KAPLAN scores and passing NCLEX 2014

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Hi everyone

Here's how I passed the NCLEX using 100% Kaplan and 50% Saunders.

I graduated on the 28th of February but didn't start studying right away instead I went on a mini vacay for a week. When I came back I scheduled to take the exam within 5 weeks. I didn't enroll for the on site review, instead I paid for the On Demand version. The first 2 weeks I listened to the lectures and took notes. I spent at least 4 hours a day listening to the lectures. At the beginning of Week 3, I started doing 100 questions on the qbank and questions T1-T7 every other day and alternate it with 50 questions from the Saunders CD.

Kaplan questions were a lot harder than the Saunders questions.

My Kaplan scores:

DIAGNOSTIC TEST: 45% (I fell asleep after just after 100 some questions and didn't finish and wouldn't let me back in-----make sure you pause the exam if you want to stop because you are not allowed to access it again if you ran out of time)

T1:65%

T2:62%

T3:59%

T4:57%

T5:57%

T6:62%

T7:56%

READINESS TEST: 73%

QBANK:58% (answered all questions on the qbank)

As you can see, I didn't really average around 65%. But don't focus on the percentage because what's most important if focusing on the rationales. At first, I too obsessed over my scores. I get so upset each time I couldn't reach at least 60%. But now I can say im glad that I went over each and every rationale because I learned a lot from it.

I did pass...265 questions later but hey my license will not say "shes an RN 265 questions" lol

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I'm so caught up with the scores this just gave me some insight & hope. Thanks and Congrats!

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I love your post, I too took the NCLEX with 265 questions and failed but I didn't give up, didn't dwell on it, I picked myself up and instead of studying the same way as before, I studied different and allowed myself to let the question sink in fully and understand what it is asking me. I was in the same boat as far as using Kaplan the 1st time, I was so frustrated that over 60% I would turn it off and not try to do no more questions until later that day. So it definitely is a learning process, I have continued Faith that God will get me through, I realized that it just wasn't my time before, but it is my season now! God bless you!!!!

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Specializes in Psychiatri.

I have Kaplan Qbank and it's good to know that people can still pass this exam and not have the highest of scores. When I first started using it, I would get so anxious if my score was less than 60% but like you stated, it's all about the rationales! Knowing WHY you chose that answer. Thank you for this post and congratulations! :)

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Congrats!!!! I took and passed my NCLEX April 17 with 90 questions and used Kaplan as well. I have to agree with other comments; it is the rationales that should be focused on. I took my exam two months after receiving my ATT and four months after my last class, so I was worried about the time lapse. I was also worried because my test scores were all over the place, but the rationales really helped me figure out why certain answers where wrong, which helped me on my NCLEX on questions I didn't know the answer.

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I love your post, I too took the NCLEX with 265 questions and failed but I didn't give up, didn't dwell on it, I picked myself up and instead of studying the same way as before, I studied different and allowed myself to let the question sink in fully and understand what it is asking me. I was in the same boat as far as using Kaplan the 1st time, I was so frustrated that over 60% I would turn it off and not try to do no more questions until later that day. So it definitely is a learning process, I have continued Faith that God will get me through, I realized that it just wasn't my time before, but it is my season now! God bless you!!!!

Thats good! I will be praying for you. I know you will pass the second time around. Yes, trully understanding why you got a question right or wrong is very important!

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I'm so caught up with the scores this just gave me some insight & hope. Thanks and Congrats!

yup dont focus on the scores too much.. I started telling my self whenever I didnt like my score. "oh good, now I can have more answers to go over and understand!"

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Hey Congratulations!!!

Thank you for giving me some insight and hope... I have question regarding using Decision Tree. I dont get that Decision Tree well and that is the reason why I dont do good on the q banks of Kaplan. I read it some many times to understand it, but it seems so hard and I am not getting it. So, can you or anybody please explain me how to use that Decision Tree in your own words?

Thank you so much!

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I am also having some hard time understanding the decision tree at first. I tried to understand what the question is asking me first then i look at the question and try to see what i need to do.then i read the choices and see the assessment or implementation.if i see assessment i try to see if its applicable to the question.if not i move to the implementation.but i can say i dont use it all the time.i sometimes would use the other techniques i learned from other resources.i think for you to be able to use the d.tree you also have to have a good grasp of the contents.

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Hey Congratulations!!!

Thank you for giving me some insight and hope... I have question regarding using Decision Tree. I dont get that Decision Tree well and that is the reason why I dont do good on the q banks of Kaplan. I read it some many times to understand it, but it seems so hard and I am not getting it. So, can you or anybody please explain me how to use that Decision Tree in your own words?

Thank you so much!

Hey Congratulations!!!

Thank you for giving me some insight and hope... I have question regarding using Decision Tree. I dont get that Decision Tree well and that is the reason why I dont do good on the q banks of Kaplan. I read it some many times to understand it, but it seems so hard and I am not getting it. So, can you or anybody please explain me how to use that Decision Tree in your own words?

Thank you so much!

I was confused at first too, but since I paid $400 for it I forced myself to learn it. Heres my understanding of the decision tree.

1) what is the topic... if its not clear on the question then look at the answers to see what the topic is.

2) assessment or implementation needed..look at the question, does it need more assessment or does it need implementation

>>>If its assessment, then omit the implementation answers and choose the correct assessment answer

3) Does Maslow fit?

>>are all answers physical? proceed to step 4

>>are all the answers psychosocial? proceed to step 5

>>are the answers mix with both physical and psychosocial? then omit psychosocial answers and focus on the physical answers..with the physical answers..apply ABCs

4) Physical answers

>>apply ABCs

5) if you cant figure out the answer, then think what is the outcome of each answer.

this is how my mind works when answering a question that requires 2 steps if the topic is not clear.

"whats the topic? Not in the stem of the question..okay whats the answer choice...okay its defibrillator..do I need assessment? Hmm the question didn't really give me a lot of information..so yea I need more assessment..good theirs only 2 out of 4 assessments answers..im gonna get rid of the implementation answers then..now lemme read the question again to see which of the 2 assessments im gonna pick..

this is how my mind works when answering a question that requires 3 steps if the topic is not clear.

"whats the topic? Not in the stem of the question..okay whats the answer choice...okay its defibrillator..do I need assessment? Hmm the question didn't really give me a lot of information..so yea I need more assessment..oh crap theyre all assessment answers..okay does maslow fit?..yes it does..2 are physical and 2 are psychosocial..ill ignore psychosocial and focus on the 2 physical answers..are the physical answers relevant to the question?..they both do..okay ill do ABCs

this is how my mind works when answering a question that requires 4 steps if the topic is not clear.

"whats the topic? Not in the stem of the question..okay whats the answer choice...okay its defibrillator..do I need assessment? Hmm the question didn't really give me a lot of information..so yea I need more assessment..oh crap theyre all assessment answers..okay does maslow fit?..nope..okay are they all physical?..Yes...okay ill apply ABCs

this is how my mind works when answering a question that requires 5 steps if the topic is not clear.

"whats the topic? Not in the stem of the question..okay whats the answer choice...okay its defibrillator..do I need assessment? Hmm the question didn't really give me a lot of information..so yea I need more assessment..oh crap theyre all assessment answers..okay does maslow fit?..nope..okay are they all physical? Nope are they all psychosocial..Yes...so whats the outcome of each answer.

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How did you find the on demand videos? I am debating between buying the on demand or the classroom anywhere version.

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congrats, i always followed the post here at all nurses. i really need advise in passing my NCLEX PN i did it 3 times and failed. i registered again and will take the exam after my review at Kaplan. I really dont know what went wrong I read a lot of books and always practice question read rationales? i did saunders, lippincott and pearson? any advise?? some people say i was too confident and eager to take it. I will appreciate all the tips on passing the nclex im planning to take it in sept 2014

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