Kaplan Scores and NCLEX 2015

[SMP1]

Hello everyone. This shall be a bit lengthy.

As many of you I would come to this website while studying for NCLEX searching for hope and motivation. Sometimes, however it made me feel worse. Mine will NOT make you feel worse. I told myself that if I passed my boards that I would make an account and share my Kaplan scores and story.

My school provided us with Kaplan. I graduated in May and attended the week-long Kaplan classes. I also paid for the 3 day Hurst review which was a week before attending the Kaplan courses.

Below are my test scores

Diagnostic: 60.6%

Readiness: 64.4%

QT1: 58.7% (QT1-3 were taken before graduating)

QT2: 50.7%

QT3: 48.0%

QT4: 57.3% (started QT4-7 were taken ten days before my scheduled test date)

QT5: 56.7%

QT6: 55.5%

QT7: 56.2%

QBANK AVG: 56% ( I finished q bank around 2 weeks before my test date)

Advice:

-Study content first, hurst was good for me, after around 2 weeks I didn't touch the hurst book at all, just lightly looked over the notes I had written while studying.

-Always try to take your q bank and q trainers as if it is the NCLEX. Go to the library or a quiet place and take it in one sitting. Allow yourself breaks! I usually told myself get through 20 questions and take a break. I eventually was able to get to 30 questions and took a 5 min break and then came back and at 60 took another, etc. I have issues with sitting still for long periods of time. Taking all my qbank and qtrainer tests in NCLEX mode helped ALOT to prepare me when sitting at the actual test.

-you will most likely than not get ****** scores. Like in the 40's. if its constant stop studying for about 3-4 days and then get back on it. It usually means you have exhausted your brain.

-I went over each and every rationale that I did not know. If I got the question correct then I would usually not write notes about it, unless I completely guessed and got it correct.

-When going over rationales I would be at Starbucks. It helped me because it wasn't completely quiet and did not feel like a library. Being at the library for qbank and QT was enough for me, I didn't feel the need to be there for rationales as well.

How did I feel before the test:

-I studied from May 18th-July 30th mainly because BRN took ages to send me my ATT number.

-I was tired of studying towards the end and I felt like there was no more I could study. I felt comfortable answering NCLEX like tests. I was scared because my scores on Kaplan were low compared to what Kaplan recommends and compared to what people on these posts were getting. I knew that I had done all in my power to prepare for the test.

-The day before the test. I DID NOT study. A friend of mine took me to breakfast, I went to the beach with my 2 friends to tan and take in that Vitamin D, we grabbed sushi, I came home and probably searched allnurses.com and then watched a movie.

-The DAY OF the test, I slept in and continued my routine since my test was at 3pm. I went to starbucks for peach green tea, I cooked bfast for myself, and had my friend drive me to the testing center. We arrived 1.5hrs before. Just chilled in her care and lightly went over isolation for about 5 minutes. I ate a snack and went into the testing center. :)

How did I feel after the test:

-i was in complete shock when my test shut down at 76 questions. My heart skipped a beat and I just starred at the screen. While answering the short survey at the end I didn't even blink, im sure my mouth was open. Im sure I looked pale as a ghost. My friend picked me up and she said I looked like I was in shock. We grabbed food with another friend and then headed home.

-at 8-9pm I hit depression, you will too. Shock phase over and depression phase on full blast. I kept thinking about how ****** I did and how I am not smart enough for my test to shut off so early so I had to have failed. (I was a B student in school, yea i got some A's but mainly B's, i worked my ass off though. I did fail some exams in nursing school, my anxiety was horrible during school, but then i found exercise and all is well) Anyway, I started looking up threads that would give me hope but I mostly saw people failing at 76. I was so sad because I had a New Grad job offer waiting for me and family life was pretty ****** at the moment. I did the PVT and it was the good pop-up, but I honestly didn't believe in it. I tried the pop up again the day after and it was good. I took my test on a Saturday and on Tuesday morning at 8am my license was posted. Officially an RN!! God is good. I prayed soooo much and had sooooo many people praying for me as well. I am extremely bless and truly grateful. It can be done! Just put in work and have a little faith!

I hope this story helps some of you. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! Good luck and god bless.