Hongkong or Saipan? Help!

suzanne4, RN · Apr 16, 2007

Both centers fill up, you will need to be persistant to get a slot in HK, but it can be done. HK is the cheaper of the two.

great_jaspah · Apr 18, 2007

thank you very much, suzanne4! :)

john83, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2007

Both centers fill up, you will need to be persistant to get a slot in HK, but it can be done. HK is the cheaper of the two.

and HK offers a lot of places to visit. It's a wonderful place; if I were made to choose(where to live and work for the time being) between RP and HK with the language barrier aside, I'd choose HK. My HK experience is really unforgettable and a good memory at that, hehe. One of the best that I've ever had in my life.

PatrickJames · Apr 24, 2007

Hello, everyone!
I am planning to take nclex sometime next semester (July/August) and I have yet to schedule my appointment. Please help me decide whether to take the exam in hongkong or saipan. Please include the advantages or disadvantages, costs, requirements, etc. Oh, and i am currently on leave from work, so I try very hard to budget my money.
Thank you.

While there are many Filipinas in Hong Kong, the overwhelming majority population is chinese. As are the road signs, etc.

Saipan is different as ~30 % of the island are Pinoys! Also for short term accomodations I expect that it's less expensive. While one is not supposed to work here while studying that rule is often quietly ignored with baby sitting/yaya jobs. Also several Docs at the only hospital provide tours (even short term accomodations) to visiting prospective nurses.

It's common for nurses to spend a few years at the hospital (there's only one!) practicing their nursing & English before looking for & transferring to a nursing job in the mainland..

So I would recommend Saipan over HK (except for chinese food :)

great_jaspah · Apr 26, 2007

Thank you, john83 and PatrickJames. You both seem to like HK and saipan, respectively.

john83, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2007

Thank you, john83 and PatrickJames. You both seem to like HK and saipan, respectively.

You're welcome great_jaspah!:)

Yeah, hope our viewpoints would somehow help you in deciding(where to take the exam). Pray, God gives His wisdom to those who ask it in humility and pray with great faith. God bless!

suzanne4, RN · Apr 26, 2007

Decision ultimately should be based on where they can get an open slot to test. HK is always cheaper as there are more flights to there. Saipan is always the more expensive of the two and you can only remain there for three days due to visa requirements.

reyan · Apr 29, 2007

Doesn't saipan need a US visa? Isn't hard to get a US visa nowadays especially from PI? Should you disclose that you are taking the exam?

purple_ylem · Apr 29, 2007

hello, everyone!
i am planning to take nclex sometime next semester (july/august) and i have yet to schedule my appointment. please help me decide whether to take the exam in hongkong or saipan. please include the advantages or disadvantages, costs, requirements, etc. oh, and i am currently on leave from work, so i try very hard to budget my money.
thank you.

h'lo. i'm planning to take my nclex at hongkong. saipan is much cheaper though, if i can remember it right, you don't have to pay extra $150 or is it $300? i kinda forgot, but what i'm sure of is that you'll pay some extra $$$ if you take the exam at hongkong. if you're on a tight budget, better take the exam at saipan. just be sure to have all your papers ready. according to some of my classmates, applying at saipan has more fuss than in hongkong. you have to take into consideration that saipan is us territory so yeah...it's more fussy wussy than it is with hongkong.

purple_ylem · Apr 29, 2007

by the way, if you decide to choose hongkong as your testing center, be sure to wear "super makapal" outfit. according to my friends who took their exams there, it's really really cold...as if you're in a "trangkaso chamber". so if you don't want to get hypothermia or worse--get your brain frozen (you must be in optimum level of functioning when taking nclex) wear a wooly oufit (if you must) basta yung makapal talaga.if you wear a jacket, they'll take it from you.so be sure, whatever's underneath, it must be really a thick fabric (just imagine 6 hours max in a very cold airconditioned room). i even heard that they're so strict that "sandos" are not allowed. so if you're a girl, basically it's just your brassiere and your blouse/top...whatever. i can't think straight when the environment is too cold, i guess that goes the same for you, so you better heed my advice.

english only please on these forums. please edit your post to remove the tagalog. .....thank you.

purple_ylem · Apr 29, 2007

more tips: don't bring any of your reviewers, which includes your textbooks, notes etc. it's criminal to do so--at least that's how it is in Hongkong test centers. please please remember this if you don't want to get into trouble. another tip, if you're scheduled in the afternoon, drop by the center in the morning. chances are, somebody will be late or decided not to come, so there's a good chance that they're going to give you the available slot. it's better if you take the exam in the morning so you can maximaize your 6 hours. not that you're really going to use all that time but suppose you're going to need, say, three hours for your exam, but you're scheduled at 4 pm and the testing center closes at 6 pm, so you see, you have no choice but to stop the test because the center's closing. do you already have a schedule? try to get a morning schedule. if there's no available AM schedule, at least try to be scheduled early in the afternoon, like 1 or 2 pm. and whatever you do, please please don't be late!!! they're so strict, if you're late...you just forfeited your slot...actually everything you paid for going there in Hongkong. so try to remember the tips i told you, ayt. good luck!