a test category results in 0 points, and a Z-score of 3 results in the maximum points for that category.

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Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) Requirement

As part of our selective admission process, all applicants are required to complete the Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) Program, developed by Pegasus Lectures. Unlike standard academic entrance exams (such as the TEAS or HESI), the USA exam is a specialized aptitude assessment designed to measure the “unteachable” physical and cognitive traits essential for a career in sonography.

The assessment evaluates three core areas:

• Clinical Skills: Hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and the ability to visualize objects within “noisy” or grainy images.
• Spatial Reasoning & Logic: The ability to mentally manipulate 3D objects and interpret complex patterns/graphs.
• Question Analysis: The ability to follow multi-step medical protocols with high precision.

To ensure candidates possess the necessary spatial and motor skills for clinical success, Jackson College utilizes the USA Program by Pegasus Lectures as a weighted component of our selection process.

• What it is: A proctored, online aptitude test measuring visualization, dexterity, and logic.
• How to Take It: Register through the Pegasus Lectures website. The exam is remotely proctored and must be completed by:
  • January 1^st prior to your application deadline of January 31^st for the General and Vascular Sonography Programs
  • September 1^st for Cardiac Sonography Program
• Equipment Note: A wired computer mouse is required. Do not use a laptop trackpad or wireless mouse, as these can cause lag that negatively affects your dexterity score.
• Scoring: Points are assigned based on your national Z-score ranking. Applicants are generally permitted only one attempt per application cycle.