Passing NCLEX-RN 2nd time 2015

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Hey everyone!

I made an account just to write my story on how I passed my NCLEX-RN! I've always just gone to this website to view stuff without adding any content or comments. Now it's my turn to contribute.

I graduated with my BSN in December 2014. Decided to take my NCLEX at Jan 26, 2015 because I had a job waiting for me that will start in March. My school made us buy the Virtual ATI program so I used that as a main source. While going through it, I thought it was such a joke. They used the same practice exams they gave us during nursing school to prepare for the ATI exams. I honestly didn't learn any content from it. I did the program and got around a 80% probability of passing the NCLEX. I know it wasn't the 92% they wanted, but I had to take the exam to get my license in time to start my job in March.

I failed my NCLEX. I knew I was doing bad during the exam, but everyone says that they feel like they were doing bad and still passed. I did the trick immediately after walking out of the examination room and got the bad pop up. It charged my credit card and received a new ATT. My classmates did the trick immediately after their exam and got the good pop up and passed. I got the whole 265 and took 3 hours. I still had hope that the pop up was an error and I would be that lucky person who's pop up was an error. My results came in and I indeed failed. I was near the passing standard for every topic. I was so embarrassed because my school has like a 97% pass rate out of around 30 students. That means I was that one person that failed and everyone passed. I felt dumb. However, I wasn't gonna let it stop me.

I cried and stayed in bed for 2 days. I got over it and did what I had to do. My peers that passed also agreed ATI was completely useless and that they were lucky they passed. The questions were NOTHING LIKE ATI. My one friend used Kaplan and ATI. After she passed with 75 questions, I decided to use Kaplan as well. Kaplan was more similar to NCLEX than ATI hands down. So I started doing the practice questions and wrote down the rationale on why the answer was correct and why the others were wrong. I did all of Kaplan question bank, question trainers, and sample test. I wrote down every question and rationale. I was getting high 50's, low 60's, even high 40's. I did this for 47 days until I could take my next NCLEX. I even decided to take the stupid ATI predictor exam just to see how I progressed after using Kaplan. I received ATI's "green light" by getting a 93% probability of passing the nclex. I completely give the credit to Kaplan for preparing me for ATI's predictor exam.

Come round two for NCLEX on March 16, 2015, I'm freaking out on the way there since my mom was driving me (how nice of her). My exam was at 8 am so I had to leave my house at 6 am. I told myself I would 100% take the break no matter what. I didn't take my break during my first exam and realized I was just zooming through the exam from being mentally fatigued. So while taking the first few questions, I was getting a lot of select all that apply and leadership questions. I thought I was gonna stop at 75. Here comes question 76, then 80, then 90. I was freaking out. I just kept praying throughout the exam and even decided to put my head down for a minute at question 100. Question 140 rolls around and I took my official break. I walked around the building looking like a crazy for 20 minutes and drank enough water so that I wouldn't have the urge to pee if I have to take the rest the rest of the 4 hours remaining. Came back with a clear mind and a hopeful spirit. Next thing you know it, I'm at question 200 and just felt like I was gonna fail, but I decided to take my sweet sweet time on the next set of questions. Question 230 comes and I accepted that I'm gonna get the full 265 again. I was currently getting leadership questions and select all that apply questions, but i kept getting spurts of easy and hard questions throughout the exam so I thought nothing of it. Question 235 was a select all that apply, and I click next. The screen turned blue unexpectedly. I was so excited because this time I knew I passed. I ended on a hard question with leadership questions before that. I left and did the credit card trick again immediately and got the good pop up! I passed. Looking back, I feel like NCLEX is just a luck of the draw on the type of questions you get and if you're lucky getting the right answer. I was torn between two answers so many times.

So if you decided not to read that lengthy post, here's the spark notes version of it.

-Don't use Virtual ATI, at least as a primary source of studying.

-Kaplan is more similar.

-Believe in yourself, especially if you fail.

-I believe in the credit card trick 100% since I'm living proof of getting the good and bad pop up.

-Take the break(s) when offered during the exam.

-Heck, give yourself your own break by just resting at a question for a few minutes.

-Do not expect 75 questions. It'll play games with your head. Expect 265 to lessen anxiety.

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Congratulations to you I test March 31st I failed my first attempt had all 265 questions was a nervous wreck and did not take any breaks I been using Kaplan q review .

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

You passed because you studied and knew the material. I took the test long long ago when it was divided into 4 main specialties with no cut off.You took the entire test and it was 2 whole days long..I answered hundreds and hundreds of questions the old fashioned way with fill in the bubbles.I knew I passed because I was able to formulate an answer on most questions before reading the choices. Yes I did study all summer before I took it. Good old fashioned learning and studying works every time for me.

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Thank you!! Looks like we did the same thing our first try. Definitely take the break this time around! Take as long as you need and eat some sugary foods to give your brain some energy. :) I actually ate a whole pack of mentos during my break. haha. I really enjoyed taking Kaplan, however, it only kinda helped me. I feel like both of my NCLEX was nothing I ever read before. Since you got 265 on your first try, you know you were close!!! Don't give up and keep doing whatever you can to boost your confidence and test taking strategies.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Moved to NCLEX forum

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Thank you for this post same boat about to retest except I did Kaplan the first time but I'm zoomed through much like you this time I'm taking my time and taking breaks! Congrats hopefully I can get the same results this next time as you did!!!

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Congrates

wat is the website of kaplin qbank

if u can share plz

thanx

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No problem and thank you, MWelch18! I really don't feel like I can give Kaplan all the credit for me passing the NCLEX. I think it was just nice to have a similar format while waiting to retest. I think Kaplan was a nice way to keep in touch with the formatting of NCLEX. Did it help me in content? Barely. I still would suggest learning the rationale and your thought process and how you can probably change your strategy to that certain question. For example, I know my approach for therapeutic communication was completely different since I followed ATI version. There's a Facebook group called like SATA NCLEX or something similar to that. Its a closed group, but all you have to do is ask to join and they will accept you. People post questions from different sources and its nice to get a variety of questions. I didn't use this source, but NCSBN has a question bank you can buy from them. If I failed again, I would've bought that. I didn't even know about it until after I failed. Makes sense to buy a question bank from the company that gives the exam, right? But I don't know much about it.

I know exactly how you feel with anxiety. That's when your breaks, deep breaths, and believing in yourself comes in. Just keep telling yourself you can pass this time around. Say it before the exam and random spots of the exam! If I can pass it, then its for sure a doable exam. I am a terrible test taker during nursing school. I know you can do it! Like I said before, the NCLEX exam was just a big blur both times. Definitely try to catch yourself if you fly through the questions and take a break! It'll help you focus again.Please keep me updated.

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Congrats on passing! I retake mine on Wednesday. First time around, I felt like the anxiety got the best of me. I was pissed off throughout majority of the 256 questions I received, shaking my head in disbelief because I didn't know a single question that was being asked. Questions like bioterrorism, SATA about the RN forming discussions, dosage containing micro units! Nothing could prepare me with the exam I received the first time. I did mostly Hurst on the first attempt, and now I've only been looking at Kaplan and LaCharity. Hopefully my planning will get me over the slump. Thanks for sharing your story and congrats again!

And to add...I'm definitely going to be taking more breaks this time around. I had maybe two breaks (5 mins or less each) in the 5 1/2 hours I was at the testing center.

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TroyM, I feel like I had the same stuff my first exam! I really feel like passing the NCLEX involves a good chunk of luck. I was surprised by even seeing community type questions. I've heard good things about LaCharity and I'm still a little mixed (in a positive way) of Kaplan. On paper, everyone that I know that took Kaplan passed which was like 5 classmates excluding myself. Im glad to hear that you will take longer breaks! Definitely don't walk in that exam room unless your head is more clear. You CAN PASS this exam! I believe in you! Make sure you drink some water, have a snack, and move around to keep that blood pumping! You were close the first time during the exam. Now you know what the test is like especially after taking so many questions. Do not expect 75 questions! Maybe even hide the number of questions if it helps you ease your mind! I hid my clock majority of my exam so that I wouldn't focus on time and would spend however much time I needed on a single question!

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Congrats!!! Tommorow 8am here I go second time around.

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Good luck! Believe in yourself!

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