Opinion que. Saunders versus Kaplan

Published

I hate to ask this difficult question but I need some advice from those Nurses that have taken the NCLEX in recent years.

I am a B student, graduated 12/2010 from a respected 1 yr. Tech College program. I'm taking NCLEX for 2nd time in 2 1/2 weeks. I've done 800 questions on CD-ROM Saunders 4th/ed. Compre. NCLEX review; studied about 50% of Saunders, 25-30 chap's. I have 30 chap's to finish. Have been doing 3 chap's /day. I just started Kaplan's NCLEX PN strategies for PN exam -2010-11 edition book. ** The Kaplan book's main point is that you can't know everything, (i.e. you can't study all the content in Saunders). INSTEAD you will more likely be successful by using their strategies in "There's more than 1 way to skin a CAT, use critical thinking strategies, reword question, expected outcomes, etc.

My questions are:

1) I feel that I can't do it all. Should I just try to get to 1,500 or so Saunders CD questions and finish all of the Saunders chapters on content.?

Finish reading the Kaplan book and Read the Lacharity Prioritization book.

2)I've been taking weekly 75 question assessments and scoring 65-75%. Is this score high enough that I shouldn't worry too much?

3) I'm thinking about rescheduling to 1 week later but I hate to do it. I feel like i'm overstudying.

Could you pls let me know what you think.

Thank You!!

:up::up::redbeathe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Planning, STD, OB/Gyn.
I hate to ask this difficult question but I need some advice from those Nurses that have taken the NCLEX in recent years.

I am a B student, graduated 12/2010 from a respected 1 yr. Tech College program. I'm taking NCLEX for 2nd time in 2 1/2 weeks. I've done 800 questions on CD-ROM Saunders 4th/ed. Compre. NCLEX review; studied about 50% of Saunders, 25-30 chap's. I have 30 chap's to finish. Have been doing 3 chap's /day. I just started Kaplan's NCLEX PN strategies for PN exam -2010-11 edition book. ** The Kaplan book's main point is that you can't know everything, (i.e. you can't study all the content in Saunders). INSTEAD you will more likely be successful by using their strategies in "There's more than 1 way to skin a CAT, use critical thinking strategies, reword question, expected outcomes, etc.

My questions are:

1) I feel that I can't do it all. Should I just try to get to 1,500 or so Saunders CD questions and finish all of the Saunders chapters on content.?

Finish reading the Kaplan book and Read the Lacharity Prioritization book.

2)I've been taking weekly 75 question assessments and scoring 65-75%. Is this score high enough that I shouldn't worry too much?

3) I'm thinking about rescheduling to 1 week later but I hate to do it. I feel like i'm overstudying.

Could you pls let me know what you think.

Thank You!!

:up::up::redbeathe

I am taking the NCLEX second time around and to be honest, I didn't applied those strategies listed in Kaplan Book because there were so many strategies to learn from. But if you know the content like the pathophysiology and the basic foundation of how everything works and work your way up you will do great. I have been doing the 75 q pre-test getting around

76-83%. What's really important is reading all the rationales and understanding WHAT is being asked and how to apply it. =) keep up the good work!

If you feel like over studying, take a break and exercise your mind. I majorly over study the first time like 5-6 hours a day about 300?s/day and I didn't do so well because I thought doing more questions would enable me to pass the NCLEX. But do what works for YOU. :yeah:

Now my study plan is to pray first when I wake up, do the questions on NCLEX software by topic like cardio, ob or whatever and then read the book correlated to the chapter in Saunders book. I like to do questions first because reading gets me side tracked a lot.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Don't get too tied up in the process. If you feel you have put sufficient effort into the project, test, and see what the results are. Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am taking the NCLEX second time around and to be honest, I didn't applied those strategies listed in Kaplan Book because there were so many strategies to learn from. But if you know the content like the pathophysiology and the basic foundation of how everything works and work your way up you will do great. I have been doing the 75 q pre-test getting around

76-83%. What's really important is reading all the rationales and understanding WHAT is being asked and how to apply it. =) keep up the good work!

If you feel like over studying, take a break and exercise your mind. I majorly over study the first time like 5-6 hours a day about 300?s/day and I didn't do so well because I thought doing more questions would enable me to pass the NCLEX. But do what works for YOU. :yeah:

Now my study plan is to pray first when I wake up, do the questions on NCLEX software by topic like cardio, ob or whatever and then read the book correlated to the chapter in Saunders book. I like to do questions first because reading gets me side tracked a lot.

Thank you for the thoughtful advice! I'm going to finish my Saunders content review, not read everything but hit the hi-lights. Then review my lab values, infection precautions, do 2,000 moe que's then I should be ready.

Thanks,

Wecan11 :up::yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Don't get too tied up in the process. If you feel you have put sufficient effort into the project, test, and see what the results are. Good luck.

On a different topic: Lacharity Prioritization Book.

Is there a seperate LPN version or is there just 1 ver. for PN/RN's alike.

You sound very knowledgeable.

Thank you for your help!:up::up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion