Taking the NCLEX exams on the same day, especially the first time is very difficult. For those who are experienced in taking exams on the same day, their preparation is already set up well for this, and many find it extremely difficult. I’ve heard several excuses like “I can’t drive to the examination center on the same day”I’m only a newbie” – all of which are no good.
So you need to be prepared, not only with a plan on what to do before the NCLEX exam, but also what to do after you’ve got there. Even though you’ve planned ahead, planning and preparation don’t only consist of taking the exam. You also need to take the time to review and revise your exam and test taking habits, to determine your strengths and weaknesses, and to bring out the positive aspects of yourself in the exam.
There are many ways to take the NCLEX exam practice, and one way is using the NCLEX exam version. This is a free, unlimited practice test available from Pearson VUE (pronounced pee-you-tah). There’s not really much that’s different in this practice test as opposed to the real exam, but it can give you a quick idea of what is expected of you on the actual exam.
Taking the NCLEX exam with a friend or partner is also a great way to prepare. You might feel more comfortable gettingin the car together, and while this might not work if you’re taking the exam in your own neighborhood, it will surely work if you’re testing out of a larger venue. Or if you’re going to be taking the NCLEX exam on your own, it would be a lot more comfortable if you could at least have someone to help you with things that are confusing, or if you feel you need a little bit of guidance on certain questions.
Taking the exam in the morning after work, or even on the weekend is also a great way to prepare. I’ve done both and found that the exam prep was almost as good as getting it done in the morning. The reason for this is that your mind is in a better state of equilibrium by the time you get up and go to work. When you take the exam in the afternoon or early evening, your body is still weary and you need to be careful not to feel any jitters, so getting into the practice right before the exam will ensure that your mind is in the best condition possible to take the NCLEX exam.
The next step is to begin the actual NCLEX exam in the same room as you plan to take it. When the actual exam begins, you’ll be able to determine your strengths and weaknesses before anything else and will be able to use this information to improve on your studies. Using your study guides is a great way to keep your mind focused as you go through your lessons.
Taking the exam with a companion and allowing them to take notes is also another way to practice and hone your study skills. Since the notes you take will be used for studying, it will be a good reminder of what you were working on in previous lessons, making it easier to learn. If your study guide does not have a strategy in place for where you can take notes, keep a piece of paper handy as a back up.
Another aspect of the NCLEX exam prep that is particularly useful is the ability to communicate with other test takers. Some of the information is similar across the board, but some of it is very specific to the NCLEX exams. There are differences in the concepts, so being able to discuss the similarities and differences with others is useful. because there are lots of topics that overlap between tests, and it is very likely that you will not be able to understand some of the information.
