Non A students - NCLEX passing

Jules A, MSN · Feb 3, 2007

Hi,

Most of the students in my class got Cs and Bs and almost everyone passed first try. Hang in there, Jules

DolphinRN84, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Feb 3, 2007

I've heard of stories of straight A students not passing the exam the first time, whereas the average student passes the first time. It depends on the person individually. But I can tell you right now, the NCLEX isn't an exam where you have to memorize stuff. It is a critical thinking type exam, and sometimes being a straight A student won't help...since in school we learn to memorize facts mostly. But most schools are gearing towards practicing critical thinking type questions into their curriculum. This is just my opinion though. As long as you practice lots and lots of questions, you should have no problem. :)

realnursealso/LPN, LPN · Feb 3, 2007

First of all, let me say, I went to school long ago...lol. Back in !980, when I took my boards, you could only take it two times a year, April and October. Most of the people who I graduated with, passed their boards the first time. I did, and it was without expensive review classes, or study guides. I figured I had gone to school for 10 months, either I knew it or I didn't. Now I am not saying that people shouldn't study before taking the NCLEX. I think we did have a Saunders review book that we bought the last 10 weeks of school. When I took my boards we had to go to Syracuse, NY. The test lasted 2 days. It was all mutiple choice, we were finger printed on arrival and again after lunch each day. OH, and the results? I took the boards in April, never got the results until July. I had been working with a permit waiting to find out if I passed. So it was almost 3 months between when I took it and when I found out if I passed. Back then you got a number grade, you had to get at least a 350, I got 592, guess I'll never forget that. So relax if you can:smiletea: . Your wait is a lot less than mine was. When I finally got the envelope in the mail I was afraid to open it.:uhoh21: You know how you all tell each other the significance of how many questions and whether or not you passed? Well back then if you passed the envelope was supposed to be thin, and if it was fat, it meant you failed because the papers were in there for you to retake your boards again. Well I think mine was in between...lol. But please relax, I'm sure you'll do fine. Good Luck and God Bless you!:smilecoffeecup:

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Feb 3, 2007

I work with a nurse that passed every semester with a 75 (minimum score). She just took her NCLEX this year and passed it on the first try.

gregorthorn · Feb 4, 2007

If only staright A nursing school students passed the boards easily, there would be a bigger nursing shortage than there already is. I took mine on thursday, thought I had bombed it, found out this morning I did not. Good Luck.

onduty23 · Feb 4, 2007

^^congratsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2007

I passed the NCLEX-PN on my very first attempt with the minimum amount of questions, regardless of the fact that I earned 'B' and 'C' grades throughout school. Strangely, some of the 'A' students didn't pass NCLEX until their second or third attempts.

Here's my personal outlook: it is better to fully learn and retain the material even if you receive 'C' grades. It is foolish to use rote memorization to to earn 'A' grades.

Sheri257 · Feb 4, 2007

Here's my personal outlook: it is better to fully learn and retain the material even if you receive 'C' grades. It is foolish to use rote memorization to to earn 'A' grades.

I've heard of stories of straight A students not passing the exam the first time, whereas the average student passes the first time.

"I've heard stories ..." The data does not support this myth.

Numerous studies have shown that the higher the GPA, the higher the NCLEX pass rates. For every 0.1 increase in GPA the chances of passing the NCLEX triples. These studies go back 20 years.

I'm sure there are a few A students who don't pass but, let's not make broad generalizations based on that either.

On a personal note: I worked really hard for my grades and I don't think I'm any better than any other student. But, by the same token, I wish people would quit implying that I somehow have a lesser chance of passing the NCLEX just because I made good grades when, in fact, the data shows otherwise.

:typing

scrubsnhugsRN · Feb 4, 2007

I have met some fantastic nurses who were average students, the test is no reflection on how great a student you were. If you know your concepts then you will pass, someone that I work with has failed it twice although she recieved excellent grades.

DolphinRN84, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Feb 4, 2007

"I've heard stories ..." The data does not support this myth.
Numerous studies have shown that the higher the GPA, the higher the NCLEX pass rates. For every 0.1 increase in GPA the chances of passing the NCLEX triples. These studies go back 20 years.
I'm sure there are a few A students who don't pass but, let's not make broad generalizations based on that either.
On a personal note: I worked really hard for my grades and I don't think I'm any better than any other student. But, by the same token, I wish people would quit implying that I somehow have a lesser chance of passing the NCLEX just because I made good grades when, in fact, the data shows otherwise.
:typing

I understand that there is data that supports this, and I wasn't trying to generalize. I simply stated that there are exceptions. And I also wasn't implying that people who have excellent grades won't pass the first time. I had great grades in school and passed my first time. As I said on my previous post: IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2007

I wish people would quit implying that I somehow have a lesser chance of passing the NCLEX just because I made good grades when, in fact, the data shows otherwise.

I wasn't implying anything.