Every few years the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (or better known as NABP) publishes the cumulative pass rate from all of the pharmacy school in the United States. In 2022, the average pass rate for first time test takers was 80%. That means that more 2,500 students did not pass the NAPLEX on their first try.

Failure is a hard pill to swallow, but I promise that you are not alone. There are hundreds of students going through the same thing right now, and things do get better. Instead of hibernating in your bed and crying yourself to sleep, here are 9 ways to move forward and learn from your past mistakes.

Don’t let this failure define you

Remember that failure is a normal part of life and that it’s an opportunity to learn from your past mistakes. You are not the first person to fail the NAPLEX nor will you be the last. From Oprah Winfrey to Walt Disney to Einstein, every amazing person that goes through life deals with ups and downs, struggles, and disappointments. The difference between them and you is deciding whether or not you’re going to get back up and keep trying. Once you’ve come to terms with you failing the NAPLEX exam, you can then start planning your next move. 

Take a break

Failing the NAPLEX can evoke some strong emotions of feeling devastated, mentally drained, and that your life is over. Remind yourself that these feelings are temporary by taking a break and doing something that brings you happiness. Life goes on after a failure, and you have more attempts to try again. It’s not the end of the world even if it may feel like it in the moment. Take a few minutes to read, walk your dog, bake your favorite dessert, or journal to take your mind off things and to reset your mood. Shoot – take a few days or even a week if you need to. The textbooks will be there when you’re mentally and physically ready. 

In case you need some ideas on how to reset your mind and take care of self during this time:

• Start a new hobby like pottery or hiking
• Try out the 30 Day Self Care Challenge
• Get some ideas from this self care routine guide
• Grab my favorite daily gratitude journal

Get the help that you need

Once you accept that you can’t change the past, you can then focus on how to move forward. This includes asking for help if you need it! Reach out to professors, mentors, and anyone that you could think could help you re-strategize and provide some emotional support as well. I also recommend getting a NAPLEX tutor if you need help in specific areas or a study accountability partner.

While getting a NAPLEX tutor isn’t the cheapest route by far, it was the best investment for me personally as I was able to get the help that I needed. But just like all things, tutoring is just one piece of the puzzle, and it is by no means a quick fix. If you are dedicated to passing the NAPLEX, you’ll still need to invest your time into studying and incorporate the other NAPLEX study tips into your routine. 

Dissect what went wrong

Before you jump back into studying, take some time to sit down and figure out what might’ve gone wrong during your first attempt. Once you write down a few things that you noticed retrospectively, you can then form a new plan that focuses on improving your weak areas and solidifying your strengths. Calculations, infectious diseases, HIV, and oncology are just a few areas that are notorious for tripping people up during the exam. Another big one is not finishing the exam on time. If this is something that you struggle with, you’ll want to spend some time working on your speed and time management. 

Make a new plan

Once you figure out your weaknesses and strengths, you can then come up with a new NAPLEX study plan. Since studying for the NAPLEX can feel like a ginormous task, it’s best to reverse engineer your goals. This just means that you break down your big goals into smaller bite-sized goals that are easier to accomplish. This could look like practicing an hour of calculations each day or finishing one chapter of your NAPLEX prep book every single day.

Whatever your plan of attack is, make sure that you’re studying daily and answering practice questions just as often as you are reading from a textbook. You’ll also want to practice speed and stamina because the NAPLEX is a 6 hour exam, which is a lot mentally and physically.

Simplify your calendar/work load to improve your focus

From graduation, moving, starting a new job or residency, there may be a lot going on in your life right now. Even though you may think that you can do it all, you don’t have too nor should you. Simplify your calendar and workload so you can focus on what truly matters right now, which is passing your licensure exams. If you can, try only working a day or two a week so you have some money coming in but enough time to focus on studying. Remember to ask your community for help and support during this stressful time. 

Sweat out your emotions

Lace up your sneakers, put on some comfy clothes, and go sweat out your emotions. There are so many benefits of regular exercise for your health, but the most important is the fact that it releases cortisol and endorphins. Both of which will make you feel like less stressed and leave you feeling rejuvenated. 

Find a study group

Sometimes studying alone isn’t the most exciting or the most productive. If you like studying with others, then go online and find yourself a study group to join. You may be able to find one already put together at your own university or organization. Study groups can be an effective study tool because they help each member to learn the material in a clearer way and create a positive environment to work in. Plus you can exchange notes, study guides, and other tools that may help you learn a difficult subject faster than without the additional assistance. 

Take your time

Many residencies and jobs require you to be licensed within a certain time frame, which may lead you to feeling rushed and unprepared prior to your first attempt. This may also be the reason why you failed in the first place beyond other reasons. For the next round, make sure to take your time when studying for the NAPLEX to make sure you feel properly prepared.

The NAPLEX isn’t an exam that you can pass by cramming at the last minute. It takes weeks and even months to feel adequately prepared. After you failed the NAPLEX the first time, you have to wait 45 days before you can re-apply to take it again. I would suggest studying for at least 6 weeks, maybe even more depending on how you’re feeling. You can check out my NAPLEX study schedule if you need some advice on how to tweak your own study schedule.

Best of luck on your next attempt! You got this!

The post What to Do If You Failed the NAPLEX Exam appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Take a deep breath and relax

No seriously – Preparing for the NAPLEX is very stressful, and you may not even realize how you’ve let your health fall to the waist side because of it. You’ve been training for this very exam for 3 or 4 years, and you have everything that it takes to pass the NAPLEX exam. So take a few deep breaths, do a few yoga poses, and get yourself to relax as best as you can.

I know that that’s easier said than done, but here are some self care resources to help you build a self care routine and to incorporate self care into your daily routine:

• How to Kickstart Your Self Care Routine
• 30 Day Self Care Challenge to Decrease Anxiety
• 11 Ways to Invest in Yourself this Year

Read the NAPLEX Candidate Registration Bulletin

Just like any other major test, the NAPLEX has its own special website that shares more information about the exam, such as the types of questions you’ll see, a list of topics that you’ll be tested on, and the skills that you’re expected to demonstrate. While it may be an exam to test your minimum skills as a pharmacist, you’ll still want to take a look at the bulletin, so you can be more familiar with the exam beforehand.

Make the final decision on whether you need a tutor or not

If you type in “NAPLEX preparation”, you’ll find plenty of links to study test materials and maybe even a few for a NAPLEX tutor. Before your test date creeps up on you, you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to invest in a NAPLEX tutor. Not everyone needs a tutor, but it can be a useful tool for those that need the additional help and motivation. I’ve already talked about my experience using Varsity Tutors, and I stand by my opinion – I highly recommend them if you’re ready to take the leap.

For those that haven’t ever heard of a NAPLEX tutor, here are a few things that my tutor helped me with when I was studying for the board exams:

• Boosted my confidence and brighten up my day
• Provided me extra support and resources for topics that I wasn’t comfortable in
• Become my accountability partner to make sure I go through all of the chapters before the big day
• Gave me plenty of practice problems and worked through them with me

Block out 2 weeks before your exam to go over the heavy hitters or weak spots

It’s easy to waste away the two weeks leading up to your exam. You may be rushing to finish the dense study textbook, or you might be hyper fixating on the topics that you already know pretty well. Use the last two weeks before your exam to go over the heavy hitters or any subjects that you may not be the most confident in. Trust me, the extra time spent on specific topics are going to make a world of a difference on the big day.

You’ll not only feel more confident with your skills, but it’ll help you feel more relaxed when it’s time to take the exam. Now the big chapters will always change from year to year, but I remember when I was studying for the exam in 2020 that the chapters for HIV, Diabetes, Infectious Disease, Compounding, and Oncology were pretty thick chapters.

Take the Pre-NAPLEX Exam

Some pharmacy schools require students to take the Pre-NAPLEX before you graduate. If you are one of the lucky ones that doesn’t have to do that, then you’ll be blessed with two attempts to take the Pre-NAPLEX. The Pre-NAPLEX exam is the official NAPLEX practice exam that gives you a realistic idea of what the exam is actually like. I 100% recommend taking the Pre-NAPLEX exam about a week before your real test date.

On the practice exam, you’ll get a chance to answer 100 exam questions from previous exams in a 140 minute time limit. Once completed, you receive a total scaled score that is pretty accurate to what you’ll score on the real thing. While the NABP doesn’t say that, I’ve heard that many students, including myself, had similar NAPLEX scores compared to the Pre-NAPLEX. So I wouldn’t blow it off. Definitely try your best and feel free to push back your exam date if the score isn’t passing.

Prepare for the day of your exam in advance

Trust me that you do not want to be searching around looking for the right clothes, documents, and necessities the day of your exam. You’re probably going to be a little scatterbrained, anxious, and probably a little forgetful in terms of things unrelated to the exam. To avoid forgetting something important and to give yourself the best chance possible to do well, here are some pointers:

• Arrive to the testing area early – If you’re driving a long distance to your exam site, plan to arrive to your accommodations the day (or even days) before. This way your chances of getting into a car crash, having a flat tire, or even getting stuck in traffic are decreased.  I also recommend staying at a hotel super close to the testing site, so you don’t have very far to go to get there the morning of.
• Go to bed early – You’re going to be nervous or anxious the day before the exam, and you’ll want to get a full night’s sleep. Go to bed earlier than you normally do to give your mind enough time to shut off completely. Bring your favorite pajamas or comfort tool to help you fully relax.
• Eat a good breakfast and bring snacks – The NAPLEX is a 6 hour exam, and you’re going to eventually get pretty hungry while you’re at the testing site. Before you head on over, stop and eat a good breakfast full of protein and leafy greens. I also recommend throwing a sandwich and snacks in your bag as you’ll get a few breaks in between the long sessions where you can stuff your face quickly.
• Don’t study the night before – I know it’ll be tempting to study the night before, but I promise that nothing you review the night before will stick. Study for the NAPLEX is a long term game and cramming for it just won’t work. Instead of trying to memorize another math equation, take the day before to relax and to enjoy the day.

Do something relaxing the week before the exam

Being stress and anxious obviously makes you pretty tense, especially when you know an important date is looming in the distance. The week before the NAPLEX exam, do something that makes you feel relaxed such as a massage, facial, or a long soak in the hot tub. While it may not be much, you’ll feel so much better and ready to take on the day. Plus you deserve it. You’ve finally at the big finale that you’ve been working so hard for, and you deserve every ounce of happiness. Grab it and hold on to it as tightly as you can!

The post NAPLEX Prep: What to Do Before the Exam appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Send them encouraging messages

Sometimes just a simple, “You got this!” can make a world of a difference in someone’s day. When being stressed out and studying for hours in a day, a text is a nice reminder that there are people out there that care about you and are thinking about you. Unless you are studying for the same exam, I wouldn’t ask how the study is going as that can be anxiety producing for some people. Feel free to ask how they are feeling overall or send a funny TikTok for them to laugh the stress away. 

Cook them food or send them a meal via delivery

You know what they say – the fastest way to someone heart is through their stomach. And it can’t be truer especially during times of stress and long study sessions. When you’re feeling anxious or stressed, it’s can be easy to fall into a habit of not eating regular meals. To show your support to your friend taking the NAPLEX exam, drop off a homemade cooked meal at their house. Or if you can’t cook, send their favorite meal via a food delivery app like DoorDash (sign up using my link to get $30 off your first three orders).

Give them a call to let them know you’re thinking of them

While phone calls are definitely not as popular as they used to be, it can still be a nice change of pace from the constant notifications of social media and text messages. It’s also a great alternative if you don’t live close to your pharmacist friend and still want to chat. Sometimes just hearing a familiar voice can lift your spirits and get you in a better mood. Don’t worry if they don’t answer. Leave them a sweet voicemail letting them know you were thinking of them and wishing them the best of luck.

Provide resources for them

If you’re also studying for the NAPLEX exam, don’t be shy with sharing any and all resources that you think your friend could use as well. The NAPLEX textbooks are pretty dense, and anything that can help your friend understand the material will not go to waste. Only send over resources if they ask for them or if you see they are struggle with a particular topic. Does your friend need more help than you can give? Send them this post about my experience with a NAPLEX tutor because it may be something that they need to pass.

Ask if they need anything

When studying for a big exam, it’s easy to forget to do the simple things in life like eating, exercising, and interacting with the people that you love. An easy way to check in on your pharmacy friends is to see if you can help them with anything. It can be as simple as doing a joint study session or grabbing some groceries for them while you’re at the store. I promise that it’ll mean so much and ease their mind just little bit with one less task to do.

Surprise them with a massage or something self care related

Before a big exam, it’s so important to be in a positive mindset that is relaxing and calm. For some people, including myself, they need an outside force to help them reach a calm and relaxed state. Gift your pharmacist friend a massage or another self care activity, such as a pedicure or facial, to help them relax. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything new right before a big exam so make sure they schedule the activity two days or more before the actual test date.

Give them some slack in domestic duties

Studying for a major exam like the NAPLEX is tough enough, and it can be challenging to balance daily life with hours of studying. If it makes sense in your relationship, allow your friend to slack some in the domestic duties. Taking a chore off their to do list is something that is easy to do and so helpful for the person who’s studying.

Let them vent or explain something to you

Let’s be clear: the NAPLEX exam is not an easy exam to pass. Screw anyone that says otherwise. It takes a lot to memorize and understand the material enough to pass it. So when things get tough, the best way to be a supportive friend is to allow your pharmacist friend to vent to you or even let them explain a study point to you. Sometimes you just need a listening ear to vent to or to let out some frustration. Be a listening ear and let them know that you are there for them regardless of what they need. 

Make sure they get exercise and fresh air

For most people, big exams = little to no exercise, rest, or fun activities. While it’s definitely not the healthiest way to go, it’s a pretty common occurrence among students studying for a career changing exam like the NAPLEX. Create a set routine with your partner or friend that gets them outside in the fresh air doing an easy, chill activity such as walking around the lake or take a yoga class. Ask their opinion and figure out a way to make it a pleasant part of their day that they look forward to.

Send them a care package

For friends that are a little farther away, think about sending them a care package with their favorite snacks, movies, and some other nit knacks that will make them feel loved and cared for. There’s really no limit on what you include in a care package or how you decorate the box. Have fun with it and make it extra special for your friend. Make sure to not forget the good luck card to add a little encouragement to their day as well.

Before you leave, leave a comment down below your favorite way to show your friends that you support them, and don’t forget to share this post among your inner circle to give them some directions in how you want to be supported during this tiring season. 

You may also like: How to Study for the MPJE, 11 Study Tips to Help You Pass the NAPLEX exam, and How to Kickstart Your Self Care Routine for Burnt Out Pharmacists

The post 10 Ways to Support Your Friends Who Are Taking the NAPLEX Exam appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

What is the NAPLEX?

For those that are new or are just getting started in the pharmacy world, the NAPLEX exam is the North America Pharmacist Licensure exam. For pharmacy students based in the United States, this is the licensure exam that allows you to practice as a pharmacist. You’ll also have to study and pass a law exam (also called the MPJE exam), which is different for each state that you want to practice in.

How long should you study for the NAPLEX exam?

Let’s first start off by saying that everyone is going to need a little bit of a different timeline based on your life circumstances and study routine. I personally recommend studying for anywhere from 6 weeks to 8 weeks as I found that to be a sweet spot for most test takers. When I was creating my NAPLEX study schedule, I studied for 6 weeks and used 2 weeks to review over any material that I wasn’t confident in. In my study plan, I was studying 2-3 chapters a day with an hour of math practice each day except for Sunday, which was my rest day.

What study materials should I use?

When I was studying for the NAPLEX exam, I used the RxPrep textbook and added on the quiz bank. I found that the RxPrep study materials overprepare you for the exam, which is personally never a bad thing in my opinion. I also used the McGraw-Hill’s NAPLEX Review Guide by Dr. Scott Sutton for more practice questions. You can buy this book online or you may have access to it through your university.

How to Make A NAPLEX Study Schedule

The first thing before you dive into studying for the NAPLEX is to come up with a plan that not only works for your schedule but is effective. It can be easy to follow someone else’s study plan or even the RxPrep study schedule, but if it doesn’t work for you, then simply don’t use it.

Here are some tips on how to make your own NAPLEX study schedule before I share mine with you:

1. Figure out how long you want to study for and schedule the NAPLEX exam 

Many people, including myself, work better under a deadline. If you’re the same way, then go ahead and schedule your exam as soon as you’re allowed too. Test dates and locations can book up fairly quickly especially during the summer months when loads of other professions are also taking exams. Like I mentioned earlier, I would recommend scheduling your exam in a way that allows you to study for at least 6 weeks.

Some students may have to be licensed by a certain date for residency or a job, so you may want to take that into account when you’re scheduling as well. But at the same time, don’t feel pressure to rush to take the NAPLEX exam if you aren’t ready too. It’s too expensive to just be taking the exam all willy nilly.

2. Plan out your schedule based on your other obligations and responsibilities

Between residency obligations or working a pharmacy grad job, your schedule each day may look a little different. Make sure that when you are creating your NAPLEX study schedule to take into account any events and obligations that you may have during your study period. I recommend typing up your study schedule into a digital calendar, which gives you more flexibility in case you need to shift things around. It also makes it easy to cross things off when you’ve completed a chapter.

3. Make sure to add in rest days and give yourself grace when you need it

While some students go into hermit mode and spend all day studying, I don’t recommend this approach as you can leave yourself burnt out and depressed. Schedule in time to have fun, to relax, and to enjoy your free time to spend time with loves ones. A good habit to start is to create a healthy routine with your friends or family that gives you something to do every day that isn’t sitting in the house reading a textbook all day. It could be walking the dog around the lake, going on a coffee date, or even learning a new skill like knitting or embroidery.

4. Include time to do practice questions and to review any material

One of my previous professors gave me this advice that really helped me when I was studying for the NAPLEX, and it was to “practice like you’ll be tested”. The NAPLEX exam is a multiple-choice exam except for the math questions which are fill-in-the-blank. When you’re studying for the exam, pencil in time to practice answering practice questions and learning how to pull out pieces of information to guide you to the right answer.

Once you start doing this repeatedly, you’ll start to notice trends and pick up the small details that matter when answering questions. You’ll also want to make sure that you are leaving time to go back and review the topics that you aren’t the most confident in. When I was studying for the exam, I left open two weeks for review and to continue answering practice questions until I could sit still for hours at a time.

5. Don’t forget about the math section!

Math may be your strongest subject in pharmacy school, but I promise that you don’t want to leave the math sections to the last minute. On almost every exam, you can expect to have a version heavy with math. Some may be simple math while others may be a multiple step question. Personally, I think every student should practice math every day, but if you are good in math, then do it at least once a week for a few hours.

My NAPLEX Study Schedule

When I was creating my study plan, I wanted to give myself breaks between the more dense or difficult topics. As you review the study plan below, you may notice that some days on the plan are harder than others while the other days are on the lighter end. By doing this, it also gave me more time in between subjects if I needed to go over them again or needed to complete more practice questions in that specific subject. Every day that I was studying, I tried to schedule in an hour of math just to make sure I wouldn’t forget how to do anything on the actual exam.

You’d be surprised about how much you forget when you’re sitting in the exam room filled with anxiety and nervousness. Sometimes it feels like the simplest things go right out the window. The best advice that I’ve ever been given when it comes to studying for the NAPLEX is to practice math and other concepts until it becomes muscle memory. This way you don’t have to worry about forgetting the simple things on the actual test.

You may also like: Varsity Tutors Review: My Experience Using Them for the NAPLEX, 11 Study Tips to Help You Pass the NAPLEX, and 10 Tips to Survive Your First 12 Hour Shift

The post My NAPLEX Study Schedule (+ How to Make Your Own!) appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

What is Varsity Tutors?

Varsity Tutors is an online platform that offers private and group tutoring for thousands of subjects at different education levels. It can be used for the kiddos in kindergarten up to professional licensure exams. I obviously choose it because it offered tutoring for the NAPLEX exam, but you can even use it for the NCLEX, PANCE, MCAT, and etc.  The cool part about the platform is that it connects you with tutors that specialize in whatever topic that you need. You don’t have to worry about not having an amazing tutor that doesn’t understand where you are in your studies.

Why You May Need a Tutor for the NAPLEX

Tutoring has such a negative connotation around it, but let’s clear the air: if you need a tutor, it does not mean that you are not equipped, smart, or qualified enough to be a pharmacist. Even if you think that you’re learning enough with studying on your own, there’s always room for improvement and a tutor can give you that extra boost that you need to make sure you pass the NAPLEX. Here are 3 reasons why you may need a tutor:

1. You aren’t confident in your knowledge base

You could be the smartest student in your pharmacy class, but if you don’t have confidence in yourself, then the world will never know. While that may sound a little cliché, it really is true. Confidence in your knowledge base allows you to focus, concentrate, and recall the information necessary to answer questions correctly on the exam. It also reduces your anxiety because you’re confident in your abilities. As you start to study for the NAPLEX, I implore you to practice building confidence in yourself.

2. You feel like you’re spending so much time studying and not retaining enough

Are you the student that studies for 8 to 12 hours a day and still feels like it’s not enough? I understand your pain and frustration because I’ve been there. Just because you study more and for longer doesn’t mean that it’s a good quality study session. Your tutor can help you focus on what’s important and give you the encouragement that you need to take a break. Go enjoy a few relaxing days in between your study sessions.

3. Your studying materials don’t match your learning style

I’ve mentioned this before, but everyone has a different learning style, which may not be compatible with the study materials that are out there. You may not be the student that learns from reading a textbook or watching a long video. Whatever your learning style is, your tutor can work with you to find a study method that’ll help you retain and understand the material required to pass the NAPLEX.

Common Questions about Varsity Tutors

It wouldn’t be a complete Varsity Tutors review if I didn’t share the most asked questions that I’ve gotten since I posted that reel. I wanted to do this review mainly to give my honest experience using the platform because when I was reaching about it last year, there were barely any reviews from a student’s perspective out there. Hopefully this Varsity Tutors review can shed some light on it and answer your questions. If I didn’t answer your question in this blog post, feel free to email or DM me!

Who are the tutors on Varsity Tutors?

Depending on what course or exam you’re studying for, your tutors are people like you who have already been through the exam itself or has a lot of experience in the subject matter. For the NAPLEX, the tutors are licensed pharmacists who have passed the NAPLEX exam themselves. This is such an amazing bonus to the tutors on Varsity Tutors because you get to have someone who understands exactly what you are going through.

How does the platform work?

After you pay for your sessions, you take a mini quiz so that Varsity Tutors can match you with a tutor that best fits your needs. Once you’re on the website and matched with a tutor, you can schedule your sessions, based on the availability of your tutor. The online platform is pretty easy to use, and they give you a tour of it so you can learn more about it. I love the fact that you can add documents or take pictures to update to your virtual worksheet that you and your tutor can see. It makes it super easy to go over practice problems or concepts that you need help on.

What if I don’t like my tutor?

After a session or two, you can always switch tutors if the tutor you were originally matched with doesn’t fit what you need. I didn’t have to use this option since my tutor was amazing and was always willing to do whatever I needed to learn. 

How much does it cost?

The way that Varsity Tutors works is that you buy your tutoring sessions in packages. They are different packages depending on how many lessons that you want and your time frame. The packages are as follows:

I personally did the 12 hour package, and I spaced out my sessions over a six week time period, which ending up being one lesson a week typically.

How often are the sessions?

The number of sessions that you have are determined on your package as well as your time frame. It’s honestly up to you how you want to space them out. You could do two sessions a week for three weeks if you only have three to four weeks before your exam. Or you can easily schedule them like myself and do one session a week up to your exam. Think hard about how much tutoring that you need and what you want to focus on in your sessions.

What happens if I don’t pass the NAPLEX after using Varsity Tutors?

What I love about Varsity Tutors is their guarantee pass policy. This basically means that if you fail the exam after using their tutoring services and being active in your studying, then you’ll get a full refund! Having that guarantee policy to fall back on made me feel so much better about spending that kind of money on tutoring. Which by the way if it isn’t clear already, I highly recommend getting a NAPLEX tutor.

My Varsity Tutors Review

How My Tutor Helped Me Pass the NAPLEX Exam

The main reason why I got a NAPLEX tutor is because I quickly realized that I was spending a lot of time studying, but it felt like I was barely retaining anything. No matter how long I made myself stay focused and glued to the textbook, I couldn’t remember as much as I had hoped afterwards. So I decided that I would invest in a tutor to help me with the more difficult subjects and to hopefully help me improve my study techniques. While I went into tutoring with an idea of what I wanted and needed, my tutor went above and beyond and really pushed me to use my time more strategically.

Work with me on the topics that I found difficult

If you are currently studying for the NAPLEX, then you can probably already pinpoint the topics that you find more difficult than others. Mine was always oncology, infectious diseases, and HIV because those chapters are pretty dense and can be quite difficult to memorize everything that is necessary. In my tutoring sessions, we focused on the chapters that I knew were difficult for me as well as ones that I just generally wanted to cover.  

Gave me plenty of practice problems and worked through them with me

One of the study techniques that works for me is by answering practice problems. My tutor would either find practice questions from her materials or she would make her own for me to use. Both options were really helpful on dialing in on areas I needed to focus as well as what information was the most important to memorize from each chapter. We would also work through them so that I could understand why the answer was correct and the other options were incorrect. 

Gave me the confidence that I needed

Confidence is a big component when it comes to taking a test, standardized or not. Feeling anxious comes from feeling like you’re unprepared and that you aren’t confident in your own abilities. My tutor inspired me and gave me my confidence back that I had lost when I got overwhelmed by the whole process.

Provided study and memorization tricks

You can never have enough study tips and memorization tricks, especially when it comes to a mentally and physically draining exam like the NAPLEX. During our sessions, my tutor made sure to give me memorization tricks on the different topics that we covered. These tips were so good and easy that I was able to recall them on the exam a month later.

Was my accountability partner

Since I had a session each week, I always wanted to make sure that I was covering the topics that we would be going over in our sessions. She kept me accountable and made sure that I stayed on track with my study plan. She would also keep up to see what chapters I had covered, which made me want to make sure I was keeping up.

My Final Thoughts – Varsity Tutors Review

While the Varsity Tutors isn’t a cheap endeavor, retaking the NAPLEX exam and delaying your first post grad job or residency is also expensive. Getting a tutor with Varsity Tutors was the best decision that I could’ve made when it came to studying for the NAPLEX exam. I can’t recommend it enough! It not only provided me the tools to master the difficult subjects, but it also gave me back my confidence that I needed to push through.

After reading this Varsity Tutors review, are you considering adding a tutor to your study plan? 

The post Varsity Tutors Review: A Student’s Real Experience With The NAPLEX appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.