How many months did you study to pass the NCLEX?

nurse1123 · Dec 3, 2011

For those who used kaplan...I'm taking the on demand course? Did u each all the content videos? Did the course book help you?

Freddie86 · Dec 3, 2011

u and me both.Am graduating dec 11 planning to take it early january....latest the 10th.good luck as we prep.

morte, LPN, LVN · Dec 3, 2011

9mos/year + 1 semester x 4 years= I studied 40 mos for my NCLEX. That is how long it took me to get my BSN. I didn't "study" one day for the exam itself- I figured if I didn't learn it in 4 1/2 years I wasn't going to pick it up "cramming". I'm not saying a review course isn't helpful for some NCLEX takers, but more often than not, I think passing depends on test taking skills rather than any renewed facts you gained when cramming for the exam. Good luck and try not to panic. I know a lot of good nurses who failed thier first attempt because they were in such a state of anxiety they had a bad case of "brain freeze" on the day of the exam.

Right there with you! If i didn't "have it" after 3+ years of nursing school, cramming wasn't going to do it!

Ideally, the day after graduation would be the day to do it....but since that is not possible....as soon as you can schedule....good luck!

ca_clementine · Dec 4, 2011

I studied Saunders for about three weeks. I studied about 3-4 hours a day. :)

allnurses Guide · Dec 5, 2011

I'll be taking Kaplan the week after graduation (today is my last final! Woot! Graduation on Friday!) and scheduling for NCLEX ASAP.

I have heard if you do 2000+ practice questions you will do well. I don't have a source for that though. ATI, Hurst and Kaplan all give out statistical data and report higher levels of passing within 45 days of grad.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2011

Graduated and took the test the earliest I could, which was about 10 days later. Passed first attempt with 85 questions (minimum for the NCLEX-PN)

Honestly, I did no real studying per se. I popped in my NCLEX test question CD and did a section once a day (number of questions varied but the norm was like 100). Like the other poster, if I hadn't 'gotten' it during my 15 months of full time school, I wasn't going to 'get' it with weeks of studying. I was more refreshing my memory.

And as the other poster said, they have shown that the farther from your graduation date that you take the NCLEX, the chances of passing go down.

nursetobe1a86 · Dec 8, 2011

thank u nurses! :) hope i can make it. high hopes for success. cheers! :cheers:

SuperStarRN · Dec 9, 2011

Well, lucky for me I was tired of being poor and really needed a job so I jumped right in. I took the NCLEX-PN 2 weeks after graduation and passed the first time with the minimum amount of questions. I studied the ATI material and my Saunders book and just went for it. Don't try to wait until you feel ready because the truth is that it is so terrifying that you may never feel ready. Set a time frame for yourself and go for it! Good luck!

LVN/RNBridge · Dec 9, 2011

I started practice NCLEX-PN exams on my phone the last three months of nursing school, but got serious 6 weeks prior to my test date. I did Kaplan Q-bank daily 50 questions a day, did the Hurst review 4 hours plus per day for the last 4 weeks and still did questions with Saunders on my phone :-)

nneokill175 · Dec 9, 2011

I studied Saunders for about three weeks. I studied about 3-4 hours a day. :)

im debating whether to use saunders 5th edition or kaplan course book to study the content!

did you pass your NCLEX RN?

deso35 · Dec 9, 2011

7-8 months already..taking breaks now and then..Finished 3-4 books of NCLEX Q's including La Charity. I hope I'll make it for the first take.

BeautifulTree · Dec 11, 2011

I took 8 weeks for the nclex...passed on the first trial...email me for how I studied...I think its really really helpful