I was looking for this kind of info when I was preparing to study, so I am hoping it'll be helpful.
I initially took the Fitzgerald review course in January 2013 before the start of my final semester. I am happy I did that for 2 reasons: one is that it was a helpful way to tie together the info before the start of last semester. The second reason is that when I finished my program in May, I had all of the info in front of me that I needed to study.
When I graduated I went on a 2week vacation, then began studying in earnest.
I studied for a total of 7 weeks (5 days a week, 6 hour days): the first 4 weeks was pure studying of content from the Fitzgerald course, accompanied by Leik for extras not covered in Fitzgerald review course. Then for the last 3 weeks I reviewed content and did practice questions from Hollier's practice question book (1100 questions with rationales), plus online tests from familynpprep.com (that provides rationales to questions/answers) as well as the Fitzgerald Certification and Practice Preparation book (this is not the same book as the one that goes along with the Fitzgerald Review Course, and does not contain all of the info contained in the review course book, fyi)
By the time I took the test (and I took both aanp and ancc, one week apart, and passed both on first try), I felt as prepared as I could feel. I was so tired of studying I was crawling out of my skin.
There was a woman in my program who studied for 2 weeks only (full-time for fourteen days) right after taking the Fitzgerald review course, and she passed the AANP exam on the first try.
There was a gentleman in my program who studied for about 3 weeks, not having taken a prep course, only using the Fitzgerald review book ( not the one given out in the course, but the one entitled Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam and Practice Preparation)...he failed both the ANCC and AANP on first try.
My feeling is this: You've spent alot of time and money getting the degree. Prepare for the test well. Take a course...that way you don't have to figure out what to study. It is being handed to you. AND use other resources ie Leik, Hollier, online practice tests.
Hope all that is helpful to anyone about to begin the process of studying for certification. You can do it! I am now a certified, licensed FNP, and I'll know in another week or two if I've landed my dream job. Fingers crossed!
