My NCLEX Journey, passing in 75 questions

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Hello all!

Thoughout my nursing student career, I have looked to this site for words of support, encouragement, and advice. Suffice it to say, it has never failed to point me in the right direction and I wanted to post my journey to the NCLEX in hopes of providing someone else with the same support I have received.

In nursing school we wete required to do ATI and the diagnostic test towards graduation. I received a 76 on the diagnostic test which relates to a 98% probability of passing, despite receiving a good grade, I was skeptical and enrolled in the Kaplan in-person review. Also, I received a 68% on my kaplan diagnostic test which relates to a 99% probability of passing. After graduation, we attended the ATI in person review and I enjoyed every minute. I felt that it was engaging, as well as informative and I wish I could say the same about the Kaplan course. Before I continue, I would like to point out that this is only my opinion based on my experiences, I am fully aware that other people have had total opposite experiences and I implore you to look into other's experiences as well.

A few days before my Kaplan course started, they decided to switch the location to the Sheraton hotel which was an hour away (yet very nice) rather than the previous location which was 10 minutes away. They also decided to switch instructors as I received two different names of instructors. I feel as if I received a substandard instructor because I hear how much people rave about the Kaplan course and I thought I would love it too. The decision tree was explained to us and used for about 5 questions before it was thrown out the window and we never really understood what it was. My classmates and I were getting many questions wrong but were made to feel bad for getting them wrong. The instructor would walk down the aisle and laugh about how we were getting the answer wrong. The instructor also would rant about unrelated topics for several minutes after she would put a question up but before she would put the choices for answers up so we were forced to listen to her nonsense that had nothing to do with the question or answer. Once in awhile a question was so easy that the whole room knew the answer and that's when the instructor would waste so much time explaining the answer when we already knew it. I left the first day feeling dejected but ready to try another day. I came to the second day, and when I found that it was the same as the first, I was disheartened that I wasted my time and money. Several of my classmates and I refused to go back in after lunch time as we felt that we were wasting our time. Instead, we called Kaplan and demanded our money back and switched our purchase to qbank.

I know this story is getting long, so I'll try to make the rest short. Basically, my study tactics included all of uworld questions, which I ended with a performance score of 59% and after redoing my incorrect answers, 64%. I did about 400-500 of Kaplan qbank questions but I felt those were not challenging and I was getting mostly in the 60's and occasionally in the 70's. I studied 150 questions a day for 12 days, then doing about 300 questions a day the last 5 days before my test. I took my test on the 26th and felt it was very hard. No math questions, at least 10 SATA but I wasn't counting. The test closed off after an hour of taking the test and 75 questions. I tried the PVT several times and got the good pop up each time. I feel it's worth it to note that I started my test early but my quick results weren't available until 49 hours after my test was supposed to begin which had me freaking out.

In the end I passed and looking back, everything I did was worth it. I think Kaplan was there only to lift my confidence which it did a good job of doing because I was getting good scores on qbank. That being said, I probably wouldn't do Kaplan if I had the choice as I felt uworld was enough to help me pass. I feel like there's nothing to fully prepare you for that test, because even while taking the test I didn't feel ready but uworld helped a lot in getting used to the style of questions.

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Congratulations on passing

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Thanks so much, if anybody has any questions, I'd be glad to answer

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Congratulations!!! I just wanna share my good news too that I passed my 2nd NCLEX-RN with 265 questions! My first attempt I had 265 too, Yea you heard it right! So how was I able to do it?

1. I am a foreign educated nurse that graduated 2011 so I know I need to focus on my core content so I purchase the Saunders Comprehensive Review for NCLEX. I was able to finish it twice cover to cover. I liked it but the online qbank is not really similar in nclex when it comes to wording and I didn't like the strategy they have.

2. I purchased the NCLEX Mastery App, La Charity (finished it twice), Kaplan Qbank and trainers. On my 2nd attempt I know I need to practice more questions so I decided to answer 150-200 questions daily and read the rationales!! KAPLAN REALLY HELPED ME!! It is very similar from the actual test. (Tip: Save yourself $50 and don't purchase the 97 page study guide in youtube pass2013 nclex!!!)

3. Read read read the NCLEX Detailed Test Plan (I think 60 pages). It's all there!

4. Pray, pray, pray. Believe in yourself! You can do it. and Have fun sometime and take a break in studying.

Goodluck everyone!

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