Advice for NCLEX takers!

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Hi all!

I really wanted to make a post to support future/current graduated students about studying for the NCLEX!

I graduated December 2016, took my test Feb 17th, and PASSED today (19th).

I am a average student. I got B's on majority of my exams and class grades. 3.4 GPA.

I used Kaplan (online self-pace, because I had work) and Uworld.com.

I LOVED IT AND IT IS VERY VERY VERY SIMILAR STRUCTURE TO NCLEX.

Kaplan served a great purpose for me because it helped me THINK through the questions that I didn't already know the answer too. Nursing school teaches you to basically recognize and recall key words. There will be some questions where you just do not know the med, or you dont memorize pediatric vital signs... Kaplan helps you pick out the answer!

Uworld is great for additional practice questions. Same format as kaplan and NCLEX. And they provide GREAT rationales with DETAIL. It is an additional price to pay, but it is worth the additional practice.

Another piece of advice, prepare not to pass in 75 questions. So many people want to pass in 75 and then have their heart sink when they get to question 76. It makes the anxiety so much worse when you're testing. If you pass in 75, AWESOME!! but sometimes you dont, like me :)

I passed with 136 questions, 2 1/2 hours. I had about 10 medication questions (all recognizable meds, a few select alls, and many priorities!

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Thank you for posting this! I test this friday 2/24. I have studied for about 6 weeks now.. utilizing kaplan, uworld, and a bit of saunders. The anxiety is starting to creep in..

Do you have any tips for last minute studying?

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That sounds like a great base! I was scoring between 55-62% on Kaplan/Uworld. Technically, NCLEX is a passing score of 51%.

I reviewed my notes that I made from things I didn't know like "Menieres disease" or Chest tubes up until the day before up to dinner time. Once dinner time came around, I put away everything and just relaxed.

I set realistic goals like "I know i won't get all those select all's right and I cant expect to pass in 75 questions". It's okay to miss those questions! Answer to the best of your ability! I know I guessed on a few and I had to move on.

Be confident!

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Also! I tested friday too. I couldn't wait until Monday/Tuesday to find out since results dont post over the weekend. -.-

I guarantee the trick that everyone uses to see if they passed. The "sign up for another NCLEX" WORKS. Also, I paid the $8 for unofficial results today :p

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Thank you for posting this! Im using both, Kaplan and Uworld! How were your scores? Im taking mine this week. And did you use the decision tree all the time or you just followed your guts?

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Also! I tested friday too. I couldn't wait until Monday/Tuesday to find out since results dont post over the weekend. -.-

I guarantee the trick that everyone uses to see if they passed. The "sign up for another NCLEX" WORKS. Also, I paid the $8 for unofficial results today :p

I unfortunately live in CA, which does not have unofficial results. Thanks for the tips! Just to clarify, I haven't tested yet. I take it this friday! knowing me, I won't be able to resist not studying the day before. but I will try to limit it to just reviewing lab values, ect.

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That's great! Congrats, how did you tackle those Prioritization questions?

I just cant get those.

Thanks

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I was never a great test taker and that was always a weakness of mine since nursing school and even the NCLEX relied heavily on test taking strategies. Regardless, I was never a top notch student either. But one thing I must recommend is UWorld. Regardless of whatever topic you're weak at, UWorld goes over every body system and even delegation and prioritization. It also doesn't hurt to enroll in some content review class like Hurst which I can say helped but not as much as UWorld. Remember I got my ATT 1/11, and took my test on 2/1. Basically worshipped UWorld and finished the qbank, went over every rationale. Thankfully I passed in 75.

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My scores were between 55-62% with both. I actually did! I admit, the decision tree was a little hard to use with questions I absolutely didn't know the answer to. But, the decision tree helped me out more with THINKING through the question when I'm stuck between two. Think of the outcomes. If you're between an assessment or implementation, how much do you NEED that assessment?

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Kaplan did a great job teaching me about how to answer those priority questions better.

I recommend maybe looking up a youtube video briefly going over the decision tree. You go through a motion of steps to figure it out.

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Azepeda17: Oh I see! My scores range are about the same. Im taking mine this Wednesday! Pray for me. I know I feel like it does not always apply. But for the priority i think I am good on that I got 83 I think or 86. The decision tree and who do you see first works great on the prioritization questions I think.

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You will be FINE! I will pray for you! You'll do great! There are many "who do you see first" questions! The medications i got were easily recognizable. Are you able to use the famous "cheat" to find out if you passed?

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