Hi! I literally just got my RN license yesterday and how does the job market look right now for new grad nurses? I’ve heard typically you need to start as a nurse aide to get into any hospital system, but has anyone had any luck into getting into a new grad RN position for the HPH academies? Please let me know! Mahalo!!!
Hi everyone! I’ve been lurking here for the past month, and I wanted to share my experience in case it gives someone reassurance during NCLEX prep.
This is only what worked for me—everyone studies differently and needs a different amount of time to feel ready.
I graduated from my accelerated BSN program on 8/17, received my ATT on 9/3, and took the NCLEX on 9/29. During nursing school, I earned Level 2s on my ATI proctored exams and got a 79.5% on my ATI Comprehensive Predictor, with a 97% predicted probability of passing. I felt well prepared by my program, but I still wanted additional time to review after graduation.
A lot of my classmates tested within one to two weeks after graduation. I am naturally more risk-averse, so I chose to give myself about a month.
I had someone encourage me to test earlier, but I trusted my gut and picked the date that felt right for me. Seeing classmates test and pass before me was exciting, but it also made it easy to compare myself. I had to remind myself that everyone is on their own timeline.
There is no prize for taking the NCLEX first. Take it when you feel prepared—not when someone else thinks you should.
I took one week off after graduation, then mainly used UWorld for its questions and rationales. I also used Mark Klimek lectures, Dr. Sharon’s prioritization videos, NCLEX Crusade’s 7-Day Review, and a few shorter last-minute review videos.
If I had to do it again, I would mainly use:
I found UWorld especially helpful because I focused more on understanding the rationales than finishing every question. I did not take detailed notes on every missed question—I read the explanations carefully and trusted that repeated practice would reinforce the concepts.
I tried UWorld’s daily schedule at first, but it felt overwhelming. Instead, I usually did 85-question tutor-mode sets on days I was not taking a CAT.
I completed about 81% of the QBank, averaged about 75%, and completed five CATs. All of my CATs shut off at 85 questions, with high predicted passing probabilities. Looking back, I probably did not need to take five CATs, but they helped me feel comfortable with the format.
The day before my exam, I reviewed lightly, reread some Mark K notes, and completed only 30 tutor-mode questions. I did not want to overwhelm myself right before test day.
My exam was at 8:00 a.m. I ate breakfast, got coffee, arrived early, and only reviewed familiar notes that morning. I was anxious, but breathing exercises, prayer, and trusting my preparation helped me stay calm.
I took a break around question 60 to use the restroom and drink water. If you need a break, take it—it helped me reset and refocus.
I found that careful reading, prioritization, safety, and clinical judgment were important skills to practice during preparation. Slowing down, identifying what a question is asking, and avoiding overthinking helped me throughout my study process.
My exam shut off at 85 questions, and I found out two days later that I passed!
Be kind to yourself while studying. Take breaks, get out of the house, and remember that you already made it through nursing school. You are more prepared than you think.