Quick results?? How to relax? Is that even possible?

fustudent610, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Nov 11, 2016

My heart was pounding hard when I got in the testing center, but honestly I felt the calmest I've ever been when I sat down and took it. I have a few things that helped me:

1- On the nclex site there's a way to download the tutorial. It turns your computer into an exact copy of the nclex tutorial. Do it once a day until you take it. This is to get you used to it so it won't seem foreign, and when you are given the exact same questions on test day you can blaze through them. The time does count against you.

2- Understand the rules of the test. You will get half of them wrong, that's how it's designed. So if you don't know the answer, accept that you may get it wrong, pick the best answer, and move on. I think this is the most important thing. Because getting hung up on getting stuff right or wrong will mess with you. Look at it for what it is, a question to gauge your ability.

3- Avoid the myths! I had at least half my test as SATA, but taking it I knew it was only a format. People will tell you more SATA means you're doing well, yet the ncsbn itself even says it's not true. Also, there is no way to know if you're on higher level or lower level questions. While I did feel them get challenging and easier, I swore I had questions that had to be failing level. Yet I passed. The nclex is written simple. Most questions are about a sentence. This is a blessing, trust me.

4- Finally, your experience WILL vary. Not everyone walks out feeling like they failed. I thought it was challenging, as I have taken more difficult tests. Yet my friend thought it was very hard. So just because your experience is different from the norm, it doesn't necessarily indicate failure.

Best of luck! Just remember it's only another test, you've done plenty to get here.

yaripr1 · Nov 16, 2016

Thank you sooo much for all of the advice.