so confused... help!!

missnurse792 · Jul 9, 2015

Your not the only one feeling this way . It's like all our work and effort put into nursing school comes down to this one exam . I take my exam Friday and couldn't be more nervous . It is impossible to know everything , but I'm sure we have the knowledge to practice safely . As the test only test minimal competency . We will be just fine . Keep your hopes high and remain confident !

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

Tell me about it. I have it in 6 days. The nerves are unreal for me right now. We need to hang in there. 85% of all students taking it and passing are really high odds but nothing can tell. It's really individualized since its computer adaptive testing. Anyway, I keep reading people averaging 60% on their qbank scores for Kaplan. It makes me want to take it too. I hope you will be okay...

Update us how it goes for you. Good luck!

Tumbler · Jul 9, 2015

The passing standard was raised in 2013, and yes, since then the first time pass rate for US educated students has dropped to around 83-85% (yes, I obsessively read everything on the ncsbn website while awaiting my results). One would hope that being a good student means one is well prepared and will pass first try, but I refuse to believe the other implication of that statement, that anyone who doesn't pass was a poor student.

LM NY · Jul 9, 2015

I was feeling okay until I took Kaplan's sample test 4, which is all alternate type questions. I totally bombed it. I would miss one or have one more choice that I picked for the SATA's. Thanks for your comments guys :)

KatieKraftRN · Jul 9, 2015

Its totally normal and expected to feel anxious and doubtful.. but I just took the NCLEX on 7/6 and passed with 109 questions. I thought for SURE I failed. It was exteremly challenging, I had a lot of pharm (which other friends didnt) and I had a lot of SATA. I also used Kaplan and scored well on the practice stuff including the trainers (61-65%) and my Q Bank average was around a 61%. I however BOMBED the sample 4 test as well.. Bottom line is this... NCLEX is hard, but not impossible. Try to go in with a clear mind and not get discouraged when you dont know some questions because you wont. I graduated with a class of 43 and only one person failed. Keep practicing test strategies and dont study 24 hours before your exam!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jul 9, 2015

The national pass rates of 80-85% includes everyone that took the NCLEX the first time, including the ones that barely passed or went to bad schools with an NCLEX pass rate in the 40-50%. A more accurate number would be your own school's pass rate. It would be nice if there were statistics on a national pass rate based on your performance in nursing school. For example, GPA 3.5-4.0 had a 99% NCLEX pass rate. That would hopefully put more test takers at ease and stop the "I had a 3.75 GPA in nursing school and the test stopped at 75 questions, Do you think I failed?"

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 9, 2015

I hope this makes you feel better: I thought Kaplan was harder than NCLEX. Really, I did. As long as you're averaging at least 58%, on Kaplan, you have a high probability of passing. I took mine on Tuesday and just found out this morning that I passed. 77 questions, no alternate format, 1 med math, 4 peds, 5 mental health, lots of SATA & prioritization/delegation questions.

I feel studying the rationales with every Kaplan question (I did 75 QBank questions per day) really made the difference. My Kaplan instructor said it's more important to focus on the QBank scores than the Trainer scores. If you have access to the predictor test, that's a better indicator. Here's a link to the Kaplan score estimator: Score Estimator

ETA: if that link doesn't work, there's a chart that lists each Kaplan percentange and the likelihood of passing NCLEX, too :)

LM NY · Jul 9, 2015

OMG Soprano!!!!!!!!!! I googled the chart and found it. How come I never knew about the chart??? In both the diagnostic and readiness, my likelihood is in the 90th percentile. I am going to sleep well tonight :) :) :)

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 9, 2015

OMG Soprano!!!!!!!!!! I googled the chart and found it. How come I never knew about the chart??? In both the diagnostic and readiness, my likelihood is in the 90th percentile. I am going to sleep well tonight :) :) :)

Excellent! I'm glad that helped you to feel better :)

My Kaplan instructor advised us to not study at all the day before the exam. Give your brain a break and let everything you've studied sink in. It was hard not to look at any study materials at all, but I'm glad I followed her advice. The morning of the exam, I was surprisingly calm. Usually, I'm a nervous wreck before big tests. Just know that you are prepared and you CAN do it!

Best of luck! Let me know when you pass

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

I don't recall the NCLEX pass rate for first time testers being in the 90s. I've always seen it at 85% or so. It was at that mark in 2008 when I took my NCLEX-PN and for my NCLEX-RN (I took my NCLEX at the early part of the time they increased the passing standard so at the time, there were no 'current' stats on the passing rate with the new implementions.

Those are some pretty good odds. Think of it this way, wouldn't you rather have an 85% chance of surviving a possibly fatal illness, or an 85% chance of winning $1 million dollars, or an 85% chance of getting a job. Sure beats the other way around..only having a 15% chance of all those things.

85% chance of passing means only a 15% chance of failing. Awesome odds :)

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2015

I also found Kaplan more challenging than my NCLEX. I have to say I did feel like i was doing Kaplan when I was taking my NCLEX though.