PASSED 3rd time, here's my advice

Nursing Students NCLEX

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It was a long and hard struggle but I was able to finally pass on my 3rd attempt. To tell you the truth, I don't think it was any ONE thing that I studied from. The first time I used Saunders and its accompanying CD with 4000+ questions. I took the test and got 265 questions. The second time I took Kaplan along with its q-trainer and q-bank. I took the test a second time and got 80 questions, still no luck. I was pretty much stuck after the second time because I used 2 of the most popular review resources on this forum. The third time I added the NCSBN review website. I passed with 75 questions. All 3 resources helped me to pass. Saunders for content, Kaplan for critical thinking, and NCSBN for a mix of both.

My advice is to use as many resources as you can before taking the exam. Absorb as much rational as you can from as many questions as you can tolerate. When you get your candidate report, focus your study on the items that say "below passing standard."

All in all, it really comes down to luck on what content you get for the exam. Some people get content on their strengths while others get content on their weaknesses. Just remember one thing, never give up. As my classmates would say to me, "you got this!"

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Specializes in PEDS ~ PP ~ NNB & LII Nursery.

Good advise. I might add to never give up during the test. If you find yourself losing focus or feeling as if your stress level is rising take a break and regroup. As long as you are getting questions you are still in the running to pass! My first attemp I had the max number and about question #200 I just wanted to get it over with because I figured I was doing horrible and that is why it was still going. I didn't get 'below passing standard' on ANY of the topics and later read that I was actually very close to passing and it was coming down to my last questions. I honestly think I would have passed the first time around had I not mentally given up while taking it.

rags

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Congrats!

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Congratulations!

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

Congrats :)

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Orthopedics.

Congratulations...

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Specializes in Clinical exp in OB, psy, med-surg, peds.

Congratulationsssssssssss

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Well Done

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Congrats!! You give me hope!! I am in the same predicament.....I too used the Saunders my first time, and had 265 questions. Studying for the second time I used the online Kaplan, and used NCLEX Made Incredibly easy, and only had 89 questions the second time, and failed. This time around I am using the ATI program, thanks to my advisor, you are giving me hope. But tell me this, how did you keep up your motivation? I hope to be retaking the test beginning of March.

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I thought i needed motivation so i came to read this thread, I failed the first time, now I am not convinced that i will pass it the second time around. I used KAPLAN and a bit of saunders. Now im focusing on Saunders alone and doing Suzanne's plan. Will be taking sometime this 2nd quarter of the year.

What i noticed when i took the exam was, i concentrated too much on each item and ended 3 hours and thirty minutes for 75 questions. I have rewritten every question just to be sure and used 4-5 writing boards, and yes the attendant was kinda pissed since she needed to attend to me every now and then. Any advice on overanalyzing the exam?

I usually do good in practice tests without overanalyzing. But i got too tense and failed. And now I'm even more anxious since the nclex is increasing the passing standard. Sigh

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congrats

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Motivation? It really depends on you. How much do you really want to be a nurse? Is this going to be your life long career? If you really want this, that should be motivation enough. Just keep at it and try your best every time you take the test. That's all you can really do.

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