Kaplan is frustrating me!

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Hi,

Did anyone else taking the Kaplan class start out feeling totally stupid? I just took their diagnostic test and the first two nclex practice tests from the cd rom and I didn't do well at all! :crying2:

The other "fake nclex" tests from school I've taken I've passed so far, but I didn't pass any of the Kaplan tests. :cry:

Please tell me by the end of the class, I'll get better at these!! I'm really feeling bad right now... :bluecry1: :bluecry1: :bluecry1:

Kitty-MayRN

:nurse:

I have a question about the Kaplan Question Trainer CD. I did not take the Kaplan review course but I do have the Question Trainer CD that I got from a friend. I was wondering when you all speak of a passing score of 65% on Test 7 on the CD are you talking about the overall passing score or the score of the application and analysis sections of the Bloom's Taxonomy. That is supposed to be an indication of how you did on the harder and more difficult questions, are am I wrong?? I am really confused.

Thanks...

I was confused about that too but I was told that Assessment and Analysis should be high in order to do well on NCLEX!! I started low in those two areas but my overall score was always 68%. So I went back to the book and studied the Clinical Pathways more in depth and it really helped. sharpen my CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. I just learned I passed the NCLEX !!

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Specializes in OR.
Well, maybe not $400 worth - but there are some valuable tips that you can get just as easily if you go to your bookstore and buy the Kaplan 2005-2006 book. It includes 12 chapters of their test taking strategy and 180 practice questions. I think it sells for about $30. With attending the live review, you get about 500 questions in class and in the online access they give to students, and then another 1000 on a cd that they give you with the class, so it's not as detailed as the book, but the book does have the strategies that Kaplan teaches in-person.

Is your hospital willing to pay for the course if you take it online? Or does that not count since you are still not taking it online in their state?

I think I will buy the latest 2005-2006 Kaplan book (the one with the blue cover and a CD rom on the page?) I have the 2004 Kaplan book from the library and if you said the book teaches you the same strategies of how to take the test, I think getting that book is good enough. I get really frustrated with the both the Kaplan in Dallas and the hospital that I am going to work for. The Kaplan in Dallas said, "all of our classes are full and the next one will be in August" And my future work said, "I doubt that we will reimburse you the online course" I was thinking to myself, "Fine, I will just do it on my own then"

I have other books like the NCLEX -RN review form the Thomson Delmar Learning and also have the NCLEX-RN review made incredibly Easy and Mosby review from the library. I will be able to get enough questions to practise on.

I think all I need is a little bit of luck and a lot of prayers.

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I think I will buy the latest 2005-2006 Kaplan book (the one with the blue cover and a CD rom on the page?) I have the 2004 Kaplan book from the library and if you said the book teaches you the same strategies of how to take the test, I think getting that book is good enough. I get really frustrated with the both the Kaplan in Dallas and the hospital that I am going to work for. The Kaplan in Dallas said, "all of our classes are full and the next one will be in August" And my future work said, "I doubt that we will reimburse you the online course" I was thinking to myself, "Fine, I will just do it on my own then"

I have other books like the NCLEX -RN review form the Thomson Delmar Learning and also have the NCLEX-RN review made incredibly Easy and Mosby review from the library. I will be able to get enough questions to practise on.

I think all I need is a little bit of luck and a lot of prayers.

I used the 2004-2005 Kaplan book.It is basically the same. I compared my book with my study partners 2005-2006. I used the exact same books as you did. I actually had similar questions from the Delmar on the NCLEX. NCLEX made incredibly easy was no help to me. NCLEX 3500 on the CD was great. If you have money to spend for the Kaplan course thats great but the book and Trainer CD helped me pass the boards!!

I also did NCLEX questions off any website that I could find.

K Kay, RN

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Specializes in OR.
I used the 2004-2005 Kaplan book.It is basically the same. I compared my book with my study partners 2005-2006. I used the exact same books as you did. I actually had similar questions from the Delmar on the NCLEX. NCLEX made incredibly easy was no help to me. NCLEX 3500 on the CD was great. If you have money to spend for the Kaplan course thats great but the book and Trainer CD helped me pass the boards!!

I also did NCLEX questions off any website that I could find.

K Kay, RN

Thanks for your info about the Kaplan book. I was just going to order the 2005-2006 edition from Barns and noble but now I think I can save the money and buy NCLEX 3500 instead.

By the way, you mentioned about the Kaplan trainer CD, is that the CD on the back of the Kaplan book?

Also should I buy the latest edition NCLEX 3500 that has the 250 new-format questions? It is like $20 more than the NCLEX 3500.

My NCLEX is scheduled on Aug 8. Do you think I have enough time to study if I start today 2-4 hours a day? Gee, I am really really nervous now.

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Thanks for your info about the Kaplan book. I was just going to order the 2005-2006 edition from Barns and noble but now I think I can save the money and buy NCLEX 3500 instead.

By the way, you mentioned about the Kaplan trainer CD, is that the CD on the back of the Kaplan book?

Also should I buy the latest edition NCLEX 3500 that has the 250 new-format questions? It is like $20 more than the NCLEX 3500.

My NCLEX is scheduled on Aug 8. Do you think I have enough time to study if I start today 2-4 hours a day? Gee, I am really really nervous now.

The Kaplan CD Trainer comes seperate I guess I got it from a friend! I think the latest NCLEX 3500 is great in regards to multiple multiple answers!! I had alot of practice due to that CD. I studied three hours a day. I did one hour of comprehensive and two hours of questions. In the end I did 5,000 questions before sittiong!!

You'll be fine!!!

K Kay

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I also used the Kaplan program, but before I attempted any questions in their Qbank I bought and read their prep book for the NCLEX-RN exam. The whole point of their program is to teach you strategic techniques that help you choose the right answers on the NCLEX. I kinda bombed on my diagnostic exam, too. But after I read their test taking strategies and started using them to answer the practice questions I found that I was getting most of the questions right.

Where I had the problem was with figuring what to delegate and how to prioritize when at least two of the options I'm presented with are extremely close in terms of urgency. The Kaplan prep book teaches how to pick the questions apart to find out what they're really asking, and how to quickly rationalize each answer option in a way that is both sensible and practical. I recommend that you read the Kaplan NCLEX-RN book before you do more practice questions. I think it will help.

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Maybe I had high expectations, but I was disappointed with the Kaplan course. Often the guidelines seemed to conflict and my readiness test scored about the same as my diagnostic test.

In the end, I went with what felt right when I took the NCLEX. I'll find out later in the week if that worked!

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I agree - I thought that Kaplan provided a lot of great advice for answering NCLEX questions. However, I also thought that they contradicted themselves. In one case, you should always pick answers by the ABCs and disregard pain. While this strategy worked for some questions, it didn't work for the others. I actually took the 2 week course, which was good, but even the instructor questioned some of the questions and rationale. Overall, I thought that the text, quizzes, and online resources were fantastic.

I also used the Kaplan program, but before I attempted any questions in their Qbank I bought and read their prep book for the NCLEX-RN exam. The whole point of their program is to teach you strategic techniques that help you choose the right answers on the NCLEX. I kinda bombed on my diagnostic exam, too. But after I read their test taking strategies and started using them to answer the practice questions I found that I was getting most of the questions right.

Where I had the problem was with figuring what to delegate and how to prioritize when at least two of the options I'm presented with are extremely close in terms of urgency. The Kaplan prep book teaches how to pick the questions apart to find out what they're really asking, and how to quickly rationalize each answer option in a way that is both sensible and practical. I recommend that you read the Kaplan NCLEX-RN book before you do more practice questions. I think it will help.

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Specializes in NP, ICU, ED, Pre-op.

:uhoh3:

I just got this book and you also can register online to use "several" of their online functions for free....I did the test in the book and got a 63. OH Well better study... :uhoh3:

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