by BumblebeeRN

Before I passed my exam I asked my friend if kaplan is enough to pass and she said "yes"

and I am now a big believer in the kaplan strategies.
Kaplan really prepares you to take the test and how to break down the questions with their strategies.

FOR THOSE TAKING KAPLAN:

1. after your diagnostic test, review your weak areas and study them.
2. watch the videos while you have your book open, if the ladies skip a part, stop the video and read the part that they skipped.
3. when you are in class, pay attention and listen to the teacher (there are times when someone tries to be smarty pants and questions the teacher...the teacher explains... and the person stills questions what the teacher teaches... block out those people... kaplan teachers repeat what they say over and over again and are experienced nurses themselves)
4. make good study notes from the kaplan teacher. they will explain all the strategies as you are going thru the lecture.
5. practice makes perfect! as you do your q-bank practice the kaplan strategies.
6. OK. before I took kaplan, I heard people saying that kaplan strategies don't work on the NCLEX and people have failed with kaplan...... that's because maybe they didn't have a good understanding of the strategies. there were meds on my test that I had no idea what they were, and the question didn't give me a clue on how to pick it... but I said to myself "the nurse should question the med that has the highest mg.... " so that is how I picked my meds... and that's not because I new the meds... I got a bunch!! ...... on every single question I thought about the kaplan strategies.
7. If you can't afford kaplan, but are studying with books, I highly suggest the kaplan book that they sell at www.borders.com called "NCLEX-RN strategies for the RN 2007-2008 edition"..... it gives you strategies and 2 practice exams. and the one on the CD is very similar to the diagnostic and readiness test that they offer thru the live lecture course.
8. when you pick your date for the exam, don't listen to BS about not changing your date, or taking it too soon or that you are taking too long to take it.... take it when your heart tells you that you want to take it. I took mine 3 months after graduation. (august grad), and to me, it was perfect. I had time to study everything I wanted twice
9. keep telling yourself. "I WILL BE AN RN" I WILL PASS MY NCLEX-RN"... every time that I would be down on myself, I would write that all over a paper or even on pages of my book.

Good luck to all of you, you will do great!!

patty, RN

Re: read this if you are taking Kaplan

CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks for the advise. i'm using kaplan too. hope i'll pass the exam too!