Saunders, Prentice Hall, Kaplan > which one's better?

bamagt · Jan 6, 2010

Kaplan is the best. They use old NCLEX questions in their material.

OrionQuiltsRN · Jan 6, 2010

I liked the Saunders. Most of the books are set up in chapters. Review questions are at the end of the chapters, but answers are at the back of the book. I just hated that.

Saunders Q&A is nothing but review questions. The pages are organized so that questions on the page are in a column; answers are adjacent to the questions in a second column. You can cover the up the answers as you go along. I didn't like all the flipping of the pages in the other books.

My recommendation is to go to Barnes & Noble, grab the NCLEX review books, and look at them. The director at my nursing program suggested that study groups purchase several different review books and pass them around.

I used the Saunders Q&A PN book and passed the LPN boards with the minimum questions. Then I used the Saunders Q&A RN book and passed the RN boards with the minimum questions. Best of luck, you will be an RN soon! :redpinkhe

haley4 · Jan 6, 2010

Kaplan did it for me.

+one · Jan 7, 2010

I used both Prentice Hall and Saunders and I think with both books combined really helped me, Saunders with the content and Prentice Hall with the CD questions. :)

netglow, ASN, RN · Jan 7, 2010

I am taking Kaplan now, and it's kinda irritating me.

I do LOVE my Prentice Hall Comprehensie Review for the NCLEX-RN I've had it for a while. It gives you a lot of good content review, not silly condescending garbage like some of the others do. The questions are good for finding out what you can apply... which is the catch word for the NCLEX passing level questions.

I sort of feel that the Kaplan class can give you some strategy tips, but no review. For that you need to get at what you might be sketchy on quick. Go to a big Borders or Barnes and Noble and look at several, actually see if they have anything substantial, I feel my Prentice Hall book is much better than my Saunders book.

plus44 · Jan 7, 2010

I am taking Kaplan now, and it's kinda irritating me.
I do LOVE my Prentice Hall Comprehensie Review for the NCLEX-RN I've had it for a while. It gives you a lot of good content review, not silly condescending garbage like some of the others do. The questions are good for finding out what you can apply... which is the catch word for the NCLEX passing level questions.
I sort of feel that the Kaplan class can give you some strategy tips, but no review. For that you need to get at what you might be sketchy on quick. Go to a big Borders or Barnes and Noble and look at several, actually see if they have anything substantial, I feel my Prentice Hall book is much better than my Saunders book.

I felt the exact same way about Kaplan! I took the review course and seemed like they give you the "Kaplan Decision Tree" and then they let you go and do whatever you want. Basically, you need to KNOW your content and KNOW how to use the decision tree.

I am using the Saunders Comprehensive Book to review content and some questions. I am primarily using the Saunder's Q&A book and Kaplan's QBank questions to test myself and see what areas I need to go over. Saunders seems more straight and to the point and is helping me the most. I am just using Kaplan's Qbank because the instructor told us that past test takers had reported seeing some of the same questions on their exams.

Overall, it just depends on what you think you need to work on, and deciding which method/source is best for you. For what it's worth, many people that I know said that Saunders helped in content and Kaplan helped in weeding out the answer for multiple choice.

xterpogz · Jan 8, 2010

Thanks guys for all your replies..Right now im reading Saunder's comprehensive review for Nclex-RN examination..After reading each system, i make sure that I reinforce my knowledge using Prenticehall Compre Review Q&A and Kaplan Strategy Practice Exam Q and A.

I just hope that it will be an effective way for me to have sufficient knowledge and strategy, as well as boost my confidence that ill be needing for the exam..

bbie17 · Jan 9, 2010

I recommend Saunders. I used Kaplan to study and used Saunders once in awhile to read the chapters that Kaplan book doesn't talk about in details. I just took my NCLEX-RN yesterday and I regret not spending more time with the Saunders book. My exam was all content-based so Kaplan's strategy did not help.

davina03 · Feb 5, 2010

bbie 17 - how did u do? i am using kaplan and i just started using saunders. i think saunders in really really easy compared to kaplan - which scared me a little. but if people passed with it - it shouldn't hurt. i think i am going to use both. hope i pass!

caliotter3 · Feb 5, 2010

What is best for one person may not be for the next. You should look at each of them; if a book, check them out at the bookstore. Decide what looks best for you. Go with that one, and stick with it. If you are not successful, then is the time to look for another resource. Too many at one time can be just confusing.

bbie17 · Feb 6, 2010

bbie 17 - how did u do? i am using kaplan and i just started using saunders. i think saunders in really really easy compared to kaplan - which scared me a little. but if people passed with it - it shouldn't hurt. i think i am going to use both. hope i pass!

Hi davina03, I passed the NCLEX-RN. However, I don't think it was kaplan that helped me pass...alot of the questions I got were covered in my med/surg class so I knew the content. There were 2 questions in the whole test where kaplan's decision tree actually applied, but if I had used it...it would've led me to the wrong answer. The right answer was the "yes/no" question and kaplan teaches you to avoid those. Everyone's test is different, but all my friends said their tests were mainly content-based too...either you know it or you don't. So Saunders is good for content review but practice questions from other sources. I'd recommend NCLEX 3500, it's free.