Q for who people who practiced KAPAN ?s

RN_2008 · Feb 22, 2008

I've heard 60's are good. Make sure you read the rationales, for both incorrect and correct options. You'll learn A LOT! My Kaplan trainer scores were lowest 58, highest 72. I stopped at 75 questions...still feeling pretty confident, but I don't know if I passed yet.

Take your time in answering the questions and try to use Kaplan's strategies. If you have to...review Kaplan's strategies again. Hope this helps. :wink2: Saunder's CD is also VERY helpful.

sstars · Feb 22, 2008

so 60s are good??? sounds like a good newz...feel so much better already..i do take my time to understand the rationales...thanx for replying..im pretty sure u'll pass... :)

ps. its amazing how much hard work and dedication we put into this career, and most people (that i know) tend to underestimate it ("nursing")...

littlenursemom · Feb 22, 2008

hi everyone..
i have been studying for NCLEX for a while now. I have been doing al rt in the practice tests..i have been using saunders 4th ed. And recently i started doing KAPLAN questions online n my scores have been pretty low for instance, 65, 58, 52, 53, 55,... Any help on what i should do??? reschedule my test...
Has anybody gotten similar scores and have passed the NCLEX??? PLEASE HELP. IM FREAKING OUT!!!
thank you

its okay...i think as long as your scoring 65 or above you are good. pace yourself. the first time i took kaplan i did horrible and cried like a new born baby after ward. since than i have been pacing my self, 20 questions at a time and my scores are ranging now from 68-89.

worrier · Feb 22, 2008

i have also done kaplan trainers scoring bet 60-65%. i felt really frustrated after each practice test and just thought that I have not studied good enough. I'd like to go back to my books and review every sysytems again from cover to cover, but i don't have enough time.

i think i'll read the strategies again and focus on rationales. studying for NCLEX is really hardwork. it seems like your usual routine change for a while and you don't want to plan anything until after your test result is back. Anyway, I believe PRAYERS can move mountains...

Good luck to all of us!

labrador4122, RN · Feb 22, 2008

hi everyone..
i have been studying for NCLEX for a while now. I have been doing al rt in the practice tests..i have been using saunders 4th ed. And recently i started doing KAPLAN questions online n my scores have been pretty low for instance, 65, 58, 52, 53, 55,... Any help on what i should do??? reschedule my test...
Has anybody gotten similar scores and have passed the NCLEX??? PLEASE HELP. IM FREAKING OUT!!!
thank you

OK do not worry or freak out. I have gotten even lower scores than you and I passed with 75Q

but besides just doing the quetions, i read the blue course book, and watched the videos. My pharm scores were pretty low, so I watched them twice and the scores increased.

I watched the videos by sections, so then I would read that section, then I would do the questions on that section. and I would keep doing the same section over and over untill I had "incorrect:0"

I also asked to take the lecture part again, and the manager signed me up again (no extra charge). I lived and breathed NCLEX-RN study.

By the end of my 3 month study, my readiness test score wa 81%... eventhough that was the 3rd time I took that test! lol.

but hey, i passed! now I make $27/hr (in miami,FL that is pretty good) working nights

labrador4122, RN · Feb 22, 2008

hi everyone..
i have been studying for NCLEX for a while now. I have been doing al rt in the practice tests..i have been using saunders 4th ed. And recently i started doing KAPLAN questions online n my scores have been pretty low for instance, 65, 58, 52, 53, 55,... Any help on what i should do??? reschedule my test...
Has anybody gotten similar scores and have passed the NCLEX??? PLEASE HELP. IM FREAKING OUT!!!
thank you

OK do not worry or freak out. I have gotten even lower scores than you and I passed with 75Q

but besides just doing the quetions, i read the blue course book, and watched the videos. My pharm scores were pretty low, so I watched them twice and the scores increased.

I watched the videos by sections, so then I would read that section, then I would do the questions on that section. and I would keep doing the same section over and over untill I had "incorrect:0"

I also asked to take the lecture part again, and the manager signed me up again (no extra charge). I lived and breathed NCLEX-RN study.

By the end of my 3 month study, my readiness test score wa 81%... eventhough that was the 3rd time I took that test! lol.

but hey, i passed! now I make $27/hr (in miami,FL that is pretty good) working nights

FL-Nurse · Feb 22, 2008

Kaplan is a great program, but it can be overwhelming because there is alot of info. This is how I approached my study using them. First I watched the content videos. While I watched/listened, I would have my book opened and followed along while highlighting and making little notes. My butt got sore sitting in front of the computer for so long, so I finally just turned it up really loud and laid on the couch and followed along. I didn't feel the need to sit and stare at those lovely women for hours at a time! LOL! I would try to listen to one section per day...usually it took several hours to get thru a section. Then in the evening I would do some Qbank questions on just the area that I covered. Maybe like 4 25 question tests. I broke it up so I dind't make myself nutso. I could usually finish 25 questions in about 20 mins so it was easy to sit down and concentrate for short time spans. Then the next day I would go at it again. by the time I had covered all the video content, I had gone through the entire book from cover to cover and had done a good portion of Qbank. I started doing 50 question tests with all areas and my scores were almost always way above the recommended 65%. Then I had the week long class to attend. This helped to refine my skills at dissecting the questions. I took the diagnostic and readiness tests and scored mid 80's on both. When I returned home, I finished up Qbank and began on the Qtrainers. My last 3 Qtrainers were in the 70's. I finished this up about a week before I took NCLEX. The weekend before the test, I covered alot of the content review videos AGAIN...I would turn them on and listen while I was cleaning up or whatever. If it was an area I felt weak on I jotted down some more notes and rehighlighted just to have it fresh in my mind. 2 Days before I wrote out all my labs and made sure I knew the ranges. And the day before I went to lunch, movie and shopping with my daughter. I tried not to think about the test at all.

All that said, I don't know that the content really helped me that much. I knew most of it, but it was a good refresher. But as you are all aware the NCLEX expects you to not only know the knowledge-- they want you to be able to figure out how to use it and apply it to any given situation. I think that is how the Kaplan strategies come into play. They help to give you the skills to answer questions even though it may be a subject you are clueless on.

Unfortunately, as much as I prepared, I walked out of that testing center feeling like I bombed it. The wait was sheer torture. I don't know how to tell you to avoid that! Just know that the more you prepare, the better your chances of passing the first time. Go in feeling that you have done all you can do to prepare and pray that in 48hrs you see the beautiful sight of the word PASSED!

Good luck!!!!!

Mytonezucs · Feb 23, 2008

The Kaplan and Saunders styles of questions are very different. Saunders style is more reflective of the core material. Kaplan is way harder and unfortunately closer to what you'll see on NCLEX.

I'm also having trouble getting over 60% to 65% on Kaplan. I'm reviewing Saunders and also Hurst material. There's only so much you can study at one time.

This is so frustrating. There should be one book to prepare with and that be good enough.

sstars · Feb 23, 2008

I so agree w u Mytonezucs..they should only have one book to study from...books can get very stressing, cuz at time they all say different things...I'm the same boat as u r, as i mentioned above in the post..but i think we'll do fine on the test...lets just keep practicing...i believe if we could pass the "NURSING SCHOOL" where teachers drain all the energy out of you..we can pass the NCLEX!!! i keep telling myself "I CAN DO IT"!!!! im hoping it'll work..hehe..good luck!

juneyhong · Feb 23, 2008

hi everyone..
i have been studying for NCLEX for a while now. I have been doing al rt in the practice tests..i have been using saunders 4th ed. And recently i started doing KAPLAN questions online n my scores have been pretty low for instance, 65, 58, 52, 53, 55,... Any help on what i should do??? reschedule my test...
Has anybody gotten similar scores and have passed the NCLEX??? PLEASE HELP. IM FREAKING OUT!!!
thank you

my kaplan question grades weren't very good.. i had occasional high 60's but mostly in the high 50's... just took the nclex on thursday and found out the result an hour ago. and i passed. i had 191 questions with MANY MANY MEDICATION questions. keep your head up!!!!

sstars · Feb 23, 2008

oh congratulations that u passed..so happy for u!!! happy for everyone whos passing..we all deserve it...

that makes me feel better that i have a chance of passing the NCLEX...cuz the low scores on the kaplan test have been bringing my confidence down...question? any advice u wud wanna give me reagarding studying habits/test taking techniques..would appreciate anything!! thank you :)