Devestated, I failed my first semester

NurseS2014 · May 11, 2013

Same here i missed mine by 1/2 point wich is very upsetting... But i am starting again from first semester this fall...it was very rough trying to get used to the NCLEX test style but i was too late figuring it out...a lot of ppl say second semester is harder i feel if i didnt make it thru first how am i going to get through the rest of them...i feel so dumbed down...but im trying to think positive..its the only way to get thru...

Are you going to try again?

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · May 11, 2013

I think the first semester is the toughest of them all, in my opinion. You are thrown into a whole new way of testing. The NCLEX style tests can be the downfall of many students. I think once you can grasp how to pick apart those types of tests, things seem to fall into place easier.

Take some time to re-group, try find out what it was the issue for you. Was it the new style of questions, did you not understand the material for some/all of the class, etc.

Then, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go back at it again. There is no shame in not passing a class. It happens to the best of students at times.

teacher08 · May 11, 2013

I understand your disappointment. Learning NCLEX style questions does require getting used too. Just stay dedicated to answering questions, reviewing your material, and taking practice exams. I'm a visual learner and I love animated videos. Find your learning style and try to find material that will help YOU comprehend the best way possible. Don't give up. Your on your wonderful jouney to becoming an awesome and well educated nurse very soon.

My classmate failed her first smelter, waited a year to return to the program, graduated last year, and now a RN. Also, I failed my last semester and I graduated during the summer. :-) Nobody's perfect however WE ALL ARE great achievers.

tabz4u2 · May 11, 2013

I am going to try and get back into the fall--they have to do a lottery where I go. It was the NCLEX style questions once I got the style of questions and like for me it was too late! I am going to do better next semester now I know what to look for!

I heard once you get past the first semester, it gets easier...hopefully this is true

Stephalump · May 11, 2013

I am going to try and get back into the fall--they have to do a lottery where I go. It was the NCLEX style questions once I got the style of questions and like for me it was too late! I am going to do better next semester now I know what to look for!
I heard once you get past the first semester, it gets easier...hopefully this is true

It definitely gets easier. Even though the material gets harder, you have a framework built, you're more used to NCLEX questions, and you're basically just in a groove.

I hope you get in in the fall!

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · May 11, 2013

It gets both easier and harder. The questions become even more focused toward application-level responses and away from simple knowledge questions. However, once you figure out how the questions are setup, that part of things gets easier. The material becomes more difficult to grasp and really does build on what you have learned in 1st semester. Just make sure you read the material before class, actually attend class, and be darned certain you attend your lab sessions and clinicals. If you have study groups, make sure your group is goal-focused, so you get stuff done before your group starts socializing instead of studying...

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · May 11, 2013

So I failed fundamentals and health assessment, fundamentals by 4 pts and health assessment by 5. I feel so stupid! It started off really rough for me...Is anyone else in my predictament?

I'd been following your threads, I was routing for you....I'm sorry it came to this. Not passing does not mean you are stupid. Just gather yourself and give it another try. Your experiences should make you a success next time around. Don't give up!

tabz4u2 · May 11, 2013

Awe thanks! I had a really tough beginning with my grandmother dying on my first day of clinical orientation, and i had a court-date which caused me to miss 2 exams and I had to make them up. I definitely grasped the material more so towards the end, but by that time learning NCLEX style questions definitely took a little bit of time, you have no idea on how many times I changed my answers and I had the first answer right and the second answer wrong! I am definitely going to try a lot more next semester, I just really hope I can get back in the fall!