Passed the NCLEX with bad Kaplan scores!

Published Aug 27, 2015

121 Posts

Specializes in transplant/case management.

I told myself that if I passed my NCLEX that I would share my story on here to give hope to other peopleâ€¦so here we go!

So I graduated in July 2015 from a diploma program in Pittsburgh. I wasn't the greatest student (c-average) so I was kind of freaked out at any mention of the NCLEX.ã€€ In school, we used the EAQ program for our final transitions/leadership course to get us ready.ã€€ We also took the HESI twice (once in the beginning of transitions and again in the end).ã€€ I scored less than normal on both (EAQ questions were insane and 745/798 on HESI) so this added to my already mounting anxiety about the NCLEX.ã€€ I didn't start studying for my NCLEX until the 1st week of August (my exam date was on 8/24/15). I decided to take the classroom Kaplan course with a few of my friends in the beginning on August 2015. It was very helpful to use the decision tree in class but when it came to me doing the Kaplan tests on my ownâ€¦.that was a different story. My Kaplan scores are as follows:

QT #1: 58%

QT #2: 56%

QT #3: 54%

QT #4: 52%

QT #5: 52%

QT#6: 50%

QT#7: 42%

Diagnostic: 56%

Readiness: 54%

To put it mildly, I was in full fledge freak out mode at this point.ã€€ I was visiting AllNurses a lot during this time and looking at other people's Kaplan scores and advice.ã€€ I was very close to rescheduling my NCLEX because I felt like I wasn't measuring up.ã€€ã€€ On the other hand, I was using my NCLEX Mastery app with any spare moment I had in the day and my scores were pretty decent on there.ã€€ So I felt like I was stuck in the middle.ã€€ I watched some YouTube videos of things I didn't fully understand and made a TON of notecards for things I want to make sure I know (labs, procedures, insulins, isolation precautions, etc).ã€€ That 35 page document on here is fantastic! Here is a link for it if you're not familiar with it:

[COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/attachment.php?...7=&d=1310076980[/COLOR]

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I didn't study at all the day before and the day of my NCLEX. I wanted to give myself some wind down time and try to clear my mind as best I could. The morning of my test I ate breakfast, drank a cup of coffee and sat on my porch and tried to remain calm.

I took the NCLEX on a Monday with a friend that happened to schedule hers as well for that same date and time.ã€€ The NCLEX itself wasn't too bad.ã€€ I felt the Kaplan questions were wayyyy harder. My test took me just under 2 hours and it shut of at 132 questions.ã€€ Nothing prepares you for that blue screen!ã€€ ã€€I left and I felt pretty decent. I went home and tried to keep my mind occupied. Of course, like a million other people, I did the Pearson Vue trick. I used an old bank card to a closed account I have for the credit card information. It gave me the good pop-up and I was relieved!

Pennsylvania is pretty good in making sure they load the majority of their licenses the following day after NCLEX. I searched the following morning and nothing was there! My friend's license was there and I was IN SHOCK. I tried the PVT trick again and I was still getting the good pop-up. The whole rest of the day was filled with anxiety and massive checking of the state board website. The next morning nothing was loaded still and I was convinced I failed. I tried the PVT trick again and I was still getting the good pop-up. I checked the state board website AGAIN and my license was there! All within the span of 10 minutes from each other!

My message to anyone reading this: try not to stress yourself out too much. I was basically living in my local library by the time my boards came. Try not to pay too much attention to your Kaplan scores (I know, easier said than done) and focus on basic material. If you could do one thing and then leave a patient's room, what would you do?

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I wish all of you the best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!!