Decided to try out Kaplan

Hello! I used kaplan! And passed the NCLEX last week. It was not offered as part of our curriculum, but a supplement after pinning. As far as the decision tree, I feel that it trains you to slow down and really look at the question. Are you assessing or implementing? Is this a question that wants the good/safe choice (cue the famous demonstrates teaching is successful) or are they wanting a bad choice (the nurse must intervene when). When I first started with Kaplan it frustrated me because I wanted to use the tree and the 'rules' all the time. When I stopped being frustrated, I was able to decipher what the questions were asking. The Kaplan questions are VERY similar to NCLEX questions. Even the layout of the qtrainers and qbanks looks like the NCLEX.

I did between 75-150 questions a day, never more than that. Our kaplan instructor said more than that was useless. I studied rationale on all questions and wrote down things to study as I took practice tests.

Hopefully that helps!

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I really felt like all of the little tips and tricks were really helpful, like focusing on the here and now and having an order for everything you need and whatever you do, don't leave the patient. Things like that. I only used the tree maybe a couple of times, but really, it was more because I could tease out which answers did or didn't make sense.

I agree about the Kaplan questions being very similar, but here's what got me- the Kaplan questions, IMO, were harder than the NCLEX questions (I passed in 75), and it TOTALLY threw me. I felt like I was getting questions that were too easy (even if I didn't necessarily know the answers), and I SWORE I'd failed. Thankfully I passed!

I kept a list of everything mentioned during class that I needed to review- TPN, EKG strips, whatever. Then I went over the content on my own.

These posts, really inspire me. On my previous attempt I only used NCSBN Learning EXT but unfortunately I did not make it. I am not blaming Learning EXT but after all my nursing friends has been telling me to get the Kaplan as that truly helped them, I finally enrolled in the NCLEX ON demand. I am starting today.

Good luck Stdntnurse101

RunBaby,

I too, felt like Kaplan was harder than the NCLEX. I felt like wait...I may be failing this bc the questions weren't extremely difficult. I just had to stop, breathe, and think through each answer. Of course it felt like I guessed on a few. But overall, I felt good going out the testing center.

I also used kaplan questions. No more than about 150 a day. I wrote down things to remember and tips and tricks. And when I got to nclex, when the first question popped up, I didn't even look at it. I wrote on my dry erase board for 15 minutes.

Lab values, a prayer, pregnancy info, child's play toys, endocrine things, tips and tricks, "slow down", "breathe", assessment or intervention, Stacey, what is the question asking" I wrote ALL of that down on my dry erase board. And when I got stumped on a question, I looked at my dry erase board and answered to the best of my ability. It really decreased stress. Made me think "see, you know something afterall"

Good luck to you and your hunny

RunBaby,

And when I got to nclex, when the first question popped up, I didn't even look at it. I wrote on my dry erase board for 15 minutes.

Lab values, a prayer, pregnancy info, child's play toys, endocrine things, tips and tricks, "slow down", "breathe", assessment or intervention, Stacey, what is the question asking" I wrote ALL of that down on my dry erase board. And when I got stumped on a question, I looked at my dry erase board and answered to the best of my ability. It really decreased stress. Made me think "see, you know something afterall"

They allowed you to do this? We had very strict instructions NOT to "brain dump" onto the whiteboard, and were told that we would be excused from the exam if we did that.

You either know that stuff or you don't. Don't overthink it.

There was strict instructions for me not to brain dump during the tutorial.. No writing until the test started!

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Well guys. Sorry to hear that. We got palm veined scanned, and pockets turned in/out, the whole 9. They said we can write anything on our boards and if we needed another, to raise our hand and request another.

No one mentioned anything about no "brain dumping". This is the first time I'm hearing that term. Cute! Lol. Well, I knew the info, it was just de-stressing and relaxing for me to write. Bc I write so much when I study anyway. It's all good.

I passed and I'm glad y'all passed as well! :-)

I think that term was even on the paper we had to read before registering! Haha. I also had the über security.. Even after using the restroom! Palm vein scan to get back in, along with my ID. It raised my anxiety level for sure!

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Oh wow. Coulda been on that instruction/informational sheet. I was so nervous, I barely read it. I thought I was reading it, or tried to. And then when I sat back down, I tried to think about what the hell it said, I couldn't think of a single thing it said. Lol.

RunBaby,

I too, felt like Kaplan was harder than the NCLEX. I felt like wait...I may be failing this bc the questions weren't extremely difficult. I just had to stop, breathe, and think through each answer. Of course it felt like I guessed on a few. But overall, I felt good going out the testing center.

I also used kaplan questions. No more than about 150 a day. I wrote down things to remember and tips and tricks. And when I got to nclex, when the first question popped up, I didn't even look at it. I wrote on my dry erase board for 15 minutes.

Lab values, a prayer, pregnancy info, child's play toys, endocrine things, tips and tricks, "slow down", "breathe", assessment or intervention, Stacey, what is the question asking" I wrote ALL of that down on my dry erase board. And when I got stumped on a question, I looked at my dry erase board and answered to the best of my ability. It really decreased stress. Made me think "see, you know something afterall"

Good luck to you and your hunny

How did you do on the Kaplan q trainers/readiness/diagnostic tests?

Not good at all. But I did about 150 questions a day and learned tons from rationales.

Qbank averaged 70

Qtrainer 1 :67

QTrainer 6: 57

I didn't do the readiness or the diagnostic tests.

the no brain-dumping rule is only until the first question You are not allowed to write anything on the erase board until after going through the tutorial and all the pre-test stuff. Once the first real question comes up, you are allowed to write whatever you want on the erase board, and allowed to get as many new ones as you want (though they will only allow you to have one at a time, so if you get a new one they'll take the one you had) I used mine at around question 10 to just clear my head of random facts that I kept thinking that I felt like were interfering with my concentration. I passed with 75q, so it worked!