Published Jan 31, 2016
bradley1992
10 Posts
Hey guys, I was in the same boat as a lot of you with this test. It's very hard and sometimes seems unfair. It's crazy to think how a "minimum competency" test can make you feel like you learned nothing from nursing school. However don't give up. As the title stated, I failed 4 times, before passing the 5th time. This is how my tests went, and what I did to finally pass.
My first attempt, I scoffed and thought it was over-hyped. On attempt number 2, I was way more prepared, but not quite there. Then on attempts 3-5, I racked my brain, going for all 265 questions on all 3. However, after 4 failed attempts, I got news that I passed on January 28th, 2016.
Now, on to how I actually passed this thing. The study materials I used included, The Hurst Online content review, The PDA book by LaCharity, and oddly enough the NCLEX mastery app on my iPhone. Now, all of these items themselves will cost you about $400 give or take, but they WILL help.
How I used them was a little bit of my own study plan. First, I completely read the PDA book and did all the questions in it. Then I would do questions any time I had a free minute on my phone with the NCLEX mastery app. Then I did the videos with the content course for Hurst, then I read through it twice the 2 weeks leading up to my test. And while reading, I would do some questions after I read a chapter or two.
Now, as I said I found out I passed and this is how I tested. I took everything that I learned from other resources like Kaplan's decision and threw it out the window. It was too much to remember. I have a 2 year old and am used to noise, so I studied with noise. During the test I put on my noise cancelling head phones and found myself lost in my own head, so I removed them and personally feel like I could concentrate better that way. Don't dwell on the last question, answer it and move on.
Lastly, please don't get discouraged or give up. You made it thru school and you can make it thru this test. Keep pushing and working hard, it will pay off. Don't let people saying that your chances of passing after the first attempt fall drastically bother you. That's a load of crap. You didn't learn how blood flow throughout the body and heart worked the first time you read it, but after 2 or 3 times you had the idea. This test is just a stepping stone to your career as a nurse. Keep studying and working hard. If your religious my motto may help you, "study hard, pray harder." It will help. IF you have questions please ask in this post or feel free to send me a message. If I passed the NCLEX, you can too. Good luck and all the best guys!!!
hm1987
380 Posts
I couldn't message you private since you email is full.. First attempt 75, second 204, third 90, fourth 75 I have gotten above passing, near and below passing every time. Please email me private if you can. thank you.
sweetlilwolf
179 Posts
With the NCLEX the more questions you get the more your ridding that line of passing or not. So if you got just the bare minimum then you weren't passing. Think of it like a passing line every question you go above and below it... Passing not passing. The more you get right the higher above passing line if that makes sense.... I'd suggest the website through ncbsn it was the best I used it in my second time and I wish I wouldn't have used it the first time.... It's way cheaper and better.... Keep practicing questions
Exactly what sweetlilwolf said, going the whole test (265 questions) means that you were so close to the passing line that the computer couldn't be 95% sure whether you were passing or failing. And I believe you start with a question that is on the line of passing.