{"id":46115,"date":"2025-04-25T13:23:26","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T13:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/?p=46115"},"modified":"2025-04-25T21:08:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T21:08:27","slug":"fnp-exam-study-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/nursing\/fnp-exam-study-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Exam Study Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Get ready for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) exam with our FNP study plan. No matter which FNP certification exam you choose to take, we\u2019ll help you make the most of your test prep. Get a free FNP study guide from Kaplan, recommended FNP study materials, information about the two FNP certification exams, and more. Passing the FNP exam is a huge accomplishment, and we\u2019re here to help you every step of the way. Here\u2019s how to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>[ READ NEXT:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/nursing\/what-is-family-nurse-practitioner-fnp\/\">What Is a Family Nurse Practitioner?<\/a> <strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#f9f9f9;color:#000000;border-color:#bcbcbc;' class='av_promobox  0 avia-button-yes   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_heading  avia-builder-el-first '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#ab0c78\"><strong>FREE TRIAL<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h3 class=\"has-col-240-f-6-e-color has-text-color\">FNP Certification Exam Prep Course<\/h3>\n<p>Preview our new on-demand FNP Review Course for free.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div  class='avia-button-wrap avia-button-right ' ><a href='https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/nurse-practitioner\/free-trial' class='avia-button  avia-color-theme-color   avia-icon_select-no avia-size-large avia-position-right ' target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >Sign Up<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>What is the FNP Exam?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After completing an FNP program, you\u2019ll need to pass an exam to be certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Nursing students have two exam options for FNP certification:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nursingworld.org\/our-certifications\/family-nurse-practitioner\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The ANCC FNP exam,<\/strong><\/a> offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center\u00a0<\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aanpcert.org\/certs\/fnp\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The AANPCB FNP exam,<\/strong><\/a> offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The two FNP exams are similar, but have some key differences which are detailed below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>AANPCB Exam vs. the ANCC Exam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When deciding between the AANPCB exam and the ANCC exam for your FNP certification, consider your career goals. If you are interested in teaching or research, earning ANCC certification is likely the right choice for you. If you are pursuing a clinical career, then the AANPCB certification is your best option. Regardless, both exams certify you as an FNP and validate your expertise. In the table below, we break down some other key differences between the FNP exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>FNP Exam<\/strong><\/td><td>AANPCB Exam<\/td><td>ANCC Exam<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Credentialing Body<\/strong><\/td><td>The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board<\/td><td>American Nurses Credentialing Center<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Question Topics<\/strong><\/td><td>Tests abilities in assessment, diagnosis, planning, and evaluation.<\/td><td>Tests clinical skills, risk assessment, and more.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Number of Questions<\/strong><\/td><td>150 questions<\/td><td>175 questions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Exam Length<\/strong><\/td><td>3 hours<\/td><td>3.5 hours<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Credential<\/strong><\/td><td>FNP-C<\/td><td>FNP-BC\u2122<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Which FNP exam should I take?<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Both the ANCC and the AANPCB offer FNP exams that will certify you to practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Which one you take is ultimately up to you and your career goals. Typically, NPs who want to pursue a career in teaching and research will take the ANCC exam and those who want a clinical career take the AANPCB exam.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_iconlist  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Is the FNP exam hard?<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Both the ANCC and the AANPCB FNP board exams are known to be challenging, so test prep is essential. Don\u2019t make the mistake of waiting until the last-minute to study. Both exams have their own rules for retaking the test: for the ANCC exam, you have to wait 60 days to apply to retest and you may not test more than three times in a year. If you fail the AANPCB exam, you are required to complete at least 15 hours of advanced practice continuing education in your areas of weakness as indicated on your score report. The bottom line: start your FNP test prep early so you have enough time to prepare and can pass the FNP exam on your first attempt!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>How To Create an FNP Study Plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to create an FNP study plan that works for you and your schedule. We\u2019ll help you get started by providing a general overview of how to study for the FNP exam.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_promobox '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue84b' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Choose Your FNP Exam<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Choose which FNP exam you\u2019re going to take so you know which one to study for. Need help deciding? Review our complete guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/nursing\/aanp-fnp-exam-vs-ancc-fnp-exam\/\">ANCC and AANPCB FNP exams. <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Answer Practice Questions<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>To jumpstart your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/nurse-practitioner\">FNP test prep,<\/a> answer Qbank questions from each exam topic. This will let you know your strengths and weaknesses and help you develop an efficient study schedule.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue836' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Build a Study Schedule<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Create a personalized FNP exam study schedule. Once you have your test date, work backwards to create a weekly study schedule that works for you. Create time blocks that focus on a certain subject area and be sure to give yourself enough time to review and improve.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue84f' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Use Test Prep Resources<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take advantage of FNP exam resources to enhance your test prep, including an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/nurse-practitioner\">on-demand FNP course<\/a> with Micro Virtual Simulations, practice tests, study guides, Qbanks and more! We\u2019ll list all of our FNP test prep recommendations in detail below.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue80b' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Take Study Breaks<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take breaks while you\u2019re studying so you don\u2019t burn out. Studying for the FNP exam can be overwhelming at times. It\u2019s important to pace yourself and take time to relax and de-stress, especially the week leading up to the exam. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2>Free FNP Study Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Download&nbsp;our free FNP study schedule to jumpstart your FNP prep. This schedule was built to guide you through Kaplan&#8217;s new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/nurse-practitioner\/np-review-course\">FNP Review Course,<\/a> but you can also use it for your own FNP&nbsp;studies&nbsp;to help you stay organized leading up to test day.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#f9f9f9;color:#000000;border-color:#bcbcbc;' class='av_promobox  0 avia-button-yes   avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_promobox '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#ab0c78\"><strong>FREE PREMIUM CONTENT<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h3 class=\"has-col-240-f-6-e-color has-text-color\">FNP Study Schedule<\/h3>\n<p>Get access to our free FNP test prep study schedule.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div  class='avia-button-wrap avia-button-right ' ><a href='https:\/\/kaptestmocha.cdn.prismic.io\/kaptestmocha\/ZxfY54F3NbkBX3jK_41168KTP-NUR-UpdateFNPLaunchPhase1-StudySchedule-FINAL241001FINAL-s.pdf' class='avia-button  avia-color-theme-color   avia-icon_select-no avia-size-large avia-position-right ' target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >Download Now<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>Free FNP Study Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Kaplan experts have created a free FNP study guide to enhance your test prep. This comprehensive resource is a free sample from our upcoming FNP Board Review Course and focuses on Cardiovascular conditions, including risk factors, diagnostics, and management. Download a free copy to use in your studies today!<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#f9f9f9;color:#000000;border-color:#bcbcbc;' class='av_promobox  0 avia-button-yes   avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#ab0c78\"><strong>FREE PREMIUM CONTENT<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h3 class=\"has-col-240-f-6-e-color has-text-color\">FNP Study Guide<\/h3>\n<p>Get access to our free FNP exam cardiovascular study guide.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div  class='avia-button-wrap avia-button-right ' ><a href='https:\/\/prismic-io.s3.amazonaws.com\/kaptestmocha\/4a508d2d-b294-4c8a-a3fd-5d9c8b27846b_38531-11-KTP-NUR-FNP-Launch-Phase-1-Study-Guide-FINAL-ADA-02-24+FINAL-s.pdf' class='avia-button  avia-color-theme-color   avia-icon_select-no avia-size-large avia-position-right ' target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >Download Now<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_sidebar  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Top FNP Exam Study and Practice Materials<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some other study materials we recommend using during your FNP test prep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-col-250-f-6-e-color has-text-color\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/nurse-practitioner\/free-trial\"><strong>Kaplan\u2019s FNP Exam Prep Free Trial<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Experience our\u00a0 immersive and innovative on-demand program that comes with everything you need to prep for the ANCC and AANPCB exams before the complete review course is available. You\u2019ll get access to 15 Qbank questions, a video lesson, Micro Virtual Simulations, and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-col-250-f-6-e-color has-text-color\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Family-Nurse-Practitioner-Certification-Prep\/dp\/1506233384\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Q8TO2BRDSQ81&amp;keywords=Family+Nurse+Practitioner+Certification+Prep+Plus%3A+Proven+Strategies+%2B+Content+Review+%2B+Online+Practice&amp;qid=1688743876&amp;sprefix=family+nurse+practitioner+certification+prep+plus+proven+strategies+%2B+content+review+%2B+online+practice%2Caps%2C322&amp;sr=8-1\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Kaplan&#8217;s Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Prep Plus<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Kaplan&#8217;s premier FNP test prep book is your step-by-step guide to scoring higher on the FNP exam. Get realistic practice with 800+ practice questions and expert guidance, including exclusive test-taking and study strategies that optimize your preparation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>FNP Exam Pop Quizzes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>See how you would do on the AANPCB and ANCC FNP exams by taking these short quizzes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar '><div id=\"custom_html-89\" class=\"widget_text widget clearfix widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div><div class='op-interactive' id='65bd44a48e39a6378edcfae8' data-title='FNP AANP Pop Quiz' data-url='https:\/\/kaplannorthamerica.outgrow.us\/65bd44a48e39a6378edcfae8?vHeight=1' data-width='100%'><\/div><script>var og_temp=document.createElement('script');og_temp.async=true;og_temp.defer=true;og_temp.src='\/\/dyv6f9ner1ir9.cloudfront.net\/assets\/js\/nloader.js',og_temp.onload=function(){initIframe('65bd44a48e39a6378edcfae8')},document.querySelector('head').appendChild(og_temp)<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_sidebar  avia-builder-el-last '><div id=\"custom_html-88\" class=\"widget_text widget clearfix widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div><div class='op-interactive' id='65bd4e5d9860b75ecac54c44' data-title='FNP ANCC Pop Quiz' data-url='https:\/\/kaplannorthamerica.outgrow.us\/65bd4e5d9860b75ecac54c44?vHeight=1' data-width='100%'><\/div><script>var og_temp=document.createElement('script');og_temp.async=true;og_temp.defer=true;og_temp.src='\/\/dyv6f9ner1ir9.cloudfront.net\/assets\/js\/nloader.js',og_temp.onload=function(){initIframe('65bd4e5d9860b75ecac54c44')},document.querySelector('head').appendChild(og_temp)<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get ready for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) exam with our FNP study plan. No matter which FNP certification exam you choose to take, we\u2019ll help you make the most of your test prep. Get a free FNP study guide from Kaplan, recommended FNP study materials, information about the two FNP certification exams, and more. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46116,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1222],"tags":[1224,126],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46115"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46115"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48320,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46115\/revisions\/48320"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}