Let’s talk about something that enters each of our minds during nursing school: how hard is the NCLEX?
It’s kind of a strange question when you think about it. We take exams in our prerequisite courses, before nursing school, in nursing school, and even to predict our chances of passing the NCLEX. But of course, none of those tests are the NCLEX. So in the end, despite all our preparation for the exam, we don’t really know what to expect.
The “not knowing” of the NCLEX can be scary. If you’re in this camp, don’t worry—we’ve been there and are here to demystify the exam for you! Let’s dive right in to assess the difficulty of the exam, and review some tips that’ll help you prepare.
What makes the NCLEX challenging?
Is the NCLEX hard? Great question—after all, we’re exposed to NCLEX-style questions during nursing school, but how do they match up to the real deal?
Well, the NCLEX can be challenging for a few reasons:
1. Emphasis on Critical Thinking
The questions on the NCLEX require you to apply what you learned in nursing school, rather than simply recall what you’ve memorized. This means you’ll need to have your thinking cap on while studying and during the exam to draw connections between various terms and scenarios.
2. Computerized Adaptive Testing
The NCLEX uses computerized adaptive testing, which means that it adjusts the difficulty of the questions it delivers based on how you perform on previous ones. So, if you’re doing well, it can feel harder as you go along.
3. Test Anxiety
It’s easy to worry about how much time we have left, how many questions it’ll take until the test shuts off, if the questions feel too easy or too hard…you get my point! We have a lot of ideas of what will happen when we sit for the NCLEX, so it may build up to feel like we’re climbing our own personal Mt. Everest.
(Psst – if you feel overwhelmed with test anxiety leading up to your exam, check out this post to help you manage your symptoms!)
And be sure to check out our Facebook group to find support with other nursing students in the same boat! ⛵
Remember, the NCLEX is difficult for a reason!
The bottom line is, the NCLEX is a difficult test. Why? Essentially, your knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of topics is tested to see if you can practice safely as a real-deal RN. You’ll also need to apply some critical thinking skills, rather than simply remembering what you’ve been taught. (Trust us, your future patients will thank you for preparing well for the NCLEX!)
Is the NCLEX harder than nursing school?
How hard is the NCLEX compared to your nursing courses/exams? The NCLEX isn’t necessarily harder than nursing school courses/exams—it’s just different. The NCLEX tests your knowledge of everything you possibly learned in nursing school, while nursing school exams test your knowledge on specific courses or course content.
Here’s how the NCLEX and nursing school exams stack up against each other:
NCLEX
- Tests your knowledge of everything you learned in nursing school
- Ensures you’ll practice safely and competently as a new graduate nurse
- Is a computer adaptive test
- Higher stakes due to its role in licensing
Nursing School Exams
- Test your knowledge of specific course content
- Are key to passing a single course
- Your instructor chooses or creates the questions.
- Lower stakes, though can still be stressful!
3 Things That’ll Help You Pass the NCLEX
How hard is the NCLEX? Well, depends on how hard you’re planning to study!
If you caught the series on our TikTok, you’d know the key to passing the NCLEX is preparation. You want some flexibility in your preparation, but you definitely don’t want to “wing it.” So, what do we recommend?
Well, we may have some ideas about what might work. (😉)
1. Make a study schedule.
You may have already planned on creating a study schedule, but if so, please be sure it has some flexibility built into it. Life happens, as they say, and it won’t be possible to stick to your schedule 100% of the time!
Many people keep time open in their schedule at the end of each week, which can be used for exam prep if something comes up and they need to move things around.
Additionally, make sure you include some breaks in your schedule. If you try and work all the time you’re going to get burnout. So block off some time for fun on the weekend, holiday parties, or that trip coming up.
Finally, just relax the day or so before the NCLEX. Let your brain rest. If you feel called to study, try passive studying to keep the energy demand on your brain low.
2. Find your resources.
In addition to your recorded lectures, textbooks, and notes from school, we have a bunch of resources to get you where you need to be!
These include:
👩🏫 NCLEX Live Study Group (LSG) – Your study schedule is built in! (plus, includes access to Crash Course & 1,000-question Qbank)
🏫 NCLEX Self-Paced Crash Course – Study on your own time with 18+ hours of video lessons and 18 quizzes
👩💻 Free NCLEX Webinars – Join our free sessions with experts to prep for the exam and life as a real-deal RN
📓 Free NCLEX Cheat Sheets – Grab these free downloads for help memorizing NCLEX terms, isolation and PPE, and more!
3. Have a bag of tips and tricks to use during the exam!
For casual, passive review, check out our social media platforms to get free content, practice questions, and tips for NCLEX success!
⏰ Check out our TikTok “Study Tips” playlist!
📺 And don’t forget about these videos on our NCLEX prep YouTube page:
As you can see, our social media channels have tons of great content that can help you prepare for the NCLEX, so be sure to take advantage of the FREE content!
Any final advice on making the NCLEX feel more manageable?
The NCLEX is a test that’s meant to test your ability to practice as a new nurse. You’re not expected to know EVERYTHING. As mentioned before, this is an adaptive test that’ll give you opportunities to finish the exam above the passing standard.
You’ve made it this far, you’ve got the knowledge, you’ve practiced in the clinical setting…and we believe you can overcome test anxiety, too! Think of one or two mantras to write on your dry erase board during the exam to sustain you in times of doubt.
Need an idea? This is what I wrote when I sat down at the computer to take the NCLEX: “Breathe. One last test. And you will pass.”
Final Thoughts
So, the NCLEX is hard, yes. After all, it’s meant to assess your ability to practice safely as a new registered nurse!
Still, keep in mind—you are fully capable of preparing for it and passing! Take advantage of our classes, prep materials, and social media content, and soon you’ll be a real-deal RN. 💜
Have more ~burning questions~ about the NCLEX? Check out these other (free!) articles to answer all your FAQs:
