I graduate in three weeks and have not signed up for a prep course. I have explored various sources of information as to whether I should or not, and I am not convinced it will be worth my time or money.
I would like to hear from people who did not take a prep course and are now RNs, whether or not they'd recommend the same route to another graduating nurse or whether they would have done things differently if they had to do it over again.
FWIW...I have made very high grades in all the nursing courses and have always tested at level 1 in ATI, and I also do well in clinical.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
You really don't have to be too, too smart to pass. I feel like the exam is more about strategy than actual content.
*** Very true. To prove the point I once watched a very smart engineering graduate student with no medical background what so ever, but who also taught test taking stratagies, do quite well on an NCLEX practice exam.
I did not take any prep course. I just studied some flash cards that I bought. Wish I could remember what they were because they were really good! I would go over one system a night. Studied about a week and then went for it, and passed.
I studied from the Saunder's guide as I went through nursing school. I only reviewed for about a week and only my weaknesses. Passed with 75 questions.
The most helpful part was the first page in the review book explaining how to think about the questions.
PMFB-RN, RN
5,351 Posts
*** Very true. To prove the point I once watched a very smart engineering graduate student with no medical background what so ever, but who also taught test taking stratagies, do quite well on an NCLEX practice exam.