I PASSED AT 85QS

2 months of answering qbanks and dreading my test date, now we’re here. I started prepping Mid-October and felt helpless 2 weeks in. I even gave posting here a try just to ask for advice. I only had a month left before my test date then and only got a proper routine and study plan a week later. So I decided to push back my test date further by a month since I felt like I needed more time.

I only got Bootcamp at first and then used what’s left of a friend’s Archer account. Both are great to practice with though I didn’t get to spend as much time in Archer like I did with Bootcamp. I would mainly just answer the qbanks and then answer a readiness assessment every monday. 

I’ve always been weak in pedia so that’s where I put more effort when it comes to studying. I watched Simplenursing videos on it and then some Dr. Sharon videos to help me navigate most NCLEX questions. I read through all of Bootcamp’s cheat sheets for good measure too.

I rested a few days before my exam to keep my nerves at bay. But I did watch a Dr. Sharon video for good measure on the day before. My mind was already in holiday mode after the exam. It stopped at 85, which I was hoping for. But all I could think about as I walked out of the testing center was “Well, I did what I can. Now it’s time to celebrate” despite the uncertainty of whether I passed or not. BUT HEY WOULDN’T YOU KNOW IT HERE WE ARE.

Last pieces of advice:

  • Always identify what to prioritize.
  • Don’t complicate the question.
  • For SATA: only choose the answers you’re sure of.
  • Process of Elimination is effective but make sure you still manage your time right.
  • Expect that you won’t know the answer to everything, but try to derive an answer from the context and from whatever you know that could be connected to the question.

I don’t know if I sound nonchalant in this post, but trust me when I say this journey has been really really stressful on me. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Having to push back the date and having to constantly answer hundreds of questions for the past 2 months has not been a cake walk. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. 

You graduated nursing school and made it this far, that means you have it in you. Just a bit more push and you’ll get there.