Taking NCLEX 3rd time, when should I take Kaplan?

+one · Oct 28, 2009

Hi I took it 2 times and passed on my 2nd try (both self review). Here is my thread:

https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/2nd-time-passer-433756.html

basically what I did was to study for 3 months and finished several books.

Before I go to bed I would go over my Normal Values, MEDS, common procedures. And answer 100 questions/day if you are done with your content. Good luck!

smn2010, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2009

since you have been away from your nursing books for awhile, study nursing content as you do practice questions. if you have the saunders nclex-rn comprehensive review book, you can do their assessment that will prepare a 30-day study schedule for you based upon your results. the saunders assessment results, focus on your weak areas so you will have an idea of where you need to study most. this may be a good way for you to start your study process; however, i would not rush the process to study. since saunders will provide you with a 30-day schedule, stretch that out to 90-days...120 days...(whatever you think you need...) so that you can really concentrate on the content (don't memorize, you need to know the information) as you do practice questions from any source. nursing review books/cds are usually available at the public library so save your money! check the nursing section of your library. the books with cds can be downloaded onto your home pc so you will always have the information available to you long after you return the books back to the library.

kaplan, hurst, ncsbn, vipramed and other review courses/seminars may be helpful after you have refreshed your memory with nursing content. maybe after you are comfortable with your nursing content/knowledge you might what to consider paying for a review course. i think it is too early for you to start paying money because most review courses have time limits (about 3 months) and rely upon the fact that you are already familiar with nursing content.

note: i have a good friend who was a nurse in the phillippines. she took her (u.s.) boards in 2006 and did not pass. she has spent the last 9 months preparing to take the nclex again. she began by reviewing nursing content. while reviewing her content, she did all of the practice questions from mosby, lippincott, kaplan strategies (purple book available at the library), examcram, davis, lacharity (delegation and prioritization), nclex-rn made easy and others. she has completed at least 15,000 questions...but she says she still has some problems deciphering what the question is really asking, due to the language barrier, i think. when she was finally comfortable with her nursing content/knowledge she enrolled in the marlene hurst review and attended the live seminar. that was 2 weeks ago. now she is doing her final review (...my friend told me that hurst suggests you take the nclex within 4 weeks of attending their live seminar..) and plans to take her nclex for the 2nd time in about 2 weeks (mid november). after attending the hurst live seminar and reviewing the hurst book/completing the workbook, she is more confident and anxious to take the nclex.

create your study plan and stick to it. do as many practice questions as possible. you will know when you are most comfortable with the nursing content. when that time comes, you can determine which, if any, review course (kaplan, hurst, etc.) you might what to pay for.

good luck!! :up:

brichielpn08, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2009

This is the MOST HORRIBLE exam i have taken in my life. I can't believed how much time i put to just study this stupid exam where people from the BOARD makes it really hard to pass. I swear to God, I hope I don't start to regret all this spend energy just by studying all this content and procedures. I hope it doesnt go to waste. I am starting to regret why I took this career..I never experienced this difficulty in life since I started this Nursing journey...I HATE IT! I'll tell you that...I HATED this exam more than anything else....Grrrr!

char13173 · Oct 28, 2009

Hi there! good job for not giving up. I took NCLEX twice and finally passed with 265 questions. yeah go figure. I did not take kaplan but many of my friends took kaplan like a month and a half before their scheduled test and passed with flying colors. for me i studied every book i could get my hands on and did many questions over and over agian to get the strategy down. well good luck! I know you can do it!

Ace587RN, RN · Oct 28, 2009

i recommend kaplan and it helped me pass with flying colors

Michael'sprv8RN · Oct 29, 2009

Hello everyone. May I also ask if I need to take a formal course review after not passing NCLEX-RN the 2nd time? I am applying licensure for Vermont. Can't open my PDF for the re-take application on Vermont's website. Please share.

Thank you and good luck to everyone.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 29, 2009

Hello everyone. May I also ask if I need to take a formal course review after not passing NCLEX-RN the 2nd time? I am applying licensure for Vermont. Can't open my PDF for the re-take application on Vermont's website. Please share.
Thank you and good luck to everyone.

Each state is different on whether you need to sit a refresher course or not. Some states do like Florida and some don't like California. Is there nothing stated on your state website?

Michael'sprv8RN · Oct 29, 2009

Each state is different on whether you need to sit a refresher course or not. Some states do like Florida and some don't like California. Is there nothing stated on your state website?

I am appllying for Vermont. Just can't figure out my PDF to open the retake application where the instructions are. I want to know if it's a "requirement" to take the review course after a certain number of retakes?

Silverdragon, am a foreign nurse grad, do they formulate the questions or categorize them if you are a US grad or no? coz am taking it here in Ohio, coz it could be 3x harder for me. Thank you so much.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 29, 2009

i am appllying for vermont. just can't figure out my pdf to open the retake application where the instructions are. i want to know if it's a "requirement" to take the review course after a certain number of retakes?
silverdragon, am a foreign nurse grad, do they formulate the questions or categorize them if you are a us grad or no? coz am taking it here in ohio, coz it could be 3x harder for me. thank you so much.

the test is formulated for a us graduate so the pool of questions which is changed every 45 days (or so i believe hence reason why you have to wait 45 days to resit in most states) is aimed at everyone regardless on where you trained.

i found this on the vermont website and looks like if you failed twice you need to do a review course

if you have taken and failed the nclex two times:

you must complete a formal nclex review course. please submit the curriculum plan (published description of the

course), your certificate of completion and a final overall (readiness) score for the course along with the retake

application.

vermont rn retake

Michael'sprv8RN · Oct 29, 2009

the test is formulated for a us graduate so the pool of questions which is changed every 45 days (or so i believe hence reason why you have to wait 45 days to resit in most states) is aimed at everyone regardless on where you trained.
i found this on the vermont website and looks like if you failed twice you need to do a review course
if you have taken and failed the nclex two times:
you must complete a formal nclex review course. please submit the curriculum plan (published description of the
course), your certificate of completion and a final overall (readiness) score for the course along with the retake
application.
vermont rn retake

thank you. now i feel down coz i don't have any means to enroll in a formal review..i don't drive yet, my husband's at work all the time and don't have enough funds.

god bless!