I Passed the NCLEX as a Repeat Test Taker – Here’s EVERYTHING I Did and Recommend

I’m a repeat test taker who finally passed the NCLEX in 86 questions, and I really want to share everything I did because reading posts like this helped me so much while I was studying.

I highly recommend doing NCLEX Bootcamp's 2 month plan and following the exact schedule they generate for you. It gives you a well-rounded plan for all the major topics and concepts the NCLEX tests you on. Try your best to do questions every single day and work your way up to doing 85 questions daily so that by the time you walk into the real exam, the number of questions doesn’t feel overwhelming. Bootcamp has some of the best rationales I’ve ever seen, so make sure you read every single one, even if you got the question right. Their videos explaining the answers are so helpful too. I also highly recommend doing all 50 of the Bootcamp case studies and watching the video explanations. They really prepare you for NGN style questions. If you don’t understand a concept, their cheat sheets break everything down in such a simple and easy to understand way. I also watched all the Bootcamp crash course videos and did the quizzes after, they are super short and very helpful to review concepts.

For content review, I truly believe everyone studying for the NCLEX should start with Mark K’s 12 lectures. They’re completely free on Spotify and the notes are free online. I took notes as I listened and made Quizlets for each lecture so I could review them every week. If there’s only one thing you do for NCLEX prep, it should be listening to Mark K. I also watched the Klimek Review YouTube channel with Dr. Sharon—those videos helped so much, and they have content on pretty much everything. Their Top 50 NCLEX drugs playlist is amazing because there’s no way to know every drug, but those ones and the ones Mark K talks about will absolutely show up. I also watched the Beautiful Nursing 1 hour comprehensive review on YouTube, the 2 hour crash review by Your Nursing Space, and Simple Nursing videos with Nurse Mike. Nurse Mike explains things in such a simple and fun way, and even his music videos help you remember random things. There are so many helpful free resources online that you can find with a quick search, so you don’t need to spend a ton of money to learn content.

I also did the Archer Intense Prep Program with Shelley, which is definitely expensive, but it helped me a lot. They give you a 6 week intense study plan plus live two-hour lectures twice a week. You also get two-hour Zoom tutoring sessions twice a week where they go over high-yield topics, question strategies, and any questions you have. My tutor sent weekly feedback videos based on the practice tests I took, which helped me understand my weaknesses better. Even if you don’t get the intense program, at least get the question bank. Do readiness assessments as often as you can if not every single day—Archer says that getting four High or Very High scores in a row gives you a 98% chance of passing. I personally think readiness assessments are way better than CAT exams because they give you a broader range of questions and give you a better see at the likelihood of passing.

Something that helped me a lot was taking my practice tests at the same time my real test was scheduled. After taking readiness assessments, I would look at when I started missing more questions and think about whether that’s when I needed to take a break. It’s really important to see when your performance dips and take a short break, breathe, and then keep going. Also, don’t study in your room every day—you will get distracted or end up scrolling or laying in bed. Go to a coffee shop, the library, or somewhere else to stay focused. Wake up in the morning to study instead of saving it all for the evening. You won’t have enough time to take breaks and still get everything done. Make a schedule and stick to it. Figure out your weaknesses and really work on those areas.

Do not study all day, every day—you will burn out. You have to take care of your mental health or none of the studying will matter. Take breaks, take walks, go to the gym if you can, at least get some fresh air. Hang out with your friends and make time to do things you love, even something small like grabbing a coffee or watching an episode of your favorite show. Maintaining a positive attitude while studying is so important. Surround yourself with good people who make you happy. You do not need extra stress on top of this. Find at least one person you can lean on. It helped me so much to review topics with my nursing school friends. Sometimes we would FaceTime and teach each other concepts in simple ways. Having someone to hold you accountable helps a lot too. I used to send my boyfriend my readiness assessment scores so he could hold me accountable and because he was one od my support systems. Even when I failed, he was supportive and helped me find new resources. Reading Reddit posts from other people also helped me so much—you really don’t feel alone when you see that other people have struggled too.

On test day, do not feel discouraged if you keep getting questions past 85. That doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you’re still in the game and hovering near the passing line. Stay calm and don’t rush. Read each question slowly and carefully. There were so many times I got practice questions wrong just because I misread the question. Take your time. You have 5 hours for the whole exam, and you absolutely do not need to rush through it.

Lastly, I want to share this Google Drive link full of great free study materials, including the Mark K notes. They really helped me: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dda43n-ob6eNeyOxUWLAlH_e78smQ1He?usp=share_link

Overall, be consistent, take care of your mental health, use high yield resources, protect your confidence, and don’t study yourself into the ground. Being a repeat test taker is hard, but it doesn’t mean you can’t pass. Changing the way I studied made all the difference, and I hope my experience helps someone else. You’ve got this. 🩺💛

Reposted from r/ passnclex