I have came across this site multiple times when researching different issues about NCLEX or even other topics and after my latest attempt I decided to become a member and post to get some other people's opinions.
I graduated from nursing school last year and had previously taken the test twice and failed each time at 265 questions (yes, 265 questions both times). It was miserable. Both times I walked out of the test center not feeling very confident at all. I figured that if I had passed, it would have shut off well before 265. Both times I tried the Pearson Vue trick and didn't receive the "good pop-up". Within a week I got a letter in the mail with my results. The first time I had two subcategories "below the pass line". The second attempt I had one category "below the pass line" as well as one category "near the pass line".
After the second attempt I changed my routine up completely. I enrolled into a Kaplan review course. I stuck to their plan. I would wake up each morning and take a 75 question test spanning every subcategory they offered. I would then review and research each question I missed and take notes on it to review later. I would then in the evening take either another 75 question test, or a question trainer every other day, then review the results of each question every night before I went to sleep. At the beginning of the review. My readiness exam score was only a 56%. With each week of studying, my scores were routinely going up. The week before the test, I had retaken each of the trainers and averaged scores in the mid-low 70's. On my Qbank questions I was averaging scores in the mid-high 80's.
I took my test yesterday morning and was extremely excited when the computer shut off at 75 questions. I walked out of the test center unable to contain myself I was so happy. I came home and researched the new method of the PVT and tried it using a card without enough of a balance to actually purchase a new registration. To my surprise, I didn't get the "good pop up". I got the message saying "your card has been declined, please contact your bank." I researched it some more and read that you are supposed to give it 24 hours. Earlier today, I tried it again and still got the same message "your card has been declined. Please contact your bank".
I just don't know how I can go from hovering around the pass line through the whole 265 questions twice. Then do all of the review with my scores increasing consistently throughout and feel so good taking the test to have failed in 75 questions. When I took the test I went through three sheets of the dry erase board to make sure I double and triple checked everything. I felt so confident, just to find out from the trick that I was wrong. I'm stunned that I did bad enough that the computer didn't think I could save my score if I continued taking more questions. Obviously I'll get the report in hand within a week or so and see what categories I failed, I just figured that I would vent on these boards. Thanks for any advice/insight someone may want to share on ways to improve for next time.
