Advice on NCLEX prep?

I have heard good stuff about Saunders prep while you're in school. I have heard bad things about Kaplan. But I will always always always suggest Hurst Review once your get near the end of graduation. It is the most reliable in every way possible, and will offer a refund or additional remediation if you do not pass the NCLEX.

Hi all! I am starting nursing school next week and I've read several different views of the best resources for preparing for the NCLEX.

I'd appreciate input on resources and review books that have been helpful for others. Saunders is a name I hear a lot, and also the NCLEX-RN Questions & Answers Made Incredibly Easy books.

I want to begin practicing questions from the beginning so I will be well-versed in how to think through the questions and answers.

Thanks,

Cindy

Kaplan also offers that guarantee, not just Hurst. And both programs are good, but for different things: someone weak in content needs Hurst. Someone who has difficulty prioritizing/strategizing care will need Kaplan.

But I have a different suggestion altogether: see how school goes and what kinds of tests you are getting. Your instructors are well aware of what the NCLEX looks like, and it is the norm to have NCLEX-style quizzes and exams. Beside that, you want to learn how to excel in the methods/style that your program teaches; if you don't do well with THEM, the NCLEX won't even be an issue

It's great to look ahead, plan ahead. Kudos for that! But you really need to just start out in school by getting your land legs, the feel of the program, etc. Initially, however, EVERY question you see in an NCLEX book is going to confuse you, as you haven't yet learned any of it. How does one best learn how to answer a question that one doesn't understand the content for? By learning the content. Welcome to school! :)

Once you have a clue what's going on, then you can take a look at those prep/review courses

Kaplan is test taking strategies best suited for a candidate with strong content knowledge that struggles with deciphering questions and some defects in knowledge application & critical thinking.

Hurst is content review without application and test taking strategies best suited for a candidate who struggles with the basic knowledge and content required of an entry level nurse.

People have been successful with both as well as not taking any commercial review just relying on the knowledge and skills obtained in their nursing program.

Both offer guarantees with stipulations. You must have graduated from an accredited program (not just BoN approved so many profit investor owned schools such as ITT Tech & WCU would not qualify), must take the test within 6 months of graduation, must complete every single module, practice question, quiz and test included in the prep program. Use someone else's ID-out of luck. Skip one quiz-out of luck. Don't watch the videos--out of luck. Forewarned is forearmed.