Why does the majority of the review centers have NCLEX review for only a month?

suzanne4, RN · Aug 3, 2008

If you take the time to do some reading on this site, you will find that you will be better off doing your own review. The majority of the instructors have never worked in the US, or taken an US licensing exam.

Not a good idea.

Much better to do things on your own. At least in my opinion.

gemini_star, BSN, RN · Aug 4, 2008

What I am aware of is that most review centers conduct their NCLEX review by live teaching for one or 2 weeks then the other half is computer based by taking the practice exams in the computer. You see, you can do this on your own. Just buy the NCLEX practice CDs that you want and study it by yourself. If you do have questions, you can post it in the NCLEX discussion forum or ask someone you know who is knowledgeable of the matter.

NCLEX review fee is doubled than the Local exam; it costs around 20,000 pesos or more. Basically not worth it. In addition, there are not a lot of reviewers certified to conduct NCLEX exams. If the US students can pass it on their own, then anybody can with the right resources on hand.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Aug 4, 2008

I'm just wondering, why do review centers in the Philippines run their NCLEX review programs on such short period? I mean is it enough and worth it to pay for the review for a month? If yes, what do review centers have in their review programs that they can cram it up in just one month?
:mnnnrsngrk::thnkg:

I agree with the previous posts. I am an older nurse but I did attend a review program in the Philippines in the early 1990's. Not for the NCLEX but for CGFNS which had similar content at the time except the CGFNS had a second part which tested written and spoken English. The classes, as I remember, only ran a few weeks like you said and it was expensive but I paid a discounted price because I reviewed in the same center for the NLE and I made the top 20 in my batch of examinees. I would say the classroom review sessions helped me organize my review time into differenty body systems. I was also familiarized with the names of medications used in the US which tend to appear in the test.

But I think I could have performed just as well by doing the reviewing on my own and taking tons of practice exams. I believe the tons of practice exams I did on my own time was what helped me be well prepared. It lets you know what the rationale is for the correct answer so that if the multiple choice options change or the question gets re-worded in a different manner, you would still know which answer is correct. I don't even think you need to practice on a computer as there is not a lot of typing involved in the actual test and the keyboard commands are pretty easy to figure out. I passed all my nursing licensure and certifications both in the Philippines and the US on my first attempt and I didn't take a formal review course for the NCLEX.

P.S. There were reviewers who had US experience as a nurse when I attended the review classes. However, things have changed so drastically in the Philippines, I would not be surprised if this is not the case anymore.