johnsover

Love2Pass, don't give up now!!! You are so close! Once you pass, and get it behind you, just think of what a wonderful nurse you will be. I think of it like this, we've gone through some hardships, but I believe it has made us stronger, more understanding and compassionate people. Please keep your head up, and don't get discouraged. I know it's easier said than done, but you will succeed, it's all in God's time. Otherwise, He wouldn't have led you down this path. Have faith. On your previous attempts, how many questions is the test going to, and how long are you taking? I'll help in any possible way that I can.

RN_Dreams, Good luck to you! I'm glad I could give a little hope!

I promised myself that once I passed the NCLEX that I would post on this forum words of encouragement and my experience, since I read so many encouraging posts from others here. I took the NCLEX on Feb 26, 2015....and I passed (woooohoooo)! And I'm here to say that if I can do it, anyone can. So I've already had people asking how I prepared, so I'll get right to it. 1. Hurst review - I took the 3 day live review, and watched ALL of the videos and took ALL 6 of the Q reviews. I read over most of the 5th day material as well. Honestly, I had no questions on the NCLEX that Hurst helped me with. HOWEVER, I do think that by doing the review that it got my brain working and thinking the right way to answer questions. I did not do well on the Q reviews, all were less than the 84 that they suggest is passing the NCLEX. My scores were: QR 1 76/127 QR 2 77/125 QR 3 75/125 QR 4 81/128 QR 5 80/125 QR 6 78/125 2. LaCharity's Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment - Buy this book. Seriously. If you use nothing else, use this book. I can't remember my scores, but they weren't super great. 3. NCLEX Mastery Iphone app - I really liked that I could use it on the go. My scores weren't great, but again, it got my brain working to answer tons of questions. 4. Kaplan Q Bank - I didn't do any content at all from Kaplan, just a few trainer tests. I only took 4 trainers because I ran out of time. My scores were: Trainer 1 61 T2 64 T3 58 T4 63 And that's it. I decided not to study meds because there are so many and I didn't want to confuse myself at the last minute. I had the basics down for the meds from school, lols, pines, etc. So I just decided that, that would be enough. The main thing is read the rationales on every question. The day of my NCLEX, I was freaking out and I didn't feel ready based on my below "average" scores on Hurst, Kaplan, and NCLEX mastery. I almost rescheduled my test because I was feeling so unprepared, but I decided to take it anyway that way if I fail, I'd know what to expect next time. So, when I went into the test center, my heart was pounding, the entire time I was doing the orientation I was trying to calm myself down. I honestly can't remember one thing about the orientation because I was so nervous...then the test started. The first question was pretty easy (Is this a trick? Should I pick a different answer? This seems too easy.) And from there, all hell broke loose, and the SATAs started coming, then the right order questions started coming. (I know you aren't supposed to tell people what Qs are on the test, but honestly even if you could, I was so nervous, I can't really remember anything super specific anyway) There were SEVERAL med Qs that I have never heard of before, and there were a couple of procedures that I've never heard of. I felt terrible, like I was getting every single Q wrong. I was taking my time, and reading the Q many times, and all of the answers over and over before selecting the answer and moving on. When I looked up and I was on Q 75, I prayed to God to not let the test turn off because I didn't want to fail....I clicked to submit my answer, and hallelujah! Q 76 came up on the screen (a dreaded SATA) I clicked to submit....blue screen. I screamed in my head....nooooo!!! I can do better! don't turn off!! But alas, nothing I could do at this point but hang my head and walk out. I left the testing center at 5:30 pm. I walked to my car going over the Qs in my head, where exactly did I go wrong? I sat in my car for awhile, petrified. Only one way to solve this particular problem....cheesecake. I drove the over an hour drive, swung into the grocery store, and picked up some cheesecake and decided to go sulk in front of the TV with my puppies and eat cheesecake until I was ill. So, I did (turns out, one cannot eat as much cheesecake as you would think) My daughter called to see if I survived the test, and she asked how many Qs I got, I LIED because I just knew that I had failed and I didn't want her to know that I had failed it in 76 Qs. I was so upset, that it was consuming my thoughts, so even though I told myself I wasn't going to do the PVT, I did...2 hours after the end of the test (I know, I know...don't do it for 24 hours) I couldn't stop myself. I had a visa gift card with a few bucks on it...what could it hurt? Good pop up. WHAT??? Are you kidding??? I told myself, not to get too excited because it doesn't matter until 24 hours. 24 hours later, I did the PVT again...good pop up. WooooHoooo! But wait, what if I'm one of the few that it didn't work for? Don't get excited yet... Yet another 24 hours pass, and I got the quick results. I passed!!! So, to make a long story even longer, I'm 42 years old (43 in about 3 weeks), I never graduated high school, as a matter of fact, I quit school while I was in the 9th grade and got my GED when I was 16 years old and pregnant. I had another child when I was 18. I never went back to school until my kids were both grown and moved out of the house (and I have a grandchild). I decided to get into nursing when I was 38, took the prereqs, and applied to a community college nursing program...NOT accepted, but I did get on the "alternative" list. Well, lo and behold, somehow I made it in off of the alternative list and started the ADN program Jan 2013. I passed every class (mostly Bs, a handful of As and Cs), and graduated Dec 2014. Took NCLEX Feb 2015, and passed in 76 Qs. So I'm here to tell you if I can do it, so can you! Good luck to everyone out there that wants to be a nurse, just starting nursing school, or preparing for the NCLEX, YOU CAN DO IT! Have faith. Now...time to find a job! P.S. I am NOT encouraging anyone to try the PVT before 24 hours, or with a regular credit card. PLEASE wait 24 hours and use a visa gift card!

After 24 hours it's accurate. Here's an early congrats to you!

Just wanted to update you, I passed! Thanks for your helpful advice!

Hi, I just wanted to share my experience as well. PVT worked for me too! I took NCLEX Feb 26, and left the testing center at around 5:30 pm feeling totally defeated. I told myself that I wasn't going to do the PVT until 24 hours, because of it not being accurate until the test was graded twice. But for my own sanity, I caved in and did it anyway. I used a Visa gift card that only had around 30$ on it, tried to reregister, and got the good pop up. Yay, I was able to sleep that night. I let 24 hours pass from the time I left the test center, again entered my Visa GC and tried to reregister...again, good pop up. Super yay!!!! I was excited, but still uneasy...What if I was the ONE person that the "trick" didn't work for? So, yet another 24 hours pass, and I got the quick results. Pass. WoooooHooooo! P.S. *****I am not encouraging ANYONE to try the PVT before 24 hours, especially with a regular credit card. Seriously, go to walmart or somewhere and get a visa gift card!*****

That makes me feel soooo much better about the meds! I was really starting to worry about that because in a lot of the review questions that I have been doing seem to heavily focus on meds, and many of them I've never even heard of. Don't get me wrong, I know the main ones, like you were saying (pril, statin, etc.) but in many of the review Qs, it's been chemo drugs and things like that. So I really started worrying that there would be a bunch on the NCLEX that I'm not familiar with. Glad to hear that Hurst covered a good bit of that too. Thanks for being so helpful, I really appreciate it!!!

Sure, I took the Hurst live review, I'm using the Prioritization/delegation/assignment book, and I'll be ordering the book that laughlove suggested in the original post, Lippincott's alt format question book. I'm hoping that'll be enough! Good luck to you.

Not worth the money. Just watch the videos on youtube. Customer service is terrible, you never hear back from them. I truly wish that I would have spent my money elsewhere.

Thank you, you are very kind. I think my main thing in the prioritization/delegation/assignment and meds. I'm hoping that the PDA book helps with that, and I'm hoping to get by the meds on a wing and a prayer. I toyed with the idea of purchasing the Q Bank from Kaplan, but after spending the money on Hurst, the thought of dropping 300$ more is killing me, so I think I'll stick to the materials that I have already. And of course, like most everyone else preparing for the NCLEX, just hope to keep calm during the test and not go blank. Many of the students that I graduated with have already passed, so I'm hoping that's a good sign for me. Thanks again for your insight and study tips. It really does calm the nerves a little bit when others share good experiences and what worked for them.

Thanks for the update on the alt format book name. I'm doing the PDA book now, I've taken Hurst live review already, and I'm going to see about getting the alt format book now. I take the NCLEX on the 26th, and I'm starting to get nervous already, reading encouraging stories like yours is very helpful. Thanks so much for the study tips, RN!

Congrats! I'm sure you're relieved to be done. I'm not finding the Kaplan alt format book that you said worked well for you. Do you mind me asking where you found it? Thanks, and again, congrats!

Thanks so much for your help! I really appreciate the info on the YouTube videos, I use YouTube all the time, but never thought of that for the A&P videos. Thanks so much for compiling the list, that will save tons of time! I start the nursing program on jan 14, and I'm nervous and excited...more on the nervous side though, so I want to prepare myself as much as possible. I'm sure exactly like everyone else entering their first semester in the program. Thanks again for all of the help, I really appreciate it! -V

Thanks for your help, I'm looking into these now.

Hey, Just wondering if anyone has suggestions on an online a&p class. It doesn't need to be accredited, I already have my classes in but I got accepted for the spring semester, and I'd like to do some major brushing up. I just don't feel like I remember very much from my a&p classes. Thanks for any help!

@jesus01, Have you gone to the meeting yet?

@ Jesus01. It takes me about 50 minutes to drive to alvin also. Are you close to Sweeny?

I'd like to attend Wharton because of the cost/location as well. I live close to Sweeny, so Wharton is one of the closest. Brazosport is a little bit closer, but I haven't heard much of the school yet. I may apply to Brazosport and possibly Alvin also. Congrats on getting accepted!

Thanks! I'll go by the library and pick up that book. I'm looking into rescheduling my ACT now. Are you going to attend Wharton, or are you waiting on other schools to respond as well?

My ACT reading and english combo score is 43 (I think that is what they look at, but I'm not sure)

Thanks for the response. My ACT score is a 20. I think my GPA is around 3.33. I have taken all of my prereqs. I have heard that preference is given to people that already have a bachelors degree, which is a little disheartening since I don't have one! lol I'm seriously thinking about retaking the ACT. I haven't been to school in over 23 years, and I did NO kind of preparations for the test, I just decided to go in and give it a shot to see how I would do. I have all As & Bs, and one C in Eng2, which I should probably retake. I'm just going to keep applying and I'm also going to apply at some other schools. Thanks again for your help and good luck to you!!!

Hi all, I applied to WCJC for the spring and did not get accepted. Just wondering if those of you that did get accepeted would share your ACT scores and GPA. Just wondering what areas that I need to improve in. I called the school, and she said that I was only 3 points away from being accepted, and she would not recommend me doing anything, but I would still like to know ways for me to improve. Thanks!

I am looking into applying at Wharton (sugarland campus) and Alvin for the ADN Spring admission. I'm really nervous, and I'm hoping to get into Wharton for distance issues. The deadline for applications to Wharton is in July, and Alvin is September, I believe.