[landonsles]

Here's the situation:
I will graduate 5/11/06 (school in TX). I am due with my third child 6/22--now we all know that babies don't believe in due dates, and I have a hx of delivering 37-38 weeks. I am hoping to get my ATT by the end of May so I can schedule NCLEX the earliest I can--hopefully the very beginning of June.
Question:
How soon after graduation did you get your ATT?
How soon after getting your ATT were you able to test?
And~~
If you were in my shoes, would you even try to schedule ASAP knowing that there's a possibility you could deliver early and not be able to take NCLEX (and then have to pay another $200 to R/S)??

Sorry so long--Thanks for your help!!
Leslie

[Elleann]

Hi Leslie

Once you have your ATT you have a three-month window period in which to sit the NCLEX. Getting an actual date depends, I guess, on availablity of dates at the test centre you plan to use. But the thing is, if you book a date and then find you can't make it on that date, as long as you advise them AT LEAST twenty-four hours ahead of time, you are then free to reschedule with no loss of money. So if you get your ATT end May, you will have June, July and August in which to sit the exam ... if you get a date in early June and the birth doesn't happen before that date - you'll be fine! But if you have to reschedule, your ATT will still be valid til end August!

But I have to say, they do advise one to sit the NCLEX at a time when personal life pressures are the least possible ... so you might want think about how you function under pressure and whether this IS the optimal time for you to take the exam. You sound like an awesome multi-tasker - 2 kids, nursing school, new baby ... wow!

Regarding how long it takes to get the ATT, all I can say is my agency (I'm an overseas immigration nclex candidate) applied for mine round 21st March and I got email notification of it on 31st March, which was pretty much what they had said - ie 10 days to 2 weeks.

Hope this helps!
Blessings
Elleann

[Immortal_us]

Actually your ATT is good for a year. I say when you feel comfortable go ahead and take the exam. If that is the end of may then do it, no can tell you when its all on how you feel with the material and your readiness for this exam.

So good luck on the exam and with the beautiful new baby

Jesus Is Lord.

[Elleann]

Hi there,

I have just reviewed the information on the NCSBN website regarding this.
http://www.ncsbn.org/pdfs/2006_Candidate_Bulletin.pdf

See page 4 of this pdf - the paragraphs entitled 'Registration Process Overview" and "Registration time limit". The NCLEX examination registration period is indeed a year, but this purely the time within which your BON must determine your eligibility to take the exam. Once they have done so, you can apply for the actual ATT. The site also says: "Once a candidate is made eligible, he must test within the validity dates printed on the ATT."

My ATT has validity dates on the top righthand corner: 4/1/2006 - 6/30/2006. This is a period of 90 days or 3 months.

The ATT also says on page two: "You must schedule your examination within the validity dates listed above. These dates cannot be extended, regardless of the reason."

This is why I told Leslie that the ATT is valid for 90 days. Perhaps this only applies to foreign-trained nurses taking the NCLEX? In which case I apologize for misleading you. But take a look at this online doc for yourself and see what you think.

Blessings and best of luck,
Elleann

[landonsles]

It looks like you have 365 days to be "made eligible" by your BNE (I read this to mean background checks and education verified), but only a limited amt of time after you receive your ATT to actually test.
On a side note, I took my pre-CAT today and the person giving the test says that the pass rate is somewhere in the 80% range if you take the NCLEX within 45 days of graduation vs pass rate in the 50% range if you take it later than two months after graduation. The pre-CAT made me feel more comfortable about taking the NCLEX, so I am going to try ASAP!!

Thanks for the advice!!

[klone]

According to our school, they send the info to the BON the following week after graduation (which is on May 20), and if you were one of the early ones to get your application to the BON, then you will be able to test the first week in June.

[Elleann]

Good for you, Leslie! You sound so positive and motivated, I am sure you will pass easily!! And pop that baby out just as easily right after!!

But I am "alarmed" at the way the passing percentages decrease with length of time after graduation? Yikes!! Wanna know when I graduated? Back in the dark ages ... 1978 as a general RN, 1981 as a midwife, 1988 as a psychiatric RN... and all in a 'foreign' country!! <g> So my percentage for passing is probably around minus 63% or something equally ridiculous based on that extrapolation!! Nah ... only kidding!

But on a serious note, the very best of luck to you!
Blessings
Elleann

[debblynn13]

One little suggestion. Don't schedule your test for a monday. You must cancel your test 24 business hours before the test. So you would have to know on Friday that you need to cancel. Otherwise go for it as soon as possible, then you can relax and enjoy the new baby when it does come.

Congratulations and good luck,
Debblynn