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I passed in 75 questions! I wouldn't say it was easy, but it wasn't intimidating. I think it was a combination of Kaplan and the quality of education I received. My school puts a lot of effort into ensuring its students are NCLEX-ready upon graduation. I used the decision tree and that helped me to remain focused and methoducal rather than flustered and rushed. I spent some time psyching myself up beforehand. I thought of all the tests I had already passed up to this point. I thought of times when I had worked really hard and faced something challenging and succeeded. (I looked at a picture of myself after my first 10K last fall!) I just told myself that the knowledge, skill, and ability to succeed is already in me. Even if my recall was not great, it was all material I was familiar with. I think having a positive mindset helped! Will you be taking yours soon?

Haha, I don't know if "prepare" is the right word, since I don't feel prepared! I used Saunders and NCLEX Mastery (casually) and Kaplan was my main study platform. I started studying about 3 weeks ago. (I had the flu the week before, and my fever brain was not compatible with studying. So there was a whole week lost.) I had it in my mind that successful candidates studied 6-8 hours a day, 5 days a week, doing about 250 questions, including remediation and content review. But realistically, it was more like 2-6 hours a day. 2 weeks prior, I was so flustered at not living up to the "ideal" standards of studying that I think it hindered my efforts. And then I started to panic, which really messed with my mindset! On here, I've read plenty of people saying that Kaplan was harder than the NCLEX. But graduates from my school say that the NCLEX was considerably harder. So, who knows? I think that is too subjective to determine. I am hoping I fall into the category of those who think Kaplan was more difficult. I did not reschedule my test day, so I'm still on for tomorrow! I just have to trust my abilities and utilize the decision tree.

First of all, it is 100% completely normal to feel like you are behind and overwhelmed, even right in the beginning. I felt the same way in the beginning. One of the senior students took the time to talk to me and told me my feelings were normal. Just hearing that helped. I just graduated in December and I am taking my NCLEX this Tuesday. If you can hang tight for a few more days, I can share some of my study strategies and tips for getting organized, so you know what to focus on and when. Can you please send me a private message so I don't forget? I just need to get through the NCLEX and then I can help! I had lots of help and guidance as I was going through school and now it is my turn to give in return. We have to look out for each other. Take a few deep breaths and I will talk to you on Wednesday.

THANK YOU so much for sharing your experience in such detail! I am scheduled to take my NCLEX on Tuesday afternoon, and I am so scared. I am having anxiety attacks. My Kaplan scores have been good. Throughout school, I got some of the highest scores in my class. I got my ATT a month ago. But in that month, I had Christmas and a week of the flu. So my mind was NOT focused on studying. I feel like I have forgotten everything! My Kaplan sample tests and trainer tests have ranged from 49-63%. Luckily the highest score was on the hardest one so far. I can't say that I have studied as hard as you did. But our scores seem to be in the same range. Reading your story is helping me to calm down and have hope! Thank you!

I am scheduled to take my NCLEX-RN in less than 48 hours. I was wondering how you determined your readiness to take the test. I understand that it is common to panic and feel like you aren't ready, even if you actually are. My concern is that I may not be quite ready. I don't feel like my practice test scores reflect what I can be capable of. Did any of you push your exam back by a week? Do you think it helped? Was it useful to have the extra time to calm your nerves? Or did it just prolong the anxiety? Did any of you have extreme anxiety/lack of focus/fuzzy head and decide to just jump in and take it anyway? What was your experience? I did well in school and my school has a great pass rate. I consistently had some of the highest Kaplan scores in my class. I took the Kaplan review and the strategies worked. I did well on my Kaplan readiness test. But, that was over a month ago. Since then, I took a few days to relax. I sent my son off to boot camp. I had prepare for Christmas and attend to my duties as a mother. Then I got the flu, which really sapped all my brain power. It took 2 weeks to feel like myself again. That seriously impacted my study time. Now, I feel like I forgot so much and my recall of material is terrible! I am doing practice questions through Kaplan, and even using the decision tree, I am scoring only around 50%. Some of this I can attribute to anxiety. Objectively, I have not put in sufficient studying time. I don't doubt my abilities, I just have doubts at this particular moment! I am considering postponing it for a week (but no longer than that!) I believe it would be better to wait a week and pass, than take it now and risk not passing. I have a job lined up, and I start the end of February. If I did not pass, I won't be able to start work until April. If I postpone by a week, it will not affect my current start date. On the other hand, I really just want to get it out of the way! There is no guarantee that any other test dates are available. Friends and family mean well when they tell me, "You're smart. You got this!" But that really does not help. I don't think they understand how the test works or the timeline and cost of re-testing. I'm not saying that I'll never pass. I know I will and I know I will work to become a great nurse. I really don't need a pep talk. I'm not freaking out because I'm not confident. It is just raw reality that I may not actually be prepared and could use a few days to sharpen my mind. I just need to hear from those of you who: Postponed a few days and it helped Postponed a few days and felt the same Didn't think you were ready, but took it anyway Thank you for listening! It helps to purge the negative thoughts and move on. Back to studying. -A

I'm not entirely certain that calls are made in alphabetical order. Last fall, I was a full "admit institution," my last name begins with F, and I got my notification almost two weeks after they began.

Congratulations, Pink Eagle! It's been a long time coming!

"Mini-vacation"?!?! Oh littlemango, you ARE optimistic! I spent 5 hours at school today working with my group on our presentation for our Research class! I *did* take a nap this afternoon. A LOT of us are getting sick at this point in the semester. (Getting over a sinus infection here.) Tomorrow, it's my day to run errands, go to the laundromat, and take my daughter to the dentist. AND study. Saturday, we'll be at Maryland Day, doing BP checks and talking about health promotion, in College Park. (Come visit if you are in the area. ) It's one of our clinicals. Thanks for the kind words, everyone. It's always exciting to have newbies join the ranks! UMSON is an amazing school. I love the Shady Grove campus and the camaraderie my classmates and I have with each other. There are plenty of groups to participate in on campus. I'm one of the secretaries for Nurses for Global Health. We would definitely love to have new members. I'm going to go do something crazy- SLEEP! Congratulations to those who got in and good luck to those still waiting.

Hi blessedNhopeful! Littlemango and I can go into detail in just a few weeks. Three weeks left, and we will have survived our first semester! The one thing I learned in my first semester, that NO ONE told me (and I have A LOT of nurse/nursing student friend was about the "nursing school mood swings. " I went through happy, sad, elated, depressed, doubtful, anxious, confident, despairing, relieved. ..all in about 10 minutes, on repeat through the whole day, every day. That lasted until it all came to a head right before spring break. I was melting down! I wanted to quit. I was beyond anxious, and felt really negative. Then I aced two validations. While I was on the upswing, my classmates were having their meltdowns. They turned to me for support, and said I helped them. That was all I needed to keep going. Spring break helped. Everything was better after spring break. Still a heavy workload. Half of our grades come from the assignments in the last 4 weeks. No pressure, right? But hey, I chose a profession in which lives are on the line every day, so what's a little pressure in school? Your classmates will be your lifeline. No one else will understand nursing school life like they will. Most of all, no matter what, stay positive! I just read a few research studies (oh, you'll make friends wirh research studies real quick) about how optimism is an indicator of resiliency. Remaining optimistic will help you to overcome obstacles and ward off depression. Ruminate on your happy memories. Think about your goals for the future. Keep your chin up and keep moving ahead!

Katiep_123- my call from UMSON came about 2 days before my deposit was due at Towson! I still lost out on my deposit to TU's nursing program, but at least I was spared paying the University deposit.

It can take a while to get "The Call." Last fall, others began receiving notifications, be it accepted, rejected, or waitlisted. A week into it, I still had heard noting. I think it took at least a week and a half or maybe even longer than two weeks for my notification. I was driving in the car with my kids, and it was early evening, long past when I thought anyone would be in the office. The phone rang, and it was a Baltimore number. I figured it was a solicitation or something along those lines. I actually said to my daughters, "It's a Baltimore number, but there's no way it's Maryland calling." (I had JUST checked my status online.) But then I decided to check my status and the voicemail. Boy, was I wrong! I was a full "admit institution" because I had already successfully completed my prerequisite classes. A longer wait prior to receiving a response is not a negative indicator. You could still get the news you want two weeks from now! Any Shady Grove traditional BSN admits- please feel free to contact me or littlemango. We had (and have) some great mentors and we would love to do the same for you. Littlemango and I make a great team, and we love to help!

Congratulations, emilykwas! Yes, "provisional admit" means that you need to submit your final grades for the semester before your status can change to "admit institution." For any of you provisional admits- your final grades must be A's and B's only. As for those of you who have been waitlisted, have faith! If not this semester, then maybe next spring. Do not give up! I stuck with it, and here I am, about to finish my first semester at UMSON. The waiting list feels like a rejection, but it is not. All it means is they want you, but there weren't enough spots for you. April to September is a long time. You never know who may change their mind or not make the grades, and a spot will open up. Regardless, just keep forging ahead. I can tell you, come August, when the waitlist closes and the application deadline nears, it is so nice to already have your materials in. Last summer, I got an email asking if I wanted to remain on the waitlist. All I had to do was reply with a "yes." Easy! While you are on the waitlist, start thinking of other things you can do. Formulate your next back up plan. What other classes can you take? Is there any volunteer work you can do? Nursing home volunteering will be helpful for your first semester clinicals. Look for internships. Get creative and start thinking of other things you can do to gain experience, test your abilities, and keep your mind sharp. Work as much as you can now, and SAVE your money! You will need it once you're in school. If nothing else, take some time to enjoy yourself. What?! Yes, go enjoy yourself. Binge watch some Netflix. Catch up with your friends. Hit the gym. Cook delicious dinners for your family. Read for fun. Once you are in nursing school, all of those things will be put on hold, so enjoy them while you can.

For those of you who got accepted to Towson, I was wondering what you meant by "Does it apply to us?" The way it works with Towson, is you apply to the SON and the University, you need to be accepted to both, you have to pay BOTH deposits if you want to attend. It seems like this might be what you were asking. If I am correct in thinking that, then MOST DEFINITELY YES, the University deposit deadline applies to you! If you do not pay the University deposit, in addition to the SON deposit, then you will forfeit your spot. You need to be a student of the university in order to be a student of their nursing school. Good luck!

Student here. Not getting involved in the debate, but I do have a funny anecdote. Before nursing school, I worked in retail. One of the things that sealed the deal for me when deciding to pursue a career in nursing was all the bodily fluids I had to clean up in a RETAIL setting! Yup, I had to clean up every type of bodily fluid, except amniotic fluid and CSF. I figured, if I am going to be expected to clean up bodily fluids, I might as well be a nurse and get paid three times as much to do it. As a nurse, I will get to use my knowledge, not just my janitorial skills. At least at the bedside, you expect to have to clean your patients. No one expects to have to clean up explosive diarrhea in a grocery store bathroom or vomit off the frozen department sales floor when they're a cashier. (True story! Armed with only garbage bags and gloves as my PPE.) So, here I am in school. My poop scooping days are far from over, but they're more rewarding now.

Congratulations to all those who have been accepted! Provisional admits- just remember that, in order to make it to "admit institution" you need to pass your classes with an A or a B. Stay focused on your current semester's classes. Buckle down and make those grades!

BSN hopefuls- If you have already been accepted somewhere, ask yourself this. Are you willing to pass up a sure bet, in favor of a maybe? How badly do you want to be in nursing school in the fall? I say, pay your deposit! That one is a sure bet. I got accepted to Towson (for spring 2015) and I paid the deposit for nursing school. I was holding out on the deposit to the university, and got "The Call" from UMSON *right* before the second Towson deposit was due. Sure, it stinks to have lost a few hundred dollars, but at least I KNEW I would be going to nursing school. I definitely recommend just paying it, and shrugging off your losses if you do get into UMSON. If you don't pay your deposit, and you don't get into UMSON, then you won't be going to nursing school anywhere. And if you do get into UMSON, then you get to pick from two (or more) schools.

Two quick things to keep in mind: 1. Status doesn't signify much. I've seen applicants on 3 application cycles remain at "complete, ready for review" or "committee ready" right up until they got the phone call to tell them they've been accepted. Try to not sweat it! 2. If you have been accepted to other colleges, go ahead and put the money on the sure bet. Last fall, I was accepted to Towson, so I sent in my deposit money while still waiting for the decision from UMSON. I had to go ahead and do this, in case I didn't get accepted to UMSON. I know money is a precious commodity for us students, but it was worth it to lose a few hundred dollars, just to ensure I would be going to nursing school somewhere. Trust me, it is better to lose your deposit because you got accepted into more than one school, than it is to pass it up, only to not be accepted by any additional school. As I always tell my kids, "Keep every door open. Leave your options open so you can have a choice. Also, everyone told me, "Nursing school changes you. It changes the way you think." But no one could really describe what that meant. I have been on spring break for the past week. Since I have had time to be myself away from school for a week, I am now seeing how my thinking, perspective, and mindset have changed for the better, even just seven weeks into it. A positive paradigm shift! I see, too, why they had a hard time describing it. The best way I can explain it is that problems now seem manageable, not insurmountable. I assess situations quicker than I used to. (I was already good at people assessment, but found many situations overwhelming.) I say to myself, "What is going on here? What needs resolving? How can I resolve it?" And then I get it done. I don't half-a** things like I used to, even if it's just dishes. I am better at prioritizing. There's more, but it is hard to describe, but I feel it. Now it makes sense why people kept telling me that nursing school changes you. I can only imagine how much more I will grow, as I enter clinicals and continue on in school. It is a very satisfying feeling, to grow as a person. I hope that you will get the decisions you want. I wish you so much luck in nursing school, and I wish for you the opportunity to experience this personal growth. Good luck! Message me if you have any questions.

To piggyback on my previous post: Hi everyone! Try to not sweat these last few weeks of waiting or whether or not you are "ready for review" or "committee ready." As long as they have all of your application materials, then you did all that you need to do. At this point, the status means nothing until it changes to "admit-institution" or "provisional admit" (or not admitted, but we won't go there.) I've said this the past several application rounds- just pay attention to the classes you are in now! This is crucial! Next step: GET ORGANIZED! Create a filing system, or get an accordian file and use it for all your important papers and documentation. Make sure you know where things like social security card and tax records are. Be prepared to submit all kinds of information for school and for financial aid. Get your immunizations. Locate all of your immunization documentation. Make sure your CPR training is up-to-date. Arrange to get your immunizations, titers, and CPR training. If you have your vax's and CPR, but don't have the documentation, start tracking it down now. Get your life in order. Things to clear up on your credit report? Tackle it now. Those wisdom teeth you keep meaning to have pulled? Do it now. Can't seem to find your social security card? Go apply for one now! If you have any loose ends in your life- personal, financial, health, car, transportation, family, etc...take care of them now! I have run into a few problems related to things like this, and let me tell you, it is almost impossible to resolve these things while you are in school. My only day off is Friday (sometimes) and that is NOT enough time to make important phone calls...and wait on hold forever. Granted, some of these things are not even my fault (I paid a medical bill and they lost all record of payment...after they took my money!) and I could not have anticipated that. But still, the less friction you have in your life, the easier things will be while in nursing school. It is really draining to take care of these things and worry about them while worrying about school. Do your taxes! FAFSA! Get your finances in order. Apply for financial aid, or get ready to. This means having financial information at the ready. Go to the Maryland Higher Education Commission website and apply for scholarships and grants. Contact your state delegate for scholarships. Polish up your resume. Figure out what health insurance you'll have while in school. You have to have it, so might as well map out a few options now. If you aren't working while you are in school, you can go through the school's insurance or use the Maryland Healthcare Exchange to sign up for a plan. Basically, I urge you to examine your life and look for all the minutiae and mundane details that you can resolve now. Really? you say. Yes, really. You have the time now, and it will distract you from the waiting game. It *seems* like you have so much time between now and August. Nope! It goes by really quickly. Make yourself the most organized you that you can be. I remember what it felt like to be in your shoes. The waiting was horrible! Heed my advice! Learn from my mistakes! Step away from SURFS and use your time wisely. Once you are in nursing school, time will be your most valuable asset (and also your greatest enemy...says the woman looking anxiously at the clock, calculating how much time she has left to study and make dinner...) In the meantime, hang in there. May will be here before you know it, and then you will know your fate. Feel free to message me with any questions!

Hi MiMi3, Sorry I've been MIA for a while now. School is INTENSE. I'm not sure "like" is the right word...more like "grateful." I just sent you a message on Facebook. I will be more communicative next week (it's spring break.) As for this week- I just finished two validations and an exam. I still have two exams left to take and some group assignments due. I'll be back! -A

Hi everyone! I just started my first week of classes in the BSN program, at UMSON's Shady Grove campus. The workload is heavy (so are the books!) already, so I probably won't be on here much. I just wanted to wish all of you the best of luck! Feel free to message me with questions anytime. I'm sure some of my classmates will check in periodically, since it was not long ago that we were in your shoes. It feels like ages ago, though! It's a whole other world, I can tell you that much, even just in the first week. This is a great resource, I made a lot of friends from my application group, and it helps to have buddies, right from the start. I can give you advice in one word: patience. Decisions are not usually given out until mid-May, at the earliest. It's an agonizing wait, but it is what it is. You can't speed it up and all the worrying in the world won't help you! Enjoy the slowness while you can, because once you're accepted, your to-do list grows daily, and you have to hit the ground running every day! Once your application is in, just focus on you current classes, because they are important. Good luck! I hope to see some of you in the fall!

I know this topic has been addressed before, but I am always looking for fresh perspective. I think I feel the need to talk about it because I am freaking out! If anyone has had a similar experience, I certainly appreciate your input. I am trying to determine the most succinct and convincing way to request (and be granted) a postponement of service. I am beginning nursing school at University of Maryland on January 26. Today, I got a summons for Federal jury duty, in U.S. District Court, for a case expected to last about 5 weeks, beginning on January 20. That would mean missing at least the first month of nursing school, including clinicals, which equates to failing the first semester. Or dropping out and reapplying. After 7 years of working through prerequisites, one false start in nursing school last year, waiting on a wait list, I just can't delay school any longer. I'm 37 and only getting older. Furthermore, my prerequisites and TEAS become outdated after this semester, putting me right back at the beginning of the whole process! I went to the website provided in the summons, to complete the juror questionnaire. There was nowhere on the website to request a postponement of service. (It said there was a link, but there was nothing!) After extreme technical difficulty, I have decided to break their rules, and complete the paper form, in addition to submitting the electronic form, since the electronic form is incomplete! This is just adding to my extreme aggravation over this. I'm quitting my job to go to nursing school full-time. If they don't grant me a postponement, and I still have to appear and hope to be dismissed, I will miss out on my last week of work. I certainly want to serve, but not at the expense of my schooling and future career. Under other circumstances, I would be excited about serving. (Except for the extreme loss of income! Under my current pay, it results in a 40% loss in income!) But right now, I really can't muster the care. I would be one angry juror! Thanks for listening to my grumbling. Any advice on how to woo the court and postpone my jury duty? I need to have a winning argument!

Thanks to everyone who said I've helped encourage them. I am so happy to help with lifting spirits, or anything else. I've had some contentious interactions with a few people lately, so your kind words helped ME! @muldrowtl- Ack! You are performing the ultimate juggling act! That sounds like a really stressful situation to be in. You must be one tough cookie. If you ever need to unload, feel free to message me. I haven't been in your shoes, but I am happy to lend a sympathetic ear. Keep me posted on your progress!

@KayBee09- Here is the link to the "Current Students" page. You will want SURFS (different component of what we used to submit and check on our applications.) Current Students | University of Maryland School of Nursing

@jennyxyz- Did you call? I think, at this point, you are justified in calling!

For anyone still waiting, here is one of my favorite quotes. “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it's yours.” ― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged