Kaplan vs. Saunders

ShemRN · Mar 1, 2006

Saunder's is what I used (and passed with).

I kept thinking during the NCLEX that I wished I'd used the Saunders Comprehensive Review Guide more though (I was using the Saunders Q&A book mostly), and less of the CDs (there were some mfr "typos" on the 3rd ed disc of Comprehensive Review- quite annoying!).

I looked at some Kaplan study tests my friends were using, but didn't study by them. I did hear though, that Kaplan's test 7 had some exact NCLEX questions on it - but that's 3rd hand information.

pacifica falayfay · Mar 6, 2006

I only use Saunder's in my review program and everyone passes with it. The whole idea is not even the qeustions, but that you understand what they are asking for. And why they want a specific answer, the blue book does the best with this.

hi suzanne,

i'm using blue saunders right now and nothing else. i'm almost finish reading the book. how many times do i need to repeat reading it? i'm planning to enrol in ncsbn online review, what do you think? i might take my nclex this coming aug. i really need all the suggestions for me to pass. thanks and more power!

hildegard · Mar 6, 2006

Hi all!

I have been studying solely using Kaplan. I took the classroom course and I've been practicing question after question, reviewing each analysis and rationale.

I am scheduled to take the test this Thursday, March 9th. Yesterday, I took Test 7 in Kaplan and got a 61%!!! The book says that I should feel confident if I'm above 65% (which I'm not), and to keep reviewing if I'm below 60% (which I'm not). I'm so borderline!!! I'm starting to get really nervous and discouraged. I continue to practice in the Q bank but I really don't know what else to do!! My scores have been consistent for the past two months.

:chair:

I have only two more days to prepare. Any thoughts???

thanks!

ShemRN · Mar 6, 2006

Try and relax first of all!

I would just go over prioritization (everyone's been saying their test was heavy on that), main diseases or disorders (like Graves, diabetes, even sickle cell), diets (diverticulitis, celiac, etrc.), general assessments for drug interaction or toxic levels (digoxin, asthma meds, etc).

Any comprehensive review guide should have a good layout for delivering this information w/o you having to dig through old text books.

Don't study heavily the day before your test, and especially not that night. You need to sleep well, be hydrated, and eat something that'll stick in the am. Also bring a snack for your locker - if you get the nervous muchies it'll help you focus maybe.

Good luck!

Jo Dirt · Mar 7, 2006

I'm using Kaplan and Saunders. I'm just going through the questions over and over, I tried reading all the explanations in the front but it is really hard to concentrate on that stuff.

The way I feel right now it seems like the outcome mostly depends on how well you take tests than what you actually know.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 7, 2006

Saunders is more on the knowledge level of what you learned in nursing school, while Kaplan is more on the application level of our nursing knowledge. I was doing both simultaneously and it messed me up during practice tests. I failed my NCLEX for the first time. I think it is good to do Saunders first (if you have both reviewers), to review all the things we learned in school. Then use Kaplan to prepare for the actual NCLEX test because the test was pretty much formulated like the sample questions Kaplan is asking.

Sorry, but I disagree with you. The rationales are completely different, and this will only cause more issues when actually taking the exam. You are much better sticking with one source, but then you also need to make sure that you were using it properly the first time.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 7, 2006

I can't comment on CDs, but I can on books!
Kaplan's books are so unfriendly and cold! They give you a bunch of random separate facts, with no obvious logic so you have to contemplate a lot, trying to guess "why is that so?" or "what does it mean?", they omit most of the facts, and they just don't make a complete picture in your head about the disease and treatment.
Besides two of them are actually one book. Course one gives you the same information as the Basics one but is structured differently.
After studying these books I tried Springhouse 3000 CDROM to check out what I had learnt. And I tell you - 50% of questions there required knowledge that was not given by any of these books. I had to spend hours on internet looking for information on diseases, interventions, descriptions... They just won't teach you anything, they are such a waste of paper and time! I want my 4 months of studying back!
Then I bought Saunders Comp Review 3ed (color, Feb 2006) and oh my god, there is worlds of difference between it and Kaplan! It's so smoothly written, logically laid-out, it gives you step-by-step instructions, explanations, full details on everything, I can't praise this book enough! Going through it is so enlightening, it fills up so many gaps in my knowledge (gained mostly by Kaplan) that it's almost scary!
The only thing I regret about Saunders is that I haven't bought this book earlier! Would had saved me a lot of time!

This is what I keep saying. Saunder's uses the most logical format.

NCLEX is not testing what you learned in school specifically, but how you are going to use the information. This is what they are testing on, common snese with the ABCs thrown in. If you approach it that way, then you will succeed in passing.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 7, 2006

hi suzanne,
i'm using blue saunders right now and nothing else. i'm almost finish reading the book. how many times do i need to repeat reading it? i'm planning to enrol in ncsbn online review, what do you think? i might take my nclex this coming aug. i really need all the suggestions for me to pass. thanks and more power!

You only do the first tip once as a prep for starting the other questions.

But if you are going for that program on-line, then don't do my program. My program is designed to be done on its own, with nothing else.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 7, 2006

Hi all!
I have been studying solely using Kaplan. I took the classroom course and I've been practicing question after question, reviewing each analysis and rationale.
I am scheduled to take the test this Thursday, March 9th. Yesterday, I took Test 7 in Kaplan and got a 61%!!! The book says that I should feel confident if I'm above 65% (which I'm not), and to keep reviewing if I'm below 60% (which I'm not). I'm so borderline!!! I'm starting to get really nervous and discouraged. I continue to practice in the Q bank but I really don't know what else to do!! My scores have been consistent for the past two months.
:chair:
I have only two more days to prepare. Any thoughts???
thanks!

If you do not feel comfortable with the information so far, then delay the exam. You should not even be opening a book after 5 pm today, so if not comforatable? Change your date. None of us can tell you if you are ready, only you know that for sure. But if you are hesitant, then take it later on.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 7, 2006

I'm using Kaplan and Saunders. I'm just going through the questions over and over, I tried reading all the explanations in the front but it is really hard to concentrate on that stuff.
The way I feel right now it seems like the outcome mostly depends on how well you take tests than what you actually know.

This is definitely not the way to prepare, you do not want to be going back and forth between books. And you need to be reviewing the rationales with each and every answer.

logkem · Mar 7, 2006

I strongly agree with Suzanne4. I used saunders and pass :chuckle my 2nd nclex. The 1st time I used Kaplan but it did not help. I will recommend Saunders to any one any day.:rotfl: :rotfl:

ShemRN · Mar 7, 2006

I'm using Kaplan and Saunders. I'm just going through the questions over and over, I tried reading all the explanations in the front but it is really hard to concentrate on that stuff.
The way I feel right now it seems like the outcome mostly depends on how well you take tests than what you actually know.

Of course test taking skills are a must, but there's a lot of fact based questions on there as well that have nothing to do with prioritization or picking out the real question in the sentence (or at least that's what my recent test was like).

What critical lab value would you expect to see with Graves disease, for example, and then 4 are listed. Diet type questions, which food would you eliminate for a person with x disease. What answer do you pick to educate a person who's just had a D&C.

This is why I strongly recommend the review guide (and personally prefer Saunder's format).

So far, my class is all taking the NCLEX about now, and I know of no one who went the Saunders direction failing.

Not true for Kaplan takers though.

Maybe just cooincidence?

Try going over the review with a friend. Take turns asking each other questions. Also, I found it quite helpful to always give my rationale with the answer I picked. And when I was wrong, I would repeat the correct answer and then explain outloud why it was so. It seemed to cement things, and I paid more attention that way also.

Good luck.