Nurse Plus Academy
- Three Subscription Options
- Pass Guarantee
- Three Subscription Options
- Pass Guarantee
Our Score
9.4
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Pros
- 2,800+ high-quality practice problems with thorough answer solutions
- Incredibly realistic NCLEX simulator for practicing under exam-like conditions
- Helpful cheat sheets and flashcards for content review
- Cool option to have questions, answers, and rationales read aloud to you
- "Answer Popularity" feature shows you what peers chose
Cons
- No video lessons for visual learners
- No live classes or prep books
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UWorld NCLEX
- Several Qbank Packages
- No Pass Guarantee
- Several Qbank Packages
- No Pass Guarantee
Our Score
8.1
See our full review process
Pros
- Excellent rationales filled with helpful visuals
- Qbank has a very nice interface
- Cool feature that allows you to turn notes into flashcards in the Qbank
Cons
- Qbank only, no content review at all (no video, flashcards, cheat sheets, etc)
- Problems not as realistic as Nurse Plus Academy problems
- Fewer practice problems than Archer and Nurse Plus (hundreds less)
Archer Review NCLEX
- Tons of Bundle Packages
- Retake Guarantee
- Tons of Bundle Packages
- Retake Guarantee
Our Score
8.0
See our full review process
Pros
- Very attractive price point (less than $100)
- The included pre-recorded video lectures are helpful for content review
- The alternative problem types (NextGen questions) are solid
Cons
- Some rationales are a little thin (just a few sentences)
- Problems overall not as realistic as Nurse Plus questions
- Video lectures, while helpful, lack production value
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Outline: Nurse Plus Academy vs UWorld vs Archer
- Some Context For This Review
- Cost Analysis
- Realism of NCLEX Problems: Who Wins?
- Problem Rationales: Which Are The Best?
- NCLEX Content Review
- Verdict: Should You Choose UWorld or Archer or Nurse Plus?
Given that this is a comprehensive article, we’ve added jump-to links above for your convenience.
Some Context For This Review
Before diving straight in, I would like to begin with a more general statement about these three NCLEX review courses. Most people use these three prep courses for their practice work.
Archer, UWorld, and Nurse Plus all make their name with their Qbanks. If you want more full-scale content review, other prep companies like Kaplan, Nursing.com and Hurst will likely be a better fit. Those packages are more comprehensive.
In contrast, these three courses are geared more towards nursing students who, more than anything, want to keep things affordable—preferably under a couple hundred bucks. Secondly, these courses are aimed at those who just want to hammer a couple thousand practice problems and learn by doing, rather than sitting through lectures or reading NCLEX books.
That’s exactly why these three NCLEX courses are frequently compared to one another and fall into the same bucket. Archer, UWorld and Nurse Plus are each effectively a massive Qbank, with practice problems and detailed rationales. Each only has a handful of bonus content review tools around their practice material.
Thus, with that in mind, rather than talking about each course individually (since they mostly deliver the same tools and functionality), I would prefer to analyze the important categories we look at when covering a practice-focused prep course, and dub a winner for each.
Those four categories are (1) cost, (2) how realistic the practice problems are, (3) the answer explanations, and (4) bonus tools. Let’s start with cost.
Cost Analysis
Archer has about a dozen different packages to choose from, which makes it somewhat difficult to compare cost. They package their study materials up in all kinds of different ways, with different content access periods and different included features. Thus, you end up with a crazy pricing grid. However, if you’re looking at their standard Qbank with 60 days of access, that will cost about $90.
Then you’ve got Nurse Plus Academy. They have just three different options, which are all the same except for content access period. Prices range from $50 to $140 depending on if you want 30 days of access, 60 days of access, or a full year.
Lastly, UWorld is the most expensive of the three courses. Their Qbank packages range from $160 up to $450 depending on features and access length.
Therefore, in terms of price, Archer and Nurse Plus are neck and neck in terms of affordability. Both of their mainstay packages cost right around $100, while UWorld is way more expensive. Even UWorld’s cheapest option is still nearly twice the cost of the other two review packages.
Thus, if you’re looking to keep costs down, Nurse Plus Academy or Archer will be your best bet. They definitely offer more value on the cost front than UWorld.
Plus, even though we’re talking about value prep options here, these companies are still pretty good about running sales and special promos where you can knock a few bucks off. As a note, Nurse Plus is especially aggressive with their discounting, so do make sure to look for coupon codes before buying.
Realism of NCLEX Problems: Who Wins?
The next major category to look at is the realism of practice questions—or in other words, how well each company matches the content, difficulty, and format of real NCLEX problems.
Generally speaking, this is a tough call, because it is a qualitative measure; however, for our team, Nurse Plus Academy gets the win for most realistic problems.
The Nurse Plus problems are just a dead ringer for real NCLEX questions, and it’s really hard to tell the difference. Don’t get me wrong, Archer and UWorld largely do a good job as well, but Nurse Plus just grades out higher.
Everything from the length, content, and difficulty of problems, to the proportionate mix of next gen problem types is just spot on. We were very impressed with Nurse Plus’ problems on the whole.
Not to mention, Nurse Plus also gives you more practice work than the other two companies, including a bunch of alternate format questions, such as select-all-that-apply, hotspot items, and ordered response items.
This is a particularly important point as you need to drill on these problem types pretty hard, and Nurse Plus Academy has close to 400 of these next gen problems. Along with their unlimited simulated exams, this was a fairly easy category to pick a winner.
Problem Rationales: Which Are The Best?
After realism of practice work, you have to look at rationales. And if you don’t know what I mean by “rationales,” it just means problem explanations.
Once more, this is somewhat of a qualitative measure to look at it, but for this category, I do think UWorld has the best rationales by a smidge. Archer and Nurse Plus are tied for a close second, and I really like the rationales from all three companies, but I give UWorld the slight edge for all of the awesome graphics they provide.
Almost every one of the answer solutions from UWorld contains some sort of picture, diagram or nice visual. For visual learners, this can be a nice value add over just getting text explanations.
Nurse Plus and Archer also include visuals with most of their rationales, but it’s just not every problem like it seems to be with UWorld.
Moreover, I would note for Archer in particular that some of their explanations were a little on thin side. Most are alright and provide decent depth, but some are only a few sentences long and left me wanting more.
For this category, it’s a nice little win for UWorld because of their visuals, though Nurse Plus has rock solid explanations of their own and Archer’s aren’t bad at all either.
NCLEX Content Review
Lastly, we need to discuss bonus content review tools. To this point, I’ve primarily covered the aspects of these courses associated with their Qbanks, as that is the heart and soul of each of these programs, but it’s worth discussing the extras that each kicks in.
For Archer, that’s video lessons. With their standard 60-day Qbank, Archer gives you access to pre-recorded webinars from their live content review sessions. That way, if you feel like you do need some content review, you can go back and watch pre-recorded video lectures to get a refresher.
Full disclaimer, the production quality of their video lessons is not great, but the content is pretty good.
Next, Nurse Plus kicks in flashcards and cheat sheets as their bonus content review tools. There are only 300 of these flashcards, but I think they’re surprisingly helpful. And the cheat sheets are an awesome last minute refresher as well. They take a couple hours to get through, but they can add a lot of value.
Lastly, UWorld doesn’t really offer much in this respect. They have a neat tool where you can generate your own flashcards for quick review within the Qbank, and their illustrations in the rationales are awesome (as already touched on above), but there are not a ton of cool extras.
UWorld has some performance metrics and diagnostic exams, but all three companies offer those features at this point, so it’s nothing special.
Bottom line, I think Archer and Nurse Plus have a clear advantage in terms of extras, and which one is better really just depends on the medium of content you want—video or cheat sheets/flashcards.
Verdict: Should You Choose UWorld or Archer or Nurse Plus?
If you’re trying to pick just one NCLEX prep course among these three, I would point you towards Nurse Plus Academy. I believe they give you the best combination of value, realistic practice work, and quantity of practice material, as well as solid rationales. For us, they just kind of have it all, while Archer and UWorld fall short in one category or another.
That being said, if getting detailed rationales with a ton of visuals is mission critical to you, UWorld might the better choice. Similarly, if you want extra video lectures with your package, Archer might be the better fit.
At the end of the day though, if you’re trying to just pick one of these Qbank-based review courses, I’d go with Nurse Plus.
FAQs
Is Archer Nclex better than UWorld? ›
Pros and Cons of Archer Review and UWorld
Archer has more self-assessment opportunities than UWorld. For example, UWorld offers a maximum of two self-assessment opportunities in their 90-day and 180-day Qbank packages, while most Archer Review packages provide more than one self-assessment chance.
A cumulative average of 60% or higher on Archer NCLEX Qbank has high predictability of passing! Multiple readiness assessments also help you to monitor your progress. Scoring high or very high chance of passing on 4 Archer assessments has 99% accuracy in predicting “pass” result based on the data so far.
Is Archer Review questions harder than NCLEX? ›Some of the questions I had were EXTREMELY similar to what I saw on ArcherReview. A lot of the same content but honestly ArcherReview was a little harder than NCLEX which I had heard. I was okay with studying harder questions because I wanted this to be my LAST attempt at passing the NCLEX-PN. The moment of truth ...
Which Nclex Prep has the highest pass rate? ›Hurst Review — Best First-Attempt Pass Rate
Dedicated to NCLEX review since 1988, Hurst boasts a 98% first-attempt pass rate and has helped over 400,000 RN and PN candidates nationwide. We're impressed by its clinical judgment approach to NCLEX review and its range of traditional and online learning options.
In 2021, only 82.48% of first time test takers passed the NCLEX. For repeat test takers, it was only 43.36%. We can do better. IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT!
What is the pass rate for the Archer Review NCLEX? ›Proven SMART strategy - Affordable
98% Pass rate for those who complete all the 3 steps and get highs on four consecutive assessments. Ability to launch multiple assessments and computer adaptive tests with Archer Qbank. Launch tests as an assessment every 1-2 wks to monitor readiness.
- Best Overall NCLEX Prep: Nursing.com.
- Best NCLEX Live Classes: Kaplan.
- Best Value NCLEX Review Course: Nurse Plus Academy.
- Most Realistic NCLEX Questions: Princeton Review.
- Best NCLEX Problem Rationales: UWorld.
- Best Written NCLEX Study Materials: Hurst NCLEX Review.
#1 | Saunders Comprehensive Review For The NCLEX-RN Examination. Currently in its ninth edition, the Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination is consistently ranked among the best and most popular study aids on the market. In addition, is continually updated to cover the most currently tested content.
Why fail at 75 questions on NCLEX? ›If the system finds that your nursing knowledge isn't up to par based on your answers, it will definitely fail you – even at 75 questions.
Does Archer Review have a money back guarantee? ›Archer Review's Sure Pass plan comes with a program guarantee that can be redeemed in several ways on an individual student basis: 100% money-back refund.
What type of NCLEX questions are the hardest? ›
Analysis, synthesis and evaluation questions would be considered higher-level NCLEX questions. Synthesis questions are based on creating or proposing solutions, such as a plan of care.
How many nurses pass NCLEX on first try? ›All nursing students dream of graduating and passing the NCLEX. Unfortunately, more than thirteen percent of NCLEX-RN candidates fail the exam on their first attempt.
How can I increase my NCLEX pass rate? ›The most effective approach to improving the first time NCLEX pass rate is to implement best practices related to admission standards, curriculum, teaching-learning processes, testing policies, and remediation, always considering the mission of the program and the profile of the students who apply to your nursing ...
Is 90% chance of passing NCLEX good? ›Specifically, nurse educators viewed students with predicted probabilities of passing the NCLEX-RN/NCLEX-PN greater than 90% as “on track” and therefore “low risk.” Nurse educators further categorized students with predicted probabilities of passing NCLEX-RN/NCLEX-PN between 80% and 89.9% as having “moderate need of ...
What is the average score for an Archer? ›In general, the average score for a beginner archer is around 50-60 points. For someone who is more experienced, the average score is usually around 70-80 points. And for those who compete regularly, the average score is often even higher than that. The world record for an archery score is 1,080 points.
Do most people who get 75 questions on NCLEX pass? ›If you're taking the NCLEX and the test stops after 75 questions, it doesn't necessarily mean you've failed. In fact, many test-takers go on to pass the exam after only answering 75 questions. There are a variety of reasons why the NCLEX-RN test may stop at 75 questions.
What percentage do you need to pass NCLEX on UWorld? ›Learners with an average QBank score of 56% pass the NCLEX at a 92% rate. While your average UWorld QBank score gives you important information, studying each question's explanation is the most valuable way to spend your time.
Is 3 weeks enough to study for NCLEX? ›Recommended study times may vary depending upon the level of preparation needed and can range anywhere from four to twelve weeks or more. Although this article provides a guide to studying NCLEX in one month, it is highly recommended you allocate more than just four weeks to prepare for your exam.
Is 3 months enough to study for NCLEX? ›HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STUDY FOR THE NCLEX? To pass the NCLEX, students should plan to spend a minimum of 1-2 months studying.
Is the actual NCLEX easier than UWorld? ›90% of users report that UWorld's questions are the same level of difficulty or more difficult than the questions they encountered on the NCLEX.
Which state NCLEX is the hardest? ›
None. There is no “easy” state to take the NCLEX. The NCLEX is a national exam administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Because it's national, the NCLEX will be the same regardless of what state you choose to take it in.
Is 145 questions on NCLEX good? ›Does 145 questions on NCLEX mean you failed? No, if you answer all 145 questions on the NCLEX, that does not mean you fail. In fact, if you answered 145 questions and each question was progressively more challenging, then that is a good sign that you passed.
What month in 2023 will NCLEX change? ›Next Gen NCLEX changes
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) launched the Next Generation NCLEX on April 1, 2023.
How long should I study each day? The amount of time that you choose to schedule in your NCLEX study plan can be highly subjective from person to person — but on average, it is recommended that a nursing student aims to study at least 3-5 hours a day (excluding days off) while they prepare for the exam.
Can you pass the NCLEX with just UWorld? ›For many students, UWorld is enough for them to pass the NCLEX. With an almost 100% pass rate, it's pretty clear that students successfully use the UWorld NCLEX prep to prepare them for the National Council Licensure Examination.
Can I study for NCLEX in 2 weeks? ›Each day of the last 2 weeks should be intentionally planned out in detail. Devote 4 hours to test taking practice and 2 hours to review of the test results, including content remediation. Have rest or no-prep days scheduled to make sure you are taking care of yourself and not burning out.
Is Archer or Kaplan better for NCLEX? ›But when it comes to full scale NCLEX prep, there is no denying that Kaplan is the superior choice here. With high-quality video lessons, optional live classes, a prep book, and bonus resources (most of which UWorld does not offer), Kaplan offers the better overall NCLEX prep option.
Is Archer better than UWorld reddit? ›I got Archer and honestly, its the biggest factor that contributed to me passing. It's just like the NCLEX and their rationals are so straightforward and to the point where you're not too overwhelmed. I would highly recommend Archer over Uwrold but like I said everyone is different!
What percentage do I need on UWorld to pass NCLEX? ›Learners with an average QBank score of 56% pass the NCLEX at a 92% rate. While your average UWorld QBank score gives you important information, studying each question's explanation is the most valuable way to spend your time.
What percentage of people pass NCLEX with UWorld? ›For many students, UWorld is enough for them to pass the NCLEX. With an almost 100% pass rate, it's pretty clear that students successfully use the UWorld NCLEX prep to prepare them for the National Council Licensure Examination.
What is the best source to pass the NCLEX? ›
- Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination.
- Kaplan NCLEX-RN Prep Plus.
- Lippincott Q&A Review for NCLEX-RN.
- NCLEX-RN Questions & Answers Made Incredibly Easy.
- HESI Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination.
Archer Review is a company founded by Pavan Malch.
What is the best alternative to UWorld? ›- becker.com, with 929.2K visits, 47 authority score, 0.52% bounce rate.
- kaptest.com, with 2.2M visits, 52 authority score, 0.41% bounce rate.
- ncbex.org, with 274.3K visits, 42 authority score, 0.51% bounce rate.
Fighter and Ranger both give you a set of feats that work well with archery, with Fighter being more generic. Ranger will give you more extra stuff and an animal companion, while Fighter will give you more direct damage via weapon specialization and related combat feats.
What is the alternative to UWorld? ›According to Similarweb data of monthly visits, uworld.com's top competitor in February 2023 is uptodate.com with 13.4M visits. uworld.com 2nd most similar site is mayoclinic.org, with 158.1M visits in February 2023, and closing off the top 3 is cdc.gov with 61.3M.