How long did you study for the NCLEX?

Published

I graduate in December (14th) and was planning on waiting until afterward to study because I'm busy precepting etc. I will probably take the NCLEX in February, which gives me approximately 6 weeks to study. I was wondering how much time you gave yourself to study and if you did or didn't pass using this time frame.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I'm going to use the Hurst Review for my NCLEX preparation, anyone else use this?:uhoh3:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Skilled Nursing.

I think thats a good time to wait. Id advise taking a Kaplan class if you can. That helped me pass the boards.

Also, too, I did @ 75 -100 questions every day. Dont do too much in one day. Take time for yourself. Dont let it consume you, I made that mistake the 2nd time I went to take them. I passed on my 3rd time thanks to Kaplan.

6 weeks is a good time to wait and study, Thats about how long I took to wait to test the 3rd time,

Lots of luck!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I think thats a good time to wait. Id advise taking a Kaplan class if you can. That helped me pass the boards.

Also, too, I did @ 75 -100 questions every day. Dont do too much in one day. Take time for yourself. Dont let it consume you, I made that mistake the 2nd time I went to take them. I passed on my 3rd time thanks to Kaplan.

6 weeks is a good time to wait and study, Thats about how long I took to wait to test the 3rd time,

Lots of luck!!!

Unfortunately it's too late for me to sign up for the Kaplan. :o Hopefully the Hurst is sufficient. I heard it was good...guess we'll see. :uhoh21:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I graduate in December (14th) and was planning on waiting until afterward to study because I'm busy precepting etc. I will probably take the NCLEX in February, which gives me approximately 6 weeks to study. I was wondering how much time you gave yourself to study and if you did or didn't pass using this time frame.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I'm going to use the Hurst Review for my NCLEX preparation, anyone else use this?:uhoh3:

3 weeks is too short... there's just SO MUCH to learn and you need to know if you want to pass the NCLEX on 1st attempt. I prepared for 3 months, ON MY OWN. Used Saunders as an OUTLINE & followed the NCSBN module. I answer 100-items per topic (pass rate: 80% otherwise, I read again). Last 2 weeks b4 NCLEX, I practice taking 265-item, 6 hours of exam, mimicking the actual exam (passrate: 75% otherwise, read again on my weak areas). End result? 75 items in 50 minutes, take 1.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Unfortunately it's too late for me to sign up for the Kaplan. :o Hopefully the Hurst is sufficient. I heard it was good...guess we'll see. :uhoh21:

There is a review center in malate, USGC, it's new but they have a different style in reviewing for NCLEX, its like a combination of self-study + live lectures for an unlimited period...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Me, I would say over-all two months.

>Had 14 days of review center lecture.

>Did 5000 questions Saunders, Kaplan trainer Q1-Q7. Used Q7 as my final test.

>Used no books for theory. Just did drills and drills and drills and read every rationale.... every rationale, i mean every one.

>2 weeks before the test, had reverse isolation. Just ate, snacks, 300 questions a day, then break..... sleep, prayed

>day before exam, massage, church hopping, prayers, relaxation and dviersionary techniques...

>End result : 75Q, less than an hour. Passed. Take 1. CA BRN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele.
I graduate in December (14th) and was planning on waiting until afterward to study because I'm busy precepting etc. I will probably take the NCLEX in February, which gives me approximately 6 weeks to study. I was wondering how much time you gave yourself to study and if you did or didn't pass using this time frame.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I'm going to use the Hurst Review for my NCLEX preparation, anyone else use this?:uhoh3:

I took 3 months. because I wanted to do everything that my $400 kaplan course came with. I wanted to make sure that I passed the first time around. so I learned everything kaplan

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I studied for about a month and a half with the NCSBN online review and did some Saunders questions along with that. Found out today that I passed with 77 questions!

I think 6 weeks is a good time frame...not too long and not too short.

Whatever time frame and review program you choose...stick to it!!!

Maria

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I didn't study one minute. I took it as a second honeymoon with my wife-( that was before the days of computer NCLEX- you went to the state board testing facility for 2 days of exams). I figured if I didn't learn it in 4 1/2 years of school I wasn't going to pick it up by cramming before boards and making myself nuts. My question is do you feel you absorbed the material in school well? Do you test well? A few good nights sleep and a relaxed approach to the test may do more than all the cramming in the world. If you feel weak in some areas a bit of review is in order. I do know nurses that took the review courses and said they couldn't have passed without the help. If you fail boards a review course is almost required to help you fill in the gaps and refresh your knowledge base. I tend to over analyse when I over study and feel I did better by just going with my "well educated" guess. Most of the nurses I know that failed the first time were the ones that spent 2mos before boards making themselves sick by cramming book after book. Back then boards were a max score of 3200 points with passing being 1600 points. I passed with a 2700. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neurology-ICU.
3 weeks is too short... there's just SO MUCH to learn and you need to know if you want to pass the NCLEX on 1st attempt. I prepared for 3 months, ON MY OWN. Used Saunders as an OUTLINE & followed the NCSBN module. I answer 100-items per topic (pass rate: 80% otherwise, I read again). Last 2 weeks b4 NCLEX, I practice taking 265-item, 6 hours of exam, mimicking the actual exam (passrate: 75% otherwise, read again on my weak areas). End result? 75 items in 50 minutes, take 1.

You shouldn't be "learning" at this point. You've been studying for this test the whole time you were in nursing school. You're ready, you just don't know it. 3 weeks is not too short. It's definitely possible. I did the NCSBN review in 3 weeks and passed in 75 questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 weeks is too short... there's just SO MUCH to learn and you need to know if you want to pass the NCLEX on 1st attempt. I prepared for 3 months, ON MY OWN. Used Saunders as an OUTLINE & followed the NCSBN module. I answer 100-items per topic (pass rate: 80% otherwise, I read again). Last 2 weeks b4 NCLEX, I practice taking 265-item, 6 hours of exam, mimicking the actual exam (passrate: 75% otherwise, read again on my weak areas). End result? 75 items in 50 minutes, take 1.

The OP didn't say anything about 3 weeks, she said 6 weeks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion