Do I have to take the NCLEX in the state I graduated from?

You can take the NCLEX in any state you choose.

The level of difficulty does not vary from state to state. Its a national exam.

How do you know its not different from state to state NCLEX exam? Each states has different guidelines for nurses right.....? I'm not sure that's why I'm asking.

Yes each state has its own Nurse Practice Act but the NCLEX doesn't test you on laws in each individual state. And it's for the exact reason you listed. If someone goes to school in OH but tests in NY, it wouldn't be fair to them to get questions on their exam asking them about nursing laws in NY because they won't know.

The NCLEX is just a huge test bank of questions pertaining to nursing care, not nursing laws in each state. If you call Pearsonvue or your BON they'll tell you the same thing.

How do you know its not different from state to state NCLEX exam? Each states has different guidelines for nurses right.....? I'm not sure that's why I'm asking.

NCLEX is a national exam using national standards. While everyone does not get e exact same questions, the required knowledge base is the same. The basics are the same whether you take the test in NY or CA or TX or overseas in the Philippines. The nurse practice acts and facility policy and procedures may vary, but the basic nursing knowledge, skills, expectations, and responsibilities are the same across the US.

NCLEX is a national exam, you can take it anywhere. But I think the license that would be distributed to you after you pass will be from the state you are registered as a resident of. If you're planning to practice in Texas, you need to get your paperwork rolling to transfer your resident status for Texas. Michigan is not part of the Nurse Liscensure Compact, so you will need to have all your personal info flipped over to Texas before you test - or your license will be for Michigan, which will only be valid in the state of Michigan. The NLC lets your license cross state lines without having to retest in a new state.

But before you do, poke around for Texas' requirements to sit for the exam. Some states require more clinical hours in order to graduate from nursing school. A girl in my program ran into this problem and had to do this elaborate paper dance because our school couldn't squeeze in the extra clinical hours her state required (she moved all her resident paperwork to the state our nursing school is in, tested, passed, then transferred everything back to her home state. BUT, her state was part of the Compact Act, so it worked. Your state is not!).

It's confusing, since everyone in America takes the national test by the same test maker...but that's why I didn't major in political science.

Thank you, everyone. Ok, so its across the world same test, national. Now how is it each person had the same exam til CAT realizes our weak areas?

Thank you, everyone. Ok, so its across the world same test, national. Now how is it each person had the same exam til CAT realizes our weak areas?

We don't have the same exam but the same basic content. There have been many statistical studies as to which combinations of questions, when answered correctly, statistically (with a string confidence interval) indicate an individual meets the minimum basic knowledge competences to safely practice as an entry level nurse. Many of the studies are published on the NCSBN website (the organization that develops the test/test questions and determines the validity of each question).

Since its thru NCSBN, would it be best to do their online review and pay money since its from their published? Vs. kaplan Vs. HESI ? Im just reviewing CDs from Exam Cram and Saundara, LaCharity, and HESI book....all over ...such a mess headache to cover all :-(

Since its thru NCSBN, would it be best to do their online review and pay money since its from their published? Vs. kaplan Vs. HESI ? Im just reviewing CDs from Exam Cram and Saundara, LaCharity, and HESI book....all over ...such a mess headache to cover all :-(

I know a girl who graduated last year that highly recommended NCSBN. She said the questions were really similar to the ones she encountered on NCLEX. According to her it's only $50 for 3 week access.

Seems like all of them have good reviews on their website (of course). But your doing kaplan online?

Yup. Im doing the "on demand" course. Its completely online and you go at your own pace. It gives you access for 3 months and it comes with lecture videos, strategies, and plenty of questions. I actually like it so far. The questions are hard and I like that because it gives me a big challenge. And everyone so far (that Ive talked to) has said that the Kaplan questions are harder than the actual NCLEX questions. So if your Kaplan scores are 60% and above you have a really high chance of passing NCLEX on the first try. ::fingers crossed::

You should plan on taking the test in the state where you plan to work, unless both states are compact states, then it would make no difference where you take the test and are licensed. (As others have said, the NCLEX is a national exam--it's the same test no matter where you take it; it's called the National Council Licensure Exam.)

Compact state licensing allows a nurse who is the resident of one state to practice in any of the other agreeing states. In effect, you have a multi-state license that allows you to work in any of those states (The entire list of compact states is: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.)

In your case, Michigan is not a compact state, so if you took the NCLEX in Michigan you would have a Michigan nursing license. When you move to Texas, you'd apply to have your license transferred to Texas and would not only have to pay another $150 to $200 (depending on the cost of that Texas license) but you'd also have to pay a fee to Michigan (usually approx. $50) for their BON to verify your license to the BON of Texas. As you can see, this could add up to around $400, while obtaining a license in the state you intend to work would cost just that state's fee. The advantage of holding a Texas license (or a license in any compact state) is that your license allows you to work in another compact state without paying additional fees.