Passed at 190 on my first try

11 Posts

I have been reading many posts from this site since graduating and like many others I wanted to share my story. I apologize in advance that this is going to be lengthy, but I always appreciated when people posted details.

i graduated mid-December 2015 from a BSN program. My school used Kaplan throughout our courses and I actually found it pretty useless...until I started studying for the nclex. I graduated with honors, but testing was my weakness. I could studying double or triple the amount of hours compared to classmates, I could describe and discuss concepts with other students, yet without fail I would always do the worst out of everyone I studied with. I thrived in clinicals and I had instructors tell me I would be a great nurse and I was doing great, but I was just a horrible test taker. Well that made me scared out of my mind since one test determined whether I could actually work as a nurse.

After graduating I took a few weeks off. I attended the Kaplan course at the very beginning of January and I actually found it helpful. Like I said, I'm a horrible test taker but have a relatively good content base of knowledge, so this class was perfect for me. After the Kaplan course I didn't get into my studies right away. I actually worked full time. I also should disclose that I applied to test in California and I still didn't have my ATT code by the beginning of February and I didn't want to study full force and use up all my supplies in case I couldn't test until end of March or beginning of April.

So once I got my code mid-February, I stopped working and started studying constantly, but I had no idea where to start. I selected my test date a month out to give me 4 solid weeks. My Kaplan qbank scores were ranging in the mid 50s and my q trainer scores were dipping in the high 40s and low 60s. I was so inconsistent I felt like I was going to fail. Then I realized doing questions and reviewing rationales weren't going to cut it and I would have to focus more on content. I switched over to my Kaplan course from school and took 30 questions broken down into body systems. I would wiz through the tests and spend at least an hour or two going over the test and the content. With my schools Kaplan system, it not only gave rationales, but it gave paragraphs and a video PowerPoint to go further in depth about the content topic from that question. I found this so helpful for both diseases, procedures, and meds. I typed up all my notes into a study guide by systems, so when I took a qbank or q trainer test, I could easily sort my notes into something organized to refer back to. Once I was done going through all the question trainers I printed everything out and put it in a binder. I learn best from hearing, reading, and writing so this was kind of my middle ground to review all my content in a timely manner. I would supplement information that I couldn't get through Kaplan with Saunders. I found Saunders pretty overwhelming to review on its own, but great if Kaplan didn't provide enough information.

(For those of you who want to know my Kaplan scores)

Kaplan trainer 1: 52

Kaplan trainer 2: 62

Kaplan trainer 3: 48

Kaplan trainer 4: 48 (this is when I freaked out and started studying more content)

Kaplan trainer 5: 59

Kaplan trainer 6: 63

Kaplan trainer 7: 57

Q bank average: 62 (50-65)

My test was on a Thursday. I took the weekend before my test off (or did a light review for 2 hours if I felt anxious from not studying at all). Throughout the week leading up to my exam, I did tests primarily from the LaCharity book, but i didn't complete it. I would do one 75 qbank test in tutor mode. I didn't want to test myself too much before my test and so I used it as a review to see if my thought processes were on the right track. I studied up until my test regardless of what people say. That's how I studied in school, so I was going to stay consistent now.

So the dreaded test day. I left early so I wouldn't be stuck in traffic up until my test time. My test was horrible. It was just as bad as everyone said it is. I started with a SATA and I knew it was going downhill from there. I honestly didn't expect to sit for only 75 and I was hoping I didn't sit for 265. When my test finally shut off at 190 I was shocked. By question 165 I prepared myself to sit for another 100 questions. My questions were all over the place. I had a good amount of SATA, more than half my questions were probably pda, and the rest were vague med surg, OB, precaution questions. I like every other person, thought I failed and I was pretty convinced I failed too.

I tested on a Thursday at 2pm and I finished my test in a little more than 4 hours. By Saturday at 3 AM (yes I was up stressing over the fact that I had failed) the breeze website updated with my license information. I did not try the PVT (although I had convinced myself I would try to do it in the morning to ease my anxiety before I found out I passed)

The things I found the most helpful:

Take short tests, but take about 2-3 in a day.

Don't force yourself to study if you just can't get yourself to focus. That might have been just me, but it gave me more anxiety if I couldn't focus than if I just took a break and came back later when I was ready to study.

Now I am not a religious person and I don't think I've ever prayed, but the week leading up to my test and during my test I prayed.

And lastly, I stayed positive the days leading up to my test. My whole time during studying I was so scared of failing, but I don't think I could have passed if I did not force myself to only think positive thoughts the week leading up to my test. I recited positive affirmations (I found it on this site on one post). I would recite them before starting to study, I would say them when I was going to bed. I was determined to stay positive.

And remember, 80% of first time test takers pass the nclex. I know it feels impossible at times, but you can do it!