Failed Second Attempt with 75 Questions

[Bently]

Maybe someone can help me understand this. I took the NCLEX the first time in June and got all 265 questions. I failed with near passing in all categories. Naturally, since I was near passing in all categories, I thought that I was close to passing. So I studied for five weeks and re-tested. I failed the second attemp in 75 questions. How can you go from 265 and nearly passing to failing in 75 questions after studying for five weeks? I just don't understand.

[mallerina87]

Assuming you had the knowledge and assuming you were given enough time to prepare, it could be either the way you are preparing or the way you are approaching the questions when you are taking the test. Sometimes it's more about how you read the questions.

What are you using to study? I found Kaplan review helpful in preparing me to answer above passing level questions. Do you have test anxiety? If so, my biggest suggestion would be to prepare like crazy, but on test day, don't do anything out of the ordinary and treat it as if you were taking another test for school. I'm sure there are relaxation or meditation classes that you can take (maybe the night before your next test) that would help too, if anxiety is an issue for you.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I think it would be reasonable for you to schedule some time with a tutor. Perhaps someone at your nursing school could make a recommendation, someone who has successfully prepared candidates to pass the NCLEX.

It seems to me that you must be approaching the questions in a way that reads 'wrong' to the exam. IOW, you were able to stay just above and just below the passing level the entire time for your first exam; the second time you blew straight into fail--and far enough below passing it wouldn't let you continue. In order to be consistently hovering near the passing line on your first exam you had to have had the content down well enough to GET to that point.

That tells me that whatever you did to prepare the second time worked against you...and by a lot. I'd think some time with a tutor would clarify for you what you are doing wrong in approaching the test.

Good luck!