Nclex Rn and Uworld

spaghetina · Nov 1, 2016

I've tried to figure out the passing percentage for UWorld for weeks now, but I've never gotten a straight answer. What I can tell you is solely from personal experience, and that is that I didn't finish the QBank because I only began studying 6 days before my exam. I completed about 1200 questions, ended up at around 63%/85th percentile, went back and redid about 20 of my incorrect questions, and I passed in 75 questions with relative ease. That's not to toot my own horn, and it's not because I'm some genius - I'm most certainly not. It IS because I studied the rationales, took notes on them in the UWorld app, and listened to content review lectures. With a 61-62% average, you're well within the range of passing, depending on whether or not that percentage is based on you answering the questions correctly because you KNOW the answers, or because you've totally guessed at them. (Not that guessing is all bad - there will be a fair amount of it on the NCLEX.)

Review all of the rationales in UWorld, not just those you got incorrect, and review promptly after completing each test. Research/look up anything that you're unsure of to be certain that it sticks in your mind. Write it all down so that you can refer to it in those moments when your brain gets farty. Find a content series that you enjoy and listen to the sections that cover your weakest areas.

3 weeks is a ton of time for review. Contrary to what a lot of people believe, you don't need to review everything you ever learned in nursing school - it's too much. Focus on labs, electrolytes, pharm (broadly - you ARE going to get drugs and diseases that you've never heard of in your entire life - the NCLEX isn't testing your knowledge of these, it just wants to know that you can think critically about whatever they're asking you), and priority/delegation. Brush up on your most basic procedures (donning PPE, straight cathing, etc.) because that seems to be where they like to ask drag-and-drop questions.

You can do it!

Nurse Lalaine, BSN, RN · Nov 2, 2016

I've tried to figure out the passing percentage for UWorld for weeks now, but I've never gotten a straight answer. What I can tell you is solely from personal experience, and that is that I didn't finish the QBank because I only began studying 6 days before my exam. I completed about 1200 questions, ended up at around 63%/85th percentile, went back and redid about 20 of my incorrect questions, and I passed in 75 questions with relative ease. That's not to toot my own horn, and it's not because I'm some genius - I'm most certainly not. It IS because I studied the rationales, took notes on them in the UWorld app, and listened to content review lectures. With a 61-62% average, you're well within the range of passing, depending on whether or not that percentage is based on you answering the questions correctly because you KNOW the answers, or because you've totally guessed at them. (Not that guessing is all bad - there will be a fair amount of it on the NCLEX.)
Review all of the rationales in UWorld, not just those you got incorrect, and review promptly after completing each test. Research/look up anything that you're unsure of to be certain that it sticks in your mind. Write it all down so that you can refer to it in those moments when your brain gets farty. Find a content series that you enjoy and listen to the sections that cover your weakest areas.
3 weeks is a ton of time for review. Contrary to what a lot of people believe, you don't need to review everything you ever learned in nursing school - it's too much. Focus on labs, electrolytes, pharm (broadly - you ARE going to get drugs and diseases that you've never heard of in your entire life - the NCLEX isn't testing your knowledge of these, it just wants to know that you can think critically about whatever they're asking you), and priority/delegation. Brush up on your most basic procedures (donning PPE, straight cathing, etc.) because that seems to be where they like to ask drag-and-drop questions.
You can do it!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE, TIPS AND ENCOURAGEMENT... :) Congrats on passing the exam!!!

phannyRN · Nov 3, 2016

Believe in yourself.

I used UWORLD too & I had about 400 questions left & passed with 75Q. To be honest there is no real way to study for the NCLEX. It's all practice practice practice! Read rationals! Understand why you got it wrong. Give yourself a break. I felt like my NCLEX had about 25% of what I studied. Some stuff I never saw in my life. Don't get too wrapped up in percentages and what not. Just believe in yourself! Read the question, read the answers, and choose the most correct answer!

Good luck!!

Nurse Lalaine, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2016

thank you for the POSITIVE WORDS of ENCOURAGEMENT... believe in yourself...-> thank u for reminding me this...!!!:)