Online vocation tests

[Hilde89]

Have any of you tried online vocation tests like test your call or vision? What’s your experience with it?

I’ve taken neither because for the first one it seems like you should be a US citizen, and the other one has a part where you have to write some things about yourself like feelings and stuff which I find quite “intimate” But I might do it sometime though.

Any other good tests you know about?

 

[cyberwolf001]

Links please?

 

[Hilde89]

Here you go

vocation-network.org/match

vocationsplacement.org/NewApplicant.asp?fromWeb=true&TYC=true&Interest=Monastic

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

I’ve taken the Vision test before and the Vocations Placement. I didn’t like them, however, because what I chose to have in the results–habited, cloistered, etc.–was not what I received. In the Vision test they have several non-habited communities that I think are desperate for vocations, and most of them are Benedictines. I have listed several times that I am interested in Carmelites only, but it keeps coming back Benedictines.

The Vocations Placement was a little better, but the program director, Natalie Smith, will bombard you with emails!

I’ve found that the best thing to do is do the searching on my own. I used Religiouslife.com and Google and found more favorable results.

 

[Hilde89]

Oh, ok, I just thought it would be interesting.

On some of these sites it looks like there are so many communities without habits, I think that’s strange.

I don’t mind being bombarded as long as it’s relevant. And you know, if everything’s important, nothing is.

So have any communities contacted you from this. I heard they could do that, and if they read your thing and thought you might fit that would definitely mean something, unless of course they are really desperate.

If you think carmelite is the thing for you, that’s probably the most important.

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

So have any communities contacted you from this. I heard they could do that, and if they read your thing and thought you might fit that would definitely mean something, unless of course they are really desperate.

Yes, I kept getting emails from the Benedictines in Rock Island. I got one quite recently for their discernment retreat. I finally figured out how to unsubscribe, and I sent an email in reply with the subject line, “Remove.” I don’t think I want to go on retreat to an order that has centering prayer at their retreat center. That is a little sketchy.

I have gotten responses back from some VERY good orders like the Little Sisters of the Poor (Vocation Placement). I just realized I was being pulled in the direction of the Carmelite cloisters, so I no longer use these services.

If you are interested, go ahead and try them. Maybe put an email address on there that you don’t use quite often so you don’t have to worry about the “spam.”

God bless!

 

[anode]

Another poster on another forum had a similar experience. She filled out some of these ‘tests’ indicating she wanted full Carmelite habit & cloister and got lots of inappropriate stuff–for her.

I suspect two things: lousy search engine (religiousministries.com has a poor one)and overmotivated people who run the sites, that may be commercial, and pay according to ‘results’.

it seems odd, though, that people who are very sure, or thinks that they are very sure, about what they want, would even subscribe. You really have to dig for yourself.

As an aside, one discerner, middle-aged, who was* sure *she was a Carmelite ended up at the Benedictines of Rock Island, and appears to be very happy there! (Praying4Carmel on Phatmass).

 

[lisa09]

Thank you. I took it and it was great.

 

[child_of_God85]

I tried them as well and had the same thing happen. I was very clear that I only wanted to hear from orders that have the fully habit, but I only heard from orders that didn’t wear it. Annoyed me a bit.

 

[m134e5]

Here you go

vocation-network.org/match

vocationsplacement.org/NewApplicant.asp?fromWeb=true&TYC=true&Interest=Monastic [/qote]

The second site says they’ll reject my form without my phone number (I won’t give it). The Vision Vocation Guide’s articles and site have really helped me a lot. My pastor & diocesan vocation director have helped more than any site could though.

Perhaps I should caution against falling into a trap that I often find myself falling into- taking all sorts of tests, and talking to people informally about vocation discernment- and forgetting to talk to God about it- the process of discernment distracts us from our actual discernment. We also tend to think we know better and can change God’s mind when we get an answer we don’t like. God only asks for simplicity, trust, and openness to His will. He will guide us where He wants us- if we let Him- and it will be rewarding beyond our imagination.

 

[anode]

Hilde89;5557275:

Here you go

vocation-network.org/match

vocationsplacement.org/NewApplicant.asp?fromWeb=true&TYC=true&Interest=Monastic [/qote]

The second site says they’ll reject my form without my phone number (I won’t give it). The Vision Vocation Guide’s articles and site have really helped me a lot. My pastor & diocesan vocation director have helped more than any site could though.

Perhaps I should caution against falling into a trap that I often find myself falling into- taking all sorts of tests, and talking to people informally about vocation discernment- and forgetting to talk to God about it- the process of discernment distracts us from our actual discernment. We also tend to think we know better and can change God’s mind when we get an answer we don’t like. God only asks for simplicity, trust, and openness to His will. He will guide us where He wants us- if we let Him- and it will be rewarding beyond our imagination.

I think that there’s a tendency to want to take advantage of modern ‘technology’ no matter how limited, and to ‘jump in’. I think that you’re wise not to give out phone numbers. I agree with you and the survey results that show that personal contact with religious, including priests and spiritual directors, is more valuable than anything. I also feel that other types of personal experiences, like “Come & See” weekends, are valuable, as they have proven to be in the survey. Even if you could visit a house, this would help.

There’s not a lot of discussion recently about ‘nun runs’–maybe the high cost of gasoline- but for people interested in the same charism, such as contemplatives, I think that these might be useful; you could visit a few houses, maybe 3-4, and talk it over among you, split expenses and the driving. Similarly for active orders that everyone might be considering.

BTW, the new VISION is out. This is free and you can order multiples. There’s a very nice article by a Visitation nun in DC who teaches at her academy.

order at www. vocationguide.org or email-- mail@VocationGuide.org or call 800-942-2811

 

[Jennifer_G]

I’ve taken the Vision test before and the Vocations Placement. I didn’t like them, however, because what I chose to have in the results–habited, cloistered, etc.–was not what I received. In the Vision test they have several non-habited communities that I think are desperate for vocations, and most of them are Benedictines. I have listed several times that I am interested in Carmelites only, but it keeps coming back Benedictines.

The Vocations Placement was a little better, but the program director, Natalie Smith, will bombard you with emails!

I’ve found that the best thing to do is do the searching on my own. I used Religiouslife.com and Google and found more favorable results.

I only got 2 emails (one about an hour later). I first took the test maybe a year ago… Is that the one where you enter a code and answer 50-some questions (if you get over 500 points, you’re deemed as having good potential)? (Vocation Search)

Vocation Search (mpdinc) - The group code never worked for me, but I figured out the quiz URLs and looked at all of them. Some questions will increase your score if you answer something like, “Yes, my parents love/are happy to be hosting/inviting monks/sisters/clergy”, or “My parents would be happy if I became a religious”. I don’t think there’s any place for comments, either.

Vocation-Network (Vocation Match) - They still sent your information to orders regardless of your preference (i.e., must wear habits). I took this test/search a year ago, but I didn’t quite understand as much about cloisters, non-cloisters, apostolates, and types of ministries yet. Even the search will ignore your request for “habits required all the time”. I’ve seen orders that don’t have habits. There’s also a lot of aging orders, too. I don’t think an order where 80% of the sisters are over 60 would be one to join. Granted, there is one (Benedictine order) in eastern Maryland that I think is purposely made up of all retired teachers and nurses.

Vocations Placement - I haven’t used this one since it wants a phone number (and I think work phone number. I work for the state, so I think that might violate a few consitutional laws… using state phones for private religious conversations…).

I’ve also seen a whole range of “tests” - the most common being “If you answer yes to 1/2/3 or more of the following…” type tests, mostly on diocesian sites.

Personally, I don’t put too much weight in online tests. Also, “ministries” seems vague sometimes. For instance, “Health Care/Social Work”. I don’t exactly want to be a nurse (which most of them are). Visiting the elderly would be one thing I might want to do, but not 8 hours a day volunteering - more like 1 or 2 hours as an assigned work during the day.