Key Takeaways
Taking the NCLEX-RN soon after graduation can save money and help you do well on the exam.
The NCLEX-RN uses a computerized adaptive testing model that poses questions based on your prior responses.
Taking practice exams and review courses can help you do well on the NCLEX-RN.
A common question nursing students may ask after completing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is: “How soon after graduation can I take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN)?”
The question of when to take the NCLEX-RN after nursing school graduation comes down to a personal decision. There is no right or wrong answer. But it may help to consider a few salient points.
If you take the exam too soon, before you feel completely ready, your scores may suffer. If you wait too long after graduation, you risk forgetting some of what you learned in school. Keep in mind that the exam is not inexpensive. While it can be retaken, you should strive to do well the first time to avoid wasting time and money attempting to earn your registered nurse (RN) license. Your state board of nursing charges a fee, as does the test administrator. These fees quickly add up, especially if you have to pay them repeatedly.
Reasons to Take the NCLEX-RN Soon After Graduation
If you are familiar with the steps you need to take after nursing school to become an RN, you know that one of the most important steps in that process is taking and passing the NCLEX-RN.
One reason to take the NCLEX-RN relatively soon after graduation comes down to finances. The time you spend with a nursing degree but without RN licensure is time during which you will be ineligible to earn an RN’s salary.
In addition, you should keep in mind that retaking the exam requires a 45-day waiting period. This means more lost potential wages if you fail your first attempt. You will need to pay additional testing fees and may decide to spend more on a review course. Of course, if you do not spend time or money on review, you risk failing the exam again. The longer you are out of school, the more information you may forget.
Nurses who have confronted these situations recommend taking the exam within two months of graduation, if possible. The consensus seems to be: the sooner, the better.
Tips for Preparing for the NCLEX-RN Exam
Regardless of how soon you take the NCLEX-RN after graduating, learning about preparation tips for the NCLEX-RN is a good place to start. For example, aspiring nurses can improve their odds of success by following the tips highlighted below.
Prepare With Reviews and Exam Simulations
Nurses who have passed the exam strongly recommend spending significant time on activities such as reviewing material and completing practice questions. A good plan is to schedule daily reviews and/or practice question sessions until you take your exam.
Participating in exam simulations can give you valuable experience working within the allotted time and allow you to become familiar with how the exam is structured. They also represent opportunities to identify areas of weakness and practice remaining calm while taking the exam.
Your nursing degree program will prepare you for the exam, providing you with review materials and helping you navigate the process, even after graduation.
Completing an NCLEX-RN review course can also be a good way to prepare for the exam. These courses offer an organized approach and can help you gauge how your studying is progressing and identify gaps in your knowledge.
Understand the CAT Model
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) designed the NCLEX-RN as a computerized adaptive testing (CAT) exam that poses questions based on your prior responses. For example, some questions may be deemed easier than the passing standard, while others may be considerably more difficult.
If you do well on easier questions, the algorithm will pose increasingly harder questions until you can no longer answer them correctly. It will then follow up by posing a relatively easier question. This allows the program to assess your readiness more thoroughly and rapidly than a traditional fixed-length exam, which administers the same questions to every individual who takes the exam.
The exam will adapt to your responses and attempt to determine your highest level of knowledge and comprehension. Depending on your preparedness, you may be required to answer as few as 85 questions or as many as 150, and the exam may take up to five hours to complete. To pass the exam, your collective score will need to be at or above the preestablished passing standard.
Meet All Exam Application Requirements Efficiently
Taking the exam involves some other preparations. Before you can take the exam, you will need to allow time to apply to take it through your state board of nursing. The board will need to conduct a background check, which typically takes time. If you happen to have any questionable events on your record, such as a DUI arrest, this could take longer than it would otherwise and could affect the amount of time between graduating from nursing school and taking the NCLEX-RN. You will also probably be required to pay a fee at this stage. The board will review your school transcripts to ensure that you are actually eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.
You will then need to register with the administrator of the exam: Pearson Professional Assessments (formerly Pearson VUE). At this point, you will need to pay another fee. After another waiting period, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT). Only then will you be able to schedule the exam date, time, and location.
Keep in mind that your ATT has an expiration date, so it is crucial that you take the exam before it expires. Available slots may fill up fast, so you should schedule your exam as soon as possible after receiving your ATT to avoid having to start this process all over again.
Your Nursing Education Can Prepare You for Success on the NCLEX-RN
The time you take between graduating and taking the NCLEX-RN is an important consideration. But remember that everything you do in nursing school can prepare you for success on the NCLEX-RN. And after passing the exam and meeting the requirements for state licensure as an RN, you have the opportunity to launch a long and rewarding career making significant contributions to healthcare.
If you are interested in acquiring nursing expertise, explore Denver College of Nursing’s Associate Degree in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs to learn how they can help you achieve your career ambitions. Offering coursework and clinical experience to prepare you to take the NCLEX-RN, each program sets the stage for a nursing career in which you can make a lasting difference in the lives of others.
Start working to reach your career goals in nursing today.
Recommended Readings
ADN vs. BSN: Comparing the Nursing Degrees
Different Types of Nursing: Exploring Nurse Careers
Importance of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
Sources:
Archer Review, “How to Pick the Best NCLEX Prep Course (Without Losing Your Mind)”
Lehigh Valley Health Network, Your Path to Success: 7 Tips for Taking the NCLEX
National Council of State Boards of Nursing, NCLEX-RN Test Plan
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses
