NCLEX using KAPLAN and UWORLD

[SurgeandTurfRN]

Hello all!

So I just graduated in May and have been flipping through this website on anything I could find on the NCLEX and how my scores on Kaplan stacked up against other people and if these other people passed (I know I'm not the only one lol). I wanted to create an up to date thread since all the ones I've read were from years to months ago. So I'll start off with my Kaplan scores

Diagnostic: 61

Q1: 67

Q2: 64

Q3: 55

Session 7: 48

Q4: 60

Q5: 57

Q6: 55

Q7: 58

Readiness: 68

Average QBANK: 58

As you can see, my scores are not exactly the greatest. I felt very dumb every time I took a question trainer and especially after every qbank. I frantically checked over and over on all nurses to see if my scores are decent to pass the NCLEX. So I wanted to make this post to explain how I studied and hopefully relieve anxiety in at least one person out there that keeps thinking they are going to fail.

When I took a question trainer or a qbank test, I would spend time reviewing the rationales and try to understand what the question was asking. Of course I would review content of that question but the vast majority of time was trying to understand the NCLEX style of question. It's different from anything you've learned before. I know you always hear on this website "don't study content" or "you know what you know" blah blah blah. But I'm going to be real with you and say if you suck at a content area (you'll know this when you look at specific areas on your qbank or trainers) you need to review it. BUT REVIEW IT LIGHTLY. If you find yourself confused at why an answer is correct, review that subject. Stop spending time on areas you know already. This is my advice to you, study content if you need but it's more important to understand how to read a question and think through it. Not just to play word association like I did in nursing school. When I took practice tests during nursing school, I did absolutely terrible on them. I failed every single one. But you get better as you practice. It is going to take some time, but you'll get better. Be patient

Now once I was about 95% done with Kaplan's qbank, I switched to UWORLD and I must say it is the bomb diggity. If you lack content, the rationales will have you learning fast. Also, the questions are very similar to the NCLEX. It prepares you very well in what's expected from the NCLEX higher level questions.

So the night of the test I spent primarily freaking out. I didn't sleep at all. I kept worrying about every little thing I didn't know. I just laid in bed and stared at my ceiling for hours. This is where my second piece of advice comes in. I'm telling you here that you're going to freak out. You're never gonna feel prepared. You're not going to hit a high score on Kaplan or UWORLD consistently. But the best thing you can do for yourself is tell yourself that the process of preparing for the NCLEX is going to painful. But you need to buckle down and study how you know is best. Nobody on these websites is going to be able to tell you the key to success because we are all different. But what everyone that has taken it will tell you is to just relax. You made it through nursing school. You can make it through this too. You know how you study and what you need to do to succeed. ALSO, realize it is not the end of the world if you fail. Use each qbank and question trainer to learn what you suck at and how you can improve. It is going to be painful, but prepare yourself for that pain. Do your best not to fail but understand it's all good if you don't. Once I got up for my Boards and told myself that, a weight lifted from my chest. I thought much more clear and my heart stopped beating out of my chest.

So on exam day I sat down and finished the exam in 75 questions and in 50 minutes. I felt like I blacked out and tried so hard to slow down but I couldn't. I found out today I PASSED and have not felt better in my life. My scores are not impressive. I'm not a smart special guy that has all the answers for you. But I buckled down and did the best I could. That's all you can do too. You're not going to know everything, so stop trying to be a nursing encyclopedia. Just do your best and come to terms that you're gonna be putting in a lot of work while you're preparing for it. You're awesome and trust me, you can do it. Just relax bruuuuuhhhhh.

I'm sorry for such a long post but I told myself I'd make a post on this website if I passed to hopefully relieve someone's anxiety out there. If you have any questions, please message me.

[Ganjopotanamous]

Congrats!!! Just curiosity kicking, what was your average on UWorld?

[SurgeandTurfRN]

Congrats!!! Just curiosity kicking, what was your average on UWorld?

Thank you! My average on Uworld was a 61.

[kaleidoscope27]

Your post was very helpful! Congratulations

[siegolindoRN]

Dont bother with Kaplan or Princeton!!! Go to learningext.com, this is a service provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. This is the organization that creates the NCLEX exam. Far less expensive and the questions provided are structured just like the actual NCLEX. I used all 3 services and by far, NCSBN is the better. Interestingly, I was informed of the site by a Princeton reviewer.