Dear Mrs. Ali,
It was with great pleasure that I read that you dedicated one hour to reading the emailed questions and answers I have posted on Dear Kim. The idea of Dear Kim began three years ago, but was not created until last year. Since then I have posted 155 emailed questions and answers with a daily readership of 150 to 250 people per day. since February 2012 I have had over 13,500 readers from over 72 nations. I hope that all of these people come to the same conclusion as you did, “Finally I have a reliable source for help!”

This is a true testament not only for the need for this information, but also the amazing capacity of the internet to increase the ability of one person to make a difference in the lives of people worldwide.

When I see my statistics, I wonder about who is reading, if my answers are helpful, and whether readers feel inspired and encouraged. So when people like you, Mrs. Ali, take the time to write I am delighted.

It is great that you have determined that the IELTS or CELBAN are the best choices. In many provinces across Canada more exams were offered in the past, but on the present these are the only two choices. This trend has spread from one province to another so it is a wise choice; studying for another exam might be detrimental if the exam is no longer accepted by the provincial college of nurses in which one resides.

For this reason I am often asked: should I take the IELTS or the CELBAN. So I have addressed this question repeatedly: use the quick links on the right or search “IELTS CELBAN” on Dear Kim to read what I have written. But you did not write me so I point you in a direction, so I will answer your question from a different perspective. This complex network of questions has been included in my presentation 7 Things You MUST Know to Pass the CELBAN.

When I am asked this question there are several things I consider: where is the person residing, in or outside of Canada; what are the scores of the person on previous IELTS exams; has this person attempted the Academic IELTS; how many times has this person taken the CELBAN; what kind of nursing experience does this person have in Canada; what are the scores for listening on other English exams.

For a person living outside of Canada I believe the Academic version of IELTS is a better choice: it can be used for licensure and immigration, courses and exam centers are more readily available as are other resources like books and tutors. Unless the person is migrating to Canada shortly (withing 6 months) or has the financial means to fly to Canada to take the CELBAN, I recommend IELTS to people still overseas. Still many people find this exam very difficult as the topics for the IELTS are broad and often outside of a person’s knowledge or experience. In this way the exam is not testing English knowledge and skill but knowledge of history, geography or architecture. Yet, I still recommend the IELTS to people who have a score of 7 on the academic version as the required score at this time is 7.5.

All of the skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) on the CELBAN are about nursing. So for people in Canada, I recommend the CELBAN especially if their scores on other exams are around 6 or 7, have high scores in listening, and have nursing experience in Canada. Living in Canada for more than 2 years is also beneficial as the exam includes components of the Canadian culture.

But if the person’s scores are 6’s, including reading and listening, if one has only been in Canada a few months, if there is little or no experience of nursing in Canada, if the person has taken the exam one or two times already I give a strong message of caution recommending the person spend time preparing and improving their skills using the CELBANPrep Study Guides. By working on Advanced English Grammar individuals can increase their individual scores in reading, speaking and writing. Yet many people are determined to take the exam too early, without preparation, or with over confidence.

The most difficult thing for me is talking to people who have lost the ability to fulfill their life long dream of becoming a nurse in Canada, because they failed the exam three times as they only have three chances to take the exam.

I have heard from countless IENs that the CELBAN is easier, but it takes time, work and dedication to get a 10 (the required score) in listening.

At the end of the day I can not make the decision for you, Mrs. Ali. But what I can do is tell you everything that I know so that you can make an informed decision about which exam is best for you.

If you have not already done so, please sign up for the free resources I provide at http://www.celban.info. It will give you a better idea of what to expect from the CELBAN and the resources I provide through CELBANPrep.

In the mean while, take care!

Sincerely,
Kim
P.S. I will be posting your question as an individual post, in addition to the comments here! Hopefully your question will help others as much as the questions of others have helped you! KK

Dear Ada,

It has been a joy working with you. I am so very proud of you!

Kim