Anyone take the NCLEX without a classroom review?

[guineachick]

I'm sending out my paperwork to register to take the test and I didn't take a review class because I would have to have taken it way before the test date. Does anyone have any success (or failure) stories to share regarding studying on your own? Is this a bad idea??? Thanks!

[Jules A, MSN]

I took the NCLEX-PN without a review class and passed with the minimum amount of questions. I studied on my own by constantly answering practice questions from the Saunders Comprehensive Review book.

Good luck with your exam!

Me too.

I'll be taking the RN boards soon and plan to do the same. Now if I fail I will definitely take a review class but I have no plans of failing, lol. Good luck!

[bluesnurse]

Another "me too"; I never took a review class. I can't stand sitting in a classroom. Nursing school almost drove me mad, having to sit for 6-8 hours some days. I barely made the attendance requirements and still don't understand why an *adult* who is making dean's list every semester has to be physically present in a lecture room to learn.

I got the Kaplan study guide and CD-ROM and taught myself to reason my way through the questions. Passed the first time with 75 questions in 30 minutes. No second-guessing.

When I go for my MSN, it will be online!

[hikernurse]

I looked into them, but I generally tested well in school and I wasn't sure I'd have gotten my money's worth. I studied a lot for the boards, but I think most of that study time was wasted. The test just isn't that hard.

IF you don't test well, though, I think the class might be a good option.

[Still-in-Shock]

I wouldn't say the test isn't that hard. It is hard and I was a very good student who studied my butt off for the test. But I do agree about anxiety. If you feel like your freaking out during the test, I would recommend taking a break to do some deep breathing or something. I was a nervous wreck!

My school offered a live review course and I went to the first day. What a waste of time. I decided to self-study with tons and tons of practice questions. If I had to do it over again, I would really focus on triage and make sure I understood the rationales. They don't make it easy to decide on the person who "needs your IMMEDIATE attention." But those are the questions that matter the most in my opinion. ABC's are important to understand, but in the exam, they just don't make it that cut and dry.

Someone in another post said something that really stuck with me. "They don't test you on what you know, they test you on how you think." I read each question over at least 3 times each. Just try to really understand what they are asking you. And eliminate, eliminate, eliminate!

Good luck to you! I am rooting for you!!!!