NCLEX Timing?

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I'm a prenursing student, and I have a really basic question. What is the shortest time after graduating (ABSN) before you can take the NCLEX-RN? I'm trying to figure out whether it would be worth it for me to finish the rest of my pre-req's this spring (full load!) and apply for a summer ABSN program that would finish Summer 2011 or spread the pre-req's out and apply for Spring 2011 ABSN. If I finish Summer 2011 is it realistic to think I would be able to take the NCLEX immediately and be able to start a New Grad RN program in late summer or is the timing on all of that immpossible?

TIA.

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I will be taking the NCLEX approx 6 weeks after graduation. I know the soonest I heard of anyone taking it was about 3-4 weeks. I think it depends on how busy your state's board of nursing can process your paperwork to get your authorization to test and how busy the testing centers are. Good luck!

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How fast depends on your state and how quickly they process your application. Prior classes at my college had to wait 7 weeks. It was faster this year than in the past few years. I got my ATT only 3 1/2 weeks after I graduated BUT I had to wait 11 days after I got my ATT to get an available test date close to my home. Another thing to consider is the school. Our education verification papers were sent in by the school to the state close to 2 weeks after we were pinned due to graduation audits.

In some states, you can work on a permit while waiting to test, so you don't HAVE to have your actual license depending on your state. If you do not pass, you may have to stop working until you do pass, though. To find out more, you would need to contact your state BON.

Good luck!

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Thanks everyone for the information. It sounds like it may be technically possible maybe! I'm in CA, if that makes a difference.

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Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.

I took mine 2 weeks to the day after graduation. I had to bug my school for my transcripts and then I walked them down to the BON with my application. From there it took 3 days to get my ATT number and I scheduled the exam for 5 days from that day. I think it helped that I took it right before Christmas though, otherwise the soonest openings were for 3-4 weeks away.

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I graduated 11/20 and sat for NCLEX-RN 12/1

Good luck!

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Would not base anything on a quick testing experience because there are too many people in the process that you can't control how fast they process your paperwork. Your application could make it to the bottom of a pile no matter what you are told. Especially since you are dealing with the state of CA as you say. That makes all the difference.

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I tested 3 days after I graduated my LPN schooling. The time frame all depends on how fast your school gets all the info in that it is needed to get the ball rolling, and what time of year you'll be testing. If you are graduating at a time when a lot of other schools are graduating, you might be in for a farther out test date, since there are limited seating at each NCLEX testing site.

My original test date was in September (June grad)..I took the earliest date but kept checking hourly to see if there were any closer testing dates (people cancel and reschedule all the time) so I started with Sept, then found an August and then one that was two days from the day I got my ATT.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

I'm in California and we had two grads who tested 2 weeks after graduation (both passed). Personally, I waited 'til 5 weeks but that was just to give myself some time off.

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