Saunders vs Kaplan! What are the differences?!

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Hi guys! Can you share your thoughts with what u guys think about these two review tools?! Based on your experiences when reviewing fir the exam! Thanks :)

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

Saunders is great for content. Very detailed. Kaplan is great for questions. It's more nclex style with a lot of critical thinking applications.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Saunders is great for content. Very detailed. Kaplan is great for questions. It's more nclex style with a lot of critical thinking applications.

Agree with the top. Saunders is great for refreshing your memory on content. The nclex style questions are not nclex style and are too easy. I wish I would have known this before I relied solely on saunders to study for my first attempt. I failed my first attempt. Now that I have started reviewing kaplan and reviews like ATI, I am seeing more nclex style questions. I think the key is to study from a few different sources since they all have something different and essential to offer.

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Definitely agree with the others. Saunders is easy and definitely easier than the NCLEX. Kaplan questions are more like NCLEX in terms of difficulty level. I was able to use the Kaplan book and get practice doing many of their questions without having to pay $300 for their qbank. I also suggest the PDA book, the questions are harder than NCLEX, but I think it's what really helped me to pass with 75 questions. The majority of my test were priority based questions. I just did the chps in the beginning, not the case studies. Good luck.

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Just realized that you're an LPN grad, not sure about the NCLEX pn, might not be priority based...

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My opinion:

I have the 3 books and CDs

Kaplan: Gives you the critical thinking

Hurst; gives you the content in a nutshell

Saunders: gives you the content extensively

I like Kaplan Q' but not the rationales (they are too poor)

I don't like hurst Q' in the book they are in order of the content. I like a lot the charts of content that the book has.

I like Saunders Rationales because they are extensive, all Answers give you the priority of nursing, a test taking strategy and references to look up in the Internet.

Maybe 2 weeks before my test I would start PDA. I don't have something to say about this book

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Goodmorning everyone! Thank you for the feedbacks! I truly believe that you guys are all true about these two resources. I used to study Saunders and it is really great with content and strategies on what to pick, BUT it's too easy if you know the content. I relied on it entirely for my exam but I didn't do so well on my first try. I guesss Saunder's is just another back up.

Now, I got Kaplan NCLEX PN strategies for practical nsg licensing exam and I was surprised at its difficulty. I wasn't getting 7/10 like I was getting in Saunders and it does make you think critically. I wish I would've seen this first b/c the question style is very similar! The rationales are not as great as Saunder's so I guess I'll stick to both.

THe QBANK from Kaplan...for those of you guys who had it. How was it? Is it like Saunder's CD? HOw many questions it offers? Can you use it anytime? Sorry so many questions. I just wanna be better with my reviewing and the use of resources around me.

I've seen hurst and many have said that it did work for them... Maybe I can try it too to see, but I heard it's only online but not in class. THe only problem about this is that I learn pretty well in class.

Thank you all for the feedbacks and congratulations for your success in passing the nclex! I will persevere to get there! :)

I'm thinking on relying to this resource.

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I just ordered PDA and I'm excited to use it! I heard it helps a lot!

Do you have to order Kaplan book in the website or you can check this out in barnes and noble? Or anywhere?

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Hi! There was a lot of priorities questions! I wish I'd seen the Kaplan soooner! Saunders has different questioning style...

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Goodmorning everyone! Thank you for the feedbacks! I truly believe that you guys are all true about these two resources. I used to study Saunders and it is really great with content and strategies on what to pick, BUT it's too easy if you know the content. I relied on it entirely for my exam but I didn't do so well on my first try. I guesss Saunder's is just another back up.

Now, I got Kaplan NCLEX PN strategies for practical nsg licensing exam and I was surprised at its difficulty. I wasn't getting 7/10 like I was getting in Saunders and it does make you think critically. I wish I would've seen this first b/c the question style is very similar! The rationales are not as great as Saunder's so I guess I'll stick to both.

THe QBANK from Kaplan...for those of you guys who had it. How was it? Is it like Saunder's CD? HOw many questions it offers? Can you use it anytime? Sorry so many questions. I just wanna be better with my reviewing and the use of resources around me.

I've seen hurst and many have said that it did work for them... Maybe I can try it too to see, but I heard it's only online but not in class. THe only problem about this is that I learn pretty well in class.

Thank you all for the feedbacks and congratulations for your success in passing the nclex! I will persevere to get there! :)

I'm thinking on relying to this resource.

Although I am studying for the nclex-rn, it seems like we are in similar situations. I agree that saunders is a good book to have as a back-up and continue reviewing to stay good on content. After taking the nclex once and seeing the questions firsthand, I realized that ATI and Kaplan questions are more on the level of difficulty as the nclex. Saunders questions are just way too easy and straightforward. Actualy NCLEX questions are not as obvious as saunders answers were. I will review saunders periodically for content though, especially the CD.

I wish you luck, and I hope we will both have success in passing next time. :cat:

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I just ordered PDA and I'm excited to use it! I heard it helps a lot!

Do you have to order Kaplan book in the website or you can check this out in barnes and noble? Or anywhere?

I bought my PDA book on amazon.

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Although I am studying for the nclex-rn, it seems like we are in similar situations. I agree that saunders is a good book to have as a back-up and continue reviewing to stay good on content. After taking the nclex once and seeing the questions firsthand, I realized that ATI and Kaplan questions are more on the level of difficulty as the nclex. Saunders questions are just way too easy and straightforward. Actualy NCLEX questions are not as obvious as saunders answers were. I will review saunders periodically for content though, especially the CD.

I wish you luck, and I hope we will both have success in passing next time. :cat:

You are definitely right! I was like in shock when I was first saw the questions. I had a tough time adjusting bc I got used to Saunder's type of questioning plus the level of difficulty is wayyyyy diffrent! A lot of CRITICAL thinking in Kaplan, but Saunder's had the strategies and great rationales!

I'm happy for getting feedbacks to many of you guys cuz I get many opinions and support! I'm defitnely going to check Kaplan! Thanks again! :)

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