What I Learned From the Kaplan NCLEX-RN Review Course

Making it through nursing school is an incredible accomplishment and is half the battle of becoming a registered nurse. The other half, of course, is passing the NCLEX exam.

Everyone has a different experience with their nursing program, so some may feel totally prepared for the NCLEX and some may feel nervous and not as prepared. Nevertheless, there are excellent review programs such as the Kaplan NCLEX course, which aims to provide nursing graduates the tools they need to pass the NCLEX.

If you are on the fence about enrolling in a Kaplan NCLEX® review course, here are six ways it can benefit you:

  • 1. Pass rates and 100% guarantee

    The Kaplan NCLEX review course is one of the best courses out there to help you for your boards. They offer a 100% tuition refund or a free three-month continuation of your enrollment course should you not pass the NCLEX within six months of graduating from your nursing program. With that being said, the Kaplan NCLEX program is focused on providing you with the tools you need to be successful and pass the exam on the first try.

  • 2. Flexible schedules and formats

    Kaplan offers classes for every learning style, situation, and schedule. They offer an NCLEX® online course and a self-paced course. Just the different options alone make Kaplan a superior choice. There are always courses being offered, at all different times. For example, one live-online course is from 8pm-11pm, which accommodates those who work full-time or during normal business hours.

  • 3. Strong learning environment

    Some people may have a hard time studying in their own home, or may get distracted in the library. Whatever your study style is, Kaplan enforces a positive learning environment. Choose the learning environment that is suitable for you.

  • 4. Promotes positive study habits

    If you are preparing for your NCLEX during the summer season, it can be hard to stick to a study plan and follow through with a study schedule. By taking a Kaplan NCLEX course, you are more likely to stay on track and follow through on your study outline. Kaplan suggests completing 75 questions a day so that you can become used to the NCLEX testing style and to also build up your testing stamina for Test Day.

  • 5. NCLEX-style questions and breakdown

    The Kaplan NCLEX review course will give you test questions that are formatted to how you will see questions on the exam. I have talked to many people that have taken a Kaplan NCLEX course prior to taking their exam who cannot get over how well Kaplan prepared them for the NCLEX-style questions they saw on the test. They said it was crazy how the strategies Kaplan taught them—from how to break down the questions, eliminate the distractors, and understand what the question was asking them—were all useful for the exam and helped them pass on the first try.

  • 6. Facilitates a smooth transition

    Making the transition from nursing school questions to NCLEX-style questions may not be an easy task. Although by your last semester of nursing school, many programs are utilizing NCLEX-based, critical thinking style questions, which are similar to what you will see on the NCLEX exam. The Kaplan review course will help take your knowledge of how to answer NCLEX-style questions to the next level—teaching you strategies and showing you a different way to think and approach these types of questions.


Making the decision to enroll in a Kaplan NCLEX review course is, without a doubt, the best investment you can make. It will help you to prepare for the biggest exam of your nursing career, and will give you the tools and confidence you need to be successful. Here is what one Kaplan NCLEX-RN student had to say about the course:

The Kaplan NCLEX-RN review course did a great job of teaching me how to break down each question, weeding out the distractors or the “shiny penny” and really understanding what the question is actually asking. The review course would always incorporate higher level, critical thinking questions during the sessions. A concept that the instructor taught was that of the decision tree, which is basically a process Kaplan uses to help you break down what the question is asking.

My favorite part of the live-online class was that it offered a readiness test. This was the last resource I utilized a few days prior to taking the NCLEX-RN. After completing the readiness exam, I watched the videos from the Kaplan video library of the content I struggled with. The live-online course also gives you the option to look over the questions on any test or question trainer you complete and provides rationales.


Kaplan NCLEX CAT Practice Exam


Kaplan’s NCLEX® practice test closely mimics the Computer Adaptive Test(CAT), giving students the most realistic practice before Test Day.

While any type of practice will benefit your NCLEX® performance—whether it’s studying, taking an NCLEX® prep course, or an NCLEX® practice test of any kind—nothing quite compares with experiencing the actual CAT test format. When it comes to the NCLEX®, the construct of the exam is just as important as the content.

Here’s how Kaplan’s new CAT practice test for the NCLEX® can help you gain the confidence and skills you need to slay the NCLEX® on Test Day.

With Kaplan’s CAT practice for the NCLEX®, you’ll get:

  • Multiple full-length tests designed to mimic the NCLEX® and raise your confidence
  • Experience with every question type, including select all that apply (SATA), multiple choice, and ordered response
  • Explanations for every question so you know why you got it wrong, and how to get it right
  • Performance reports that measure your progress, and help you move forward

Simulated CAT practice gives you the true Test Day experience


Kaplan’s CAT for the NCLEX® is the closest you’ll get to a true Test Day experience. It features every type of question on the NCLEX® and helps you get a feel for the performance-based format. Test anxiety is a real thing and can affect even the most prepared student, so the more familiar you are with the test structure, the more confident you will be on Test Day.

CAT is the best teaching tool for your NCLEX® prep


In addition to giving you real practice with the NCLEX®, the CAT offers instant feedback after the exam. This way, you’ll know which areas you need to focus on before Test Day and how to avoid common pitfalls. You’ll also be able to practice with multiple CAT exams, so no matter how you prefer to prep, the CAT is the perfect fit.