Did You Pass NCLEX without taking a Review Course?

austin heart, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2005

Yes, I did on the first try. I did read through a friends review course book a couple times and that is about it.

andre · Nov 19, 2005

Yup, I studied Saunders on my own, passed on the first try with 75 questions. I didn't have the cash for a review course, and, like you, felt like I was a pretty good critical thinker.

Good luck!

Andrea

suebird3 · Nov 19, 2005

we had a "mandatory" studyreview week......got charged for it and all. i will admit i left early alot; i feel i can study better on my own

(i think).

yes, i passed!

suebird

icugirl33 · Nov 20, 2005

I took the NCLEX & passed w/ 75 questions. I was tired of studying after 4 yrs in school and figured I should of learned something to help me pass this exam. If you do want to take a course, I hear Kaplan is wonderful!!

JentheRN05, RN · Nov 20, 2005

I did it no studying or anything! passed with 83 ?s

loricatus · Nov 20, 2005

Passed 1st try with 75 questions and only looked over the Saunders Q & A book the night before. Was sure I failed because the questions seemed impossibly hard and nothing like those in the book. I was told by others who took Kaplan that it didn't help them at all. I do remember having a lot of priority-type questions, a few OB, and only 2 alternate format (one easy drip rate calc & a check all that apply). I quess your choice should be based upon prior study habits. If you get something out of study groups or lectures, then the formal programs probably would help. If you are more like me and self-studied your way through classes, only attending mandatory lectures (missing the majority of lectures), then go for it on your own. Good luck to you no matter which route you take.

Cindy_A · Nov 20, 2005

I passed the first time without a review course. I read my Med-Surg book a lot and I did have a Davis NCLEX RN review book that came with a CD with sample questions. A lot cheaper than a review class! Good Luck!

HappyJaxRN · Nov 20, 2005

Hello! I will be graduating from a BSN program in about 3 weeks!!! December 16th!! I am considering NOT taking the Hurst Review or the Sylvia Rayfield course, and instead studying on my own. Has anyone studied on their own and passed the 1st time? I am a pretty good critical thinker and I feel that its knowing the material that is important. They can ask a question a hundred different ways but the facts will always remain the same... you just have to apply it. I am pretty good with applying the knowledge. Please tell me if you or someone you know took the NCLEX RN and passed without taking a review course. Thanks!
Brina

Hi there. I didn't take the review courses that everyone else around me with money took. I studied with flash cards and two review books. I swapped study guides with my friends. I passed the 1st time. Good luck!

HappyJaxRN · Nov 20, 2005

Brina,

Be careful. I was reading some of the replies from other people. I think it's great that some people didn't have to study. I know a girl in my class who has a master's degree in business and did fairly well in school as far as her grades were concerned. She said she was cocky about studying and thought she could take the NCLEX without doing any practice questions. She failed the NCLEX twice.

But hey, some people (lucky people) are great test takers and don't need to study like the rest of us....Good luck.

rfmages · Nov 20, 2005

The way I felt about review classes was this, I will try on my own first and if I dont succeede then I will take a review class, but needless to say I passed on the first try just using review books, think I did somewhere in the neighborhood of 6000 questions prior to taking NCLEX.

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Nov 20, 2005

I graduated in May 2005 & took NCLEX-RN on July 1 and passed it on my first try with 75 questions. I did not take a review course. However, I studied on my own a lot for it. Over the course of several months I answered over 5,000 practice questions using CD-roms like Saunders, Lippincott, Mosby, Incredibly Easy etc. I think doing lots and lots of practice questions is a great idea. I felt totally prepared on test day.good luck!

-Christine