Every year, thousands of nursing students search online for the best way to prepare for the NCLEX. One recent test-taker, who prefers to remain anonymous, shared her honest and insightful experience of preparing for the exam.
During the interview, he proved to us that he had passed the NCLEX exam in in just 85 questions. Her study strategy was refreshingly realistic. Unlike the usual exam pressure that many students often have, his strategy did not involve any marathon study sessions or expensive coaching/tutoring. For her, it was just, smart and consistent effort. The study resources that helped her the most were Kaplan’s QBank, high-yield YouTube videos, and a personal system that worked.
In this article, we will breakdown her full NCLEX-RN journey, of course she has given us the go ahead to share her story with our Pasing Grades community. Here, you will learn what to do before the NCLEX exam to post exams, and the tips she wishes someone had shared to her earlier.
Before the NCLEX Exam: Proven Study Strategy That Works
What They Used to Study
It is advised that you do not overload yourself with study materials when the exam is nearing. Instead, for our interviewee, she opted to focus only on a few high-impact tools.
- Kaplan QBank (school-provided): She practiced around 600 questions total, using 85-question sets to simulate test length.
- Mark Klimek’s “50 Must-Know Drugs” YouTube series: 10 short videos covering essential drug info in bite-sized chunks.
- “2-Hour Ultimate NCLEX Mastery Course” (YouTube - Your Nursing Space): A visual, high-yield review of key topics like electrolytes, disease processes, and test-taking tips.
- Any video with Dr. Sharon on YouTube: Many students have attested that Dr. Sharon’s lessons are very insightful when preparing for the NCLEX exam. When we asked our interview, she noted that Dr. Sharon’s videos are imperative especially when it comes to breaking down how to approach tricky questions with limited knowledge, emphasizing on safety and reasoning.
Pro tip from her experience: “Don’t just answer questions. On the contrary, study the rationales, even the ones you got right. That’s where the real learning happens.” Locking on what you know before learning and mastering new concepts.
How to Structure Your Study Time When Revising For NCLEX
Rather than forcing long days of studying, it is more productive to focus on quality and not quantity.
Just like our interviewee, you can schedule your time like this.
- Aim to complete 85 QBank questions on study days
- Spend 5–6 hours total on both answering and fully reviewing rationales
- Take notes using any app on your phone instead of pen and paper. Its 2025, and it’s time to integrate technology to learning and exam preparation, Undoubtedly, its fast, flexible, traceable and sticky for memory compared to hand and paper.
- Engage in any extracurricular activities, hobbies, just strolling, playing video games or even taking full rest days to avoid burnout
“You don’t need thousands of questions. Just make sure to extract as much learning as possible from the ones you do,” She added.
The Day Before the NCLEX Test: Don’t Study
This student tried to do some light review the day before—and regretted it.
“I started getting anxious because I realized there were still things I didn’t know. That’s normal. But at some point, you have to trust your training.”
Her advice? Don’t cram. Don’t study. Use the day to calm your nerves, do something light like walking, and get into a relaxed mindset.
They leaned on a quote that got them through:
“You don’t rise to the occasion—you sink to the level of your training.”
Test Day: What the NCLEX Was Really Like
The NCLEX-RN exam that she took started in the early afternoon, and they completed the test in under 3 hours with exactly 85 questions.
Here’s what stood out:
- Questions were more straightforward than Kaplan QBank
- Many questions focused on foundational knowledge and safety
- Case studies (around 6) appeared, a sign of stronger performance in the NCLEX’s adaptive format
- The testing center was quiet, but earplugs/headphones were offered
- Scheduled breaks helped reduce fatigue
“As long as you’ve practiced and internalized key strategies, the test is honestly pretty chill—even with some curveballs.”
After the NCLEX: Results, Emotions, and Real Talk
Even with a strong performance, they left the exam feeling uncertain. That’s normal.
“It felt too simple at times, which weirdly made me anxious. But once you finish, just breathe. You’ve done what you can.”
When They Got Results (Florida-specific)
- Tested on a Thursday at 1 PM
- She received her license confirmation email the next morning around 7:45 AM
- Also confirmed results via the Florida BON website
Her Final Advice for NCLEX-RN Test-Takers
- Don’t overdo it. 600 well-reviewed questions were enough.
- Stick to a few solid resources. More isn’t always better.
- Build test-taking habits. Learn how to think through safety, prioritization, and common sense logic.
- Take breaks when you need to. Burnout helps no one.
- Find your study style. She learned that she retained info better when typing quick notes into her phone, a simple but yet effective exam prep strategy.
And most of all:
“If you’re feeling scared, remember: everyone is. Bravery is doing it anyway.”
Let's Sum Up
This student’s NCLEX prep journey is a reminder that success doesn’t come from doing everything. Contrarily,it comes from doing the right things consistently. Her study plan was intentional, flexible, and honest and she hopes it inspires others to believe in their ability too.
“If I helped even one person with this post, that’s all I wanted.”
Have questions about this strategy? Drop them in the comments. We'll try to answer as best we can.
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