I'm taking my NCLEX for the first time in 2 weeks and I am so nervous about it everyday I think about re-scheduling it. Not getting a good score on the kaplan qbank questions makes me want to change my test date even more. So far I have done 70% of the qbank questions (841 so far), all question trainers, and sample tests 1 and 2. My scores are not consistent, which just makes me feel like I'm not ready at all. I only got a 61% on QT6 and 57% on QT7 and I am so freaked out!!!!! My average score on qbank is 60%. My readiness test score, when I took it on the last day of my Kaplan in-class review, was a 63%.
I'm planning on retaking my questions trainers this wkend to next wk and see if my scores will go up or down. I've only gone over the rationales for these tests once right after I took them, and it's been about 1 wk since I took QT7. Also, I'm afraid I'll run out of questions on qbank before I even take the NCLEX.
* I also have the Saunders Review book and Lippincott q&a but I have been focusing on Kaplan this past 2 wks. I'm afraid I'm gonna overwhelm myself if I keep taking questions from 3 different sources but I know it works for some people.
If you are scoring in the high 50's to 60's on the qbank questions, then you are ready to sit for the exam. Good luck! It's okay to be anxious everybody is, just make sure you eat something before the exam and DON'T over think your answers. The exam is very similar to those practice questions.
You made my day saying that if our scores are high 50's and 60's we are ready to take the test. My scores are more in high 50s.. I think anyone who is scoring high in 60's should take the test without worrying. I am just worrying b/c i am still in 50s..I dont know what to do to increase my score! it seems like I am going backwards. Someone please help
If you are scoring in the high 50's to 60's on the qbank questions, then you are ready to sit for the exam. Good luck! It's okay to be anxious everybody is, just make sure you eat something before the exam and DON'T over think your answers. The exam is very similar to those practice questions.
Really, you think so? You really made me feel better! I'm sorry if I'm worrying. I just always do and with the NCLEX, my stress is way high of course. It just doesnt look like it's enough you know when I see my scores in the qbank and question trainers in mid50s to 60s. Thank you!
You made my day saying that if our scores are high 50's and 60's we are ready to take the test. My scores are more in high 50s.. I think anyone who is scoring high in 60's should take the test without worrying. I am just worrying b/c i am still in 50s..I dont know what to do to increase my score! it seems like I am going backwards. Someone please help
NAM123,
Sorry if I'm worrying too much! I just freak out easily and my scores scare me cause I dont really know what's supposed to be "good enough" for me to pass the NCLEX. I did email the nclex expert and one of the ladies told me that the best way to study and retain info and practice their strategies is to review the rationales right after you take a qbank test, and also look up whaterver you dont know or forgot right then and there. She said read all the right and wrong answer choices and try to think of how they got to that answer choice and what you did to get to your answer choice and look at the difference. I did exactly what she said yesterday and my scores improved :) (before I would take test after test and then review it at the end of the day and I did find this to be a bit harder to understand the info cause I already took 150 questions by the time I was reading the rationales at night and normally I would be so sleepy I wont finish it until the next day). So yeahI found that reviewing it right after you take the test makes a big difference, especially if you look up the content as well. Hope that helps you!!!
Just finished my Kaplan review class today and score a 65% on my readiness test. I am a bit nervous cuz my test is in three weeks. How does the Kaplan score correlate to the NCLEX?
Just finished my Kaplan review class today and score a 65% on my readiness test. I am a bit nervous cuz my test is in three weeks. How does the Kaplan score correlate to the NCLEX?
This is what I got from the Kaplan NCLEX-expert when I emailed them:
RN score eval and Guidelines
If you have not yet done so, start by reading the first 2 chapters of your book. They have detailed information on the goal scores for all practice tests, the best use of your materials, guidelines for preparation, and specific study schedules. The section for Repeat Test Takers has valuable tips for first time candidates as well. All this will be helpful in improving test scores.
Take some time to think about your preparation so far. Below is some information to assist you in evaluating your scores and some things to think about as you approach your preparation from now until test day.
The goal score for the Diagnostic test and Question Trainers 1-5 is 65%. These are more content based tests, meaning they test more on textbook nursing knowledge. For the Readiness, Question Trainers 6 and 7 and all QBank tests, the goal is 60%. These are all passing level test questions. Our data shows that successful candidates complete and review all 7 Question Trainers and 90% of QBank.
When sitting for your exam, you will reach a point when you will be getting every other question correct and every other question wrong. This would be a score of 50% correct answers. This happens when you reach your maximum level of competency. Meaning, you will stay right at that level no matter how many questions they give you at that level. If you are getting 50% correct with questions at the Application/Analysis level of Bloom's Taxonomy, this will be occurring above the passing line and you will pass. If it occurs below the line of passing using lower level questions, you will be asked to test again.
Question Trainer 6 and 7, and QBank questions are written at the application/analysis levels so they are considered passing questions for the exam. When evaluating your scores on Question Trainers 6 and 7 and QBank, compare your scores to 50%. The closer to 60% you are, the more cushion you have for the exam. This means that at 60% you can get a question wrong and still stay above that passing level. Scores nearer 50% have less room for wrong answers and remain above passing. Do all QBank tests in timed mode, not tutor mode. Kaplan encourages you to achieve scores well above 50% to ensure that your are giving yourself plenty of room to get a question wrong and still remain above that passing line.
Each test gives an individual score in specific client needs areas of the exam. Take some time to review those areas with scores nearer to 50% using your Kaplan resources. Use the content videos to review needed essential content starting with you weaker areas and working towards your strengths.
Reviewing a test means looking up any medication, disease, complication or procedure you were not familiar with. Look it up immediately as you are reviewing a completed test using your Course Book while the question is in front of you. If you need more information to understand the content, use your core nursing textbooks. This will help you apply the content and the thinking required in the context of that question.
The rationale used to select the correct answer will help you think correctly when working questions. It is most important to look at the thinking used to arrive at the correct answer and think about the thinking you used when selecting an answer.
Make sure to focus on the thinking required as your review each test question. Remember, they are not testing content - they assume you know that. They are testing your ability to apply that content using your clinical judgment and critical thinking to determine the best answer to the problem they present in each question. Referto page 34 of your book for reviewing tests.
Medications can be overwhelming when you see page after page of them. Instead of tackling everything at once, break it down. When reviewing content, if a medication is listed to treat something, go look it up right then. Reading about medications in the context of what they treat helps you understand the medication and the disease better. Look it up every time it is mentioned, and soon you will know it. Look up all medications in a question, not just the med that is the correct answer. Knowing the classification is important to understanding the medication. When you know one medication in a class of drugs, you have a good idea about all medications in that class. Pick a classification, and read about the medications in that classification.
Review every question on every test before moving to the next test. You are working to build both content knowledge and critical thinking skills. Make sure you are considering each step of the Decision Tree with every question. In addition, make sure you are recognizing when to use the other Kaplan strategies you have learned. Do not just save the Decision Tree for harder questions. The Decision Tree and strategies should be an automatic process with every question.
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Hope that helps! That's what they emailed me! I wish they do tell you though the correlation of scores, like what a 65% on the readiness means exactly for the NCLEX. But basically what I got from it is that your scores on QT6-7 and Qbank questions are the "closest/better" predictors of where you are in terms of the passing line for the NCLEX.
If you have not yet done so, start by reading the first 2 chapters of your book. They have detailed information on the goal scores for all practice tests, the best use of your materials, guidelines for preparation, and specific study schedules. The section for Repeat Test Takers has valuable tips for first time candidates as well. All this will be helpful in improving test scores.
Take some time to think about your preparation so far. Below is some information to assist you in evaluating your scores and some things to think about as you approach your preparation from now until test day.
The goal score for the Diagnostic test and Question Trainers 1-5 is 65%. These are more content based tests, meaning they test more on textbook nursing knowledge. For the Readiness, Question Trainers 6 and 7 and all QBank tests, the goal is 60%. These are all passing level test questions. Our data shows that successful candidates complete and review all 7 Question Trainers and 90% of QBank.
When sitting for your exam, you will reach a point when you will be getting every other question correct and every other question wrong. This would be a score of 50% correct answers. This happens when you reach your maximum level of competency. Meaning, you will stay right at that level no matter how many questions they give you at that level. If you are getting 50% correct with questions at the Application/Analysis level of Bloom's Taxonomy, this will be occurring above the passing line and you will pass. If it occurs below the line of passing using lower level questions, you will be asked to test again.
Question Trainer 6 and 7, and QBank questions are written at the application/analysis levels so they are considered passing questions for the exam. When evaluating your scores on Question Trainers 6 and 7 and QBank, compare your scores to 50%. The closer to 60% you are, the more cushion you have for the exam. This means that at 60% you can get a question wrong and still stay above that passing level. Scores nearer 50% have less room for wrong answers and remain above passing. Do all QBank tests in timed mode, not tutor mode. Kaplan encourages you to achieve scores well above 50% to ensure that your are giving yourself plenty of room to get a question wrong and still remain above that passing line.
Each test gives an individual score in specific client needs areas of the exam. Take some time to review those areas with scores nearer to 50% using your Kaplan resources. Use the content videos to review needed essential content starting with you weaker areas and working towards your strengths.
Reviewing a test means looking up any medication, disease, complication or procedure you were not familiar with. Look it up immediately as you are reviewing a completed test using your Course Book while the question is in front of you. If you need more information to understand the content, use your core nursing textbooks. This will help you apply the content and the thinking required in the context of that question.
The rationale used to select the correct answer will help you think correctly when working questions. It is most important to look at the thinking used to arrive at the correct answer and think about the thinking you used when selecting an answer.
Make sure to focus on the thinking required as your review each test question. Remember, they are not testing content - they assume you know that. They are testing your ability to apply that content using your clinical judgment and critical thinking to determine the best answer to the problem they present in each question. Referto page 34 of your book for reviewing tests.
Medications can be overwhelming when you see page after page of them. Instead of tackling everything at once, break it down. When reviewing content, if a medication is listed to treat something, go look it up right then. Reading about medications in the context of what they treat helps you understand the medication and the disease better. Look it up every time it is mentioned, and soon you will know it. Look up all medications in a question, not just the med that is the correct answer. Knowing the classification is important to understanding the medication. When you know one medication in a class of drugs, you have a good idea about all medications in that class. Pick a classification, and read about the medications in that classification.
Review every question on every test before moving to the next test. You are working to build both content knowledge and critical thinking skills. Make sure you are considering each step of the Decision Tree with every question. In addition, make sure you are recognizing when to use the other Kaplan strategies you have learned. Do not just save the Decision Tree for harder questions. The Decision Tree and strategies should be an automatic process with every question.
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Hope that helps! That's what they emailed me! I wish they do tell you though the correlation of scores, like what a 65% on the readiness means exactly for the NCLEX. But basically what I got from it is that your scores on QT6-7 and Qbank questions are the "closest/better" predictors of where you are in terms of the passing line for the NCLEX.
You made my day saying that if our scores are high 50's and 60's we are ready to take the test. My scores are more in high 50s.. I think anyone who is scoring high in 60's should take the test without worrying. I am just worrying b/c i am still in 50s..I dont know what to do to increase my score! it seems like I am going backwards. Someone please help
What I do or did to increase my scores is to answer 10 questions at a time. This helps me to think without thinking that I have soo many questions to answer before this is over. Then when I am done, I choose the option that allows me use the incorrect items and the ones that I haven't had. Hope this helps!
according to Kaplan lady we had, you really need to just get 31 questions out of 75 right to pass b/c 15 of them are trial questions so they don't count. Of course some of 31 questions won't all be below passing level questions, but still if you think about it, the fact that you need 51% to pass NCLEX is pretty relieving.
cardiacrocks, BSN, RN
144 Posts
If you are scoring in the high 50's to 60's on the qbank questions, then you are ready to sit for the exam. Good luck! It's okay to be anxious everybody is, just make sure you eat something before the exam and DON'T over think your answers. The exam is very similar to those practice questions.