Debate: Kaplan vs Saunders: Which is better?

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

I have been studying Saunders..I did not take the NCLEX yet..I take it in 2 weeks..Which is better..I know Saunders is like going back to school where it reviews stuff..

There's no debate. It's not that one is "better". If you are weak on content, you have to get that down first, period. For that, Saunders is great. The questions, however, are too simplified to give you a strong overview of critical thinking skills (if you don't naturally have them). For that, Kaplan wins, hands down. The questions are much harder than Saunders'; Saunders tends to make the answers much easier to find. Kaplan makes you think more to find what they want you to get.

First Saunders. Then Kaplan. Then NCLEX :)

Lynn4875, RN · Jul 31, 2006

I would think Kaplan is better because it challenges you more. I did both Kaplan and Saunders questions, and even though Kaplan was harder, I liked it that way. When the questions aren't challenging enough, you don't feel as if you're really learning. I took Kaplan's online course, which is very thorough and covers pretty much everything. I like the way it helps you answer NCLEX questions. Then again, I paid too much for that course. My friend just bought the Kaplan question trainer CD which really helped her, a way cheaper alternative. Good luck on NCLEX!

sarahneeyah · Jul 31, 2006

Kaplan is best for test taking skill which was so vital on the exam. Saun

lisamc1RN, LPN · Jul 31, 2006

I can't say anything about Kaplan because I didn't take it, but I did use Saunders exclusively and passed my boards. :)

RN*06 · Jul 31, 2006

I did use both saunders and kaplans question trainer and ncsbn. I have to say HANDS DOWN that I could have passed with just the question trainer. Saunders in combination however (not even the whole book, just going over the chapters i was weak in) sealed the deal and made me feel confident i had passed. Buy the question trainer CD. The questions are identical in critical thinking and in content.

MiaLyse, APRN · Jul 31, 2006

I can't speak about Kaplan trainer as I only used their Nclex CD a couple times. I used Saunders most of the time and passed. I felt it gave me a good brush up on content. I had also used only Saunders for my LPN boards too.

JenNJFLCA · Aug 1, 2006

Kaplan, hands down. I did both and Kaplan was more like NCLEX

NurseLene · Aug 1, 2006

Kaplan questions are almost exactly like the NCLEX questions. Saunders is great for comprehensively reviewing all areas of weakness. But I seriously attribute my success in the NCLEX-RN to Kaplan.

colleennurse, ASN, RN · Aug 1, 2006

This post is making me worried. I take my NCLEX RN tommorrow and I pretty much only used Saunders. I had the Kaplan book with the CD but that only had 360 questions in it. I hope I did enough!

NCLEX Ukraine, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2006

In my opinion, Kaplan and Saunders are the two best NCLEX prep programs available. With our experience, Kaplan is just a dry backbone intended for those, who already havesome command of content. But you can use them both simultaneously - then you scan through Kaplan test to get an idea what you need to know, then study the content in Saunders, and then go abck to Kaplan. GOOD LUCK!!

RNNPICU, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2006

I agree Suanders and Kaplan are both very good. I liked Kaplan because I could practice on the computer and the questions seemed more difficult. Saunders was a lot of knowledge questions and had a great resource for learning the material. I also used FEUER nursing.