Which is harder Phil NLE or NCLEX-RN?

dettedette19 · May 24, 2008

I have taken the local board exam twice (coz im a june 2006 passer and retook it fully for june 2007) and i currently took the NCLEX for the state of new york last march.

i passed it all ut alll i can say is that i cried after taking my nclex thinking i failed coz it asked me question that really challenged my knowledge and abilities. NCLEX is almost always based on analysis unlike the local board which u can have questions that only questions knwledge.

the number of questions will not matter coz after nclex even only after 75 questions? u brain will be too drained. hehe

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · May 25, 2008

NCLEX of course..NLE is somewhat predictable..It's easier to eliminate possible wrong answers...But in NCLEX,you're left with two choices..It's quite hard to choose between the two...

steppybay · Jun 11, 2012

I know that this is a very old thread, but can anyone comment that have taken BOTH exams as stated in the title? I know that now CA requires the local license before applying to their application. While I can't go into CA due to no SSN and the concurrency issues, I have a couple of friends who "think" they can get into CA, but they are not from the same PH schools.

I will be taking the local exam myself and one day, hope to find an eligible USstate, so I figure I might as well take the NLE and be done with it. It's just one less item to think about or be requested of.

So it seems so far that passing the NLE is much easier than the NCLEX-RN exam, true or not? Again, I know it's all up to each person's way of taking test and their own knowledge and ability.

I was wondering if anyone has information of those that pass the NLE, what the percentage is of those that actually pass the NCLEX the first time...maybe the 2nd time?

ferrerjen · Jun 27, 2012

I just took the NCLEX a few weeks ago as a first timer and passed. Took the NLE last December 2011 and passed as well. My opinion, NCLEX was easier and didnt have to take the entire day to complete. After 135 questions i was out the door. NCLEX is also straight to the point, unlike NLE it would be situational and too long to even comprehend annnnd the questions are nothing like practice questions we would review in review centers.

I live in TX and while applying for the NCLEX i realized that taking the local board exam in PI was not required at all. I guess some states do require it, but i heard you can always apply to any state then after you get your license, just apply for reciprocity to the state you wish to practice in.

steppybay · Jun 27, 2012

I just took the NCLEX a few weeks ago as a first timer and passed. Took the NLE last December 2011 and passed as well. My opinion, NCLEX was easier and didnt have to take the entire day to complete. After 135 questions i was out the door. NCLEX is also straight to the point, unlike NLE it would be situational and too long to even comprehend annnnd the questions are nothing like practice questions we would review in review centers.
I live in TX and while applying for the NCLEX i realized that taking the local board exam in PI was not required at all. I guess some states do require it, but i heard you can always apply to any state then after you get your license, just apply for reciprocity to the state you wish to practice in.

Okay, thanks for your comments. Congrats on passing the NCLEX and now you're a real RN!!

Yes, CA now requires a copy of the local license. But the reciprocity (endorsement) doesn't work for all states, at least not to get into CA now. They are denying the majority of many foreign students and foreign nurses based on the concurrency issue.