Kaplan-RN Review Class vs. Online Review

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I would like to hear from those of you who have taken one or both of them. I am trying to decide between the in-person review class or the online review. They are both $499 so it isn't the price that can help me decide.

I just don't want to sit in a classroom and answer questions after learning the Decision Tree when I could sit in a more relaxing place like at home, or in a pretty park or coffee shop.

Also, if I do the online review won't I get to answer ALL of the questions but in the review class, only answer the ones that I'm called on to answer? Thus, answering less questions and getting less practice??

Can I watch the videos more than once? How does the hand-raising and asking questions process really work out?? Did you feel like you were getting anything out of it?

THANKS!!! :)

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I'm taking the Kaplan class right now. I've watched a few of the videos, and the class is very similar. However, it's really nice getting to ask questions. It's also less boring than sitting and watching the videos.

You do get to answer all of the questions- you're not raising your hand and being called on. Everyone has a chance to think it out, and you DO go through all of the decision tree stuff together. It's nice being able to ask for a rationale as to why something is an assessment or why something doesn't make sense (because we all have some areas where we lack the knowledge!). In the videos, it's done in a similar fashion. If you do the class, you still have access to the videos, which you can access whenever. I think having the variety of methods is really nice, and I'm getting a lot more tips from the class than I did from the videos.

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Kaplan's classroom portion of the course is less than 2 weeks long. During and after that, you have access to their website for about three months. You get thousands of challenging qbanks and lots of videos. The videos range from content stuff to videos where someone goes over hundreds of questions with rationales. The latter is pretty much similar to the classroom aspect of the Kaplan course where the instructor goes through questions with the class and gives rationales for the answers.

Online you get the full range of materials, whereas the classroom doesn't go over everything and that's only because of the time constraints. However like I said, you always have full online access. You can watch the videos and do the questions for as long as you have access to the website.

The classroom setting isn't as structured and rigid as you might think. It seemed rather laid back. I found it helpful. You can ask as many questions as you'd like and everyone gets to participate.

I'll be honest with you, the majority of my NCLEX prep was using Kaplan's online materials and I passed NCLEX on my first try. I also didn't do that spectacular on the qbanks either but the prep worked. :)

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@RunBabyRun,

It's nice being able to ask for a rationale as to why something is an assessment or why something doesn't make sense (because we all have some areas where we lack the knowledge!).

Thanks for replying! I agree!! I like to have things that I don't understand to be clarified as well!

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@vanessaem,

The classroom setting isn't as structured and rigid as you might think. It seemed rather laid back. I found it helpful. You can ask as many questions as you'd like and everyone gets to participate.

Thanks for replying! This is good to hear! I don't know if I could stand 21 more hours of a structured and rigid class at this point!!

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.

I know you want those who have taken both, but I am taking it online currently and LOVE it!! I can relax at home and they give me breaks to go to the bathroom and take my dogs out. Everyone gets to answer every question. It's like a poll. And you can give input in the chat box. And any questions I have, I ask a TA in a private box and they explain everything! I follow along in my book and take notes. This is seriously been such a helpful class. It's 10-5:30 with an hour lunch breaks and 5 minute breaks every hour. It sure beats sitting in a classroom! Just thought I'd throw that out there! :)

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@laura09,

And any questions I have, I ask a TA in a private box and they explain everything!

Thanks for replying! That's good to know! I was worried about that aspect of it!!

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.

Anytime! I really love that fact because then I'm not embarrassed to ask anything and they get back to you very promptly!

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I can not speak to the Kaplan review live or online, but I can speak to the Hurst Review. I took Hurst Review many years ago to prepare for NCLEX-RN and passed with 75 questions on my first attempt. Their live review is so interactive, entertaining and everything they teach is specific to NCLEX. It was an amazing feeling to realize I really did know something and the light bulb began to come on. I had so much information in my head from nursing school, that I had no clue where to even begin but Hurst Review did it for me. I still use the knowledge and my book to this day!! Hurst Review covers it all, from content, to application, to test taking strategies, and practice questions. You should try out their free trial!!

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