Passed the NCLEX on 1st Try! And you can too! Take Kaplan!

Published Aug 10, 2012

1 Post

Hello All!

I'm not one for blogging but I remember as I would prepared for the NCLEX, I would stress out and sometimes I just needed some reassurance. This website was very useful and uplifting to me. It is only right that I return to favor by reassuring others!

So! During nursing school, I stuggled every semester to stay in the program. It wasn't easy. But because I knew how hard nursing school was for me, I knew that I had to study twice as hard and long to be prepared. I decided to enroll into Kaplan, which was the best choice I could have made. I additionally, downloaded the saunders app on my phone.

[[sidenote:Saunders focuses on content but Kaplan focuses on critical thinking and applying the content. Saunders came in handy when I forget a certain topic. Also, I had to do ATI tests while I was in school and I would strongly urge you not to waste your time on it because Kaplan is exactly the same format as the NCLEX and it prepares you better.]]

Now, to the dreaded scores!! While doing the Qbank questions for Kaplan, I would get really discouraged because my scores ranged from high 40s to high 60s. The following are my scores:

Q1: 58%

Q2: 50%

Q3: 64%

Q4: 54%

Q5: 60%

Q6: 50%

Q7: 64%

Q8: 58%

Q9: 54%

Q10: 46%

Q11: 62%

Q12: 58%

Q13: 60%

Q14: 66%

Q15: 60%

Q16: 62%

Q17: 54%

Q18: 50%

Q19: 60%

Q20: 60%

Q21: 56%

Q22: 54%

Q23: 54%

Q24: 58%

Q25: 62%

Sample Test 1: 46%

Sample Test 2: 44%

Sample Test 3: 77%

Diagnostic: 49%

Trainer 1: 49%

Trainer 2: 52%

Trainer 3: 57%

Trainer 4: 51%

Trainer 5: 57%

Trainer 6: 64%

Trainer 7: My brain was too fried to take it.

As you can see, I made the 65% mark like one time, which at the time made me feel a lack of confidence. However, I kept at it and I completed everything! (minus trainer 7). I watched all the videos, I did all the questions and I read every single rationale. If you do your part then the odds are in your favor. Don't wait until the last minute! Study for ATLEAST two weeks in advance! I studied for a month and a half. They say do 150 questions a day but there were days when my brain just couldn't do it! Sometimes I would do 50, 100, 200, 250 a day. I realized that if I do lots of question when I just can't take it, my mind won't focus anyway. And every once in a while, I just took the day off. But that's me!

The day of the exam, I took a deep breath, said a prayer, and took the test that I knew I was prepared for. Although, there will also be doubt in the back of your head, you still feel at peace knowing that you did everything that you could do. [i realized while taking the exam that Kaplan was slightly harder than the NCLEX. That's another reason why you shouldn't beat yourself up about your scores]. My computer shut off at 75 questions. I checked to see if I had gotten the "good pop up" and I did!! Two days later my quick results said that I passed!!

To God be all the glory!! I would be nothing without Him!

YOU CAN DO IT!!