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I just found out yesterday I passed the naplex, I will be free to answer any questions you may have. I have also failed previously, so I can give advice on what to work on
Passed October 2016 Naplex
- Thread starter Jaycorro24
- Start date
Congratulations!
1. What sort of timetable did you use to pace your studying?
2. When did you graduate P school? When was your first attempt & when was your second attempt?
3. If I have gone over RxPrep already over the course of 3 excruciating months (i.e., I now can't rem much from the beginning ), how would you advise I best spend the next 17 days until the test date of my next attempt?
Thanks so much in advance!
1. What sort of timetable did you use to pace your studying?
2. When did you graduate P school? When was your first attempt & when was your second attempt?
3. If I have gone over RxPrep already over the course of 3 excruciating months (i.e., I now can't rem much from the beginning ), how would you advise I best spend the next 17 days until the test date of my next attempt?
Thanks so much in advance!
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Hi! Can you email me at [email protected] with any study strategies any ahah! moments or any notes you think might be helpful. Congratulations!!!!
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hello pls i will really like to know what u did differently this time around, cos i have failed it three times already. thank you.
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OK so for starters I have felt every wave of emotions you can possibly feel by failing the naplex . Sadness, anger, frustration, loneliness, anxiety.... Etc. I have taken it and failed twice , however I passed it on the third attempt . I was set back a year just by studying to make sure I have looked over all of the material I could. I only used rx prep . I have heard PNN but it was too pricey for me, if you can afford it u may give it a try , but rx prep is all u need . Just do all the online modules ! ! ! !
A good study schedule is 4-5 days a week for 5-8 hours, change study locations every 2 to 3 hours, I hated sitting still for long periods of time. Listen to music , podcasts , talk radio , YouTube , anything you enjoy while doing math! !
Let me also state , the naplex is a very strange exam, you can prepare for it, however you can't "study for it " let me explain . The naplex is a exam that randomly generates 185 questions , soon to be 250. With the recent updates my guess is that it will get EASIER by providing a wider range of questions , instead of asking you questions that u missed over and over from its adaptive algorithm. It will go though all of the criteria whether you answer correctly or not, So now you have more opportunities to display your knowledge from an even pool of sections .
The naplex is a minimum competency exam, it isn't difficult , however it is extremely random , that is what MAKES it challenging , when I took the exam I barely received more than 20 select all that applies , it was multiple choice and the answer chooses where clear cut. Either u knew it or didn't . That's where rx prep comes in.
The first time around I strictly read the rx prep book and did sdn math problems , and vaguely looked at the end of chapter rx prep questions in the book, THAT WAS MY MISTAKE , I never did the online practice problems from rx prep , that is extremely important to guaging how well u know the subject . The online questions are hella detailed and soooo many select all that applies , and it isn't like this on the naplex , rx prep makes it harder so you can perform better on the test . However some people don't learn that way because of overload, this is where I hear PNN might be an alternative by being more straight to the point and concise.
The second time I took the exam I ran out of time. So I was randomly picking answers, very bad!!!! I knew something had to change so the 3rd time I got a study partner . We studied every week, Mon - Friday for 2 months. VERY VERY IMPORTANT TO STUDY WITH SOMEONE , both of u should pick a topic then take notes separately then review your notes together the following day . Ex. (hiv Monday , you and John take notes Monday night , Tuesday night you both TEACH each other about hiv!!! Never go over 2 hours per session with each other, or you will be drained, make funny jokes and pneumonics with key information or side effects to help you guys remember them ) do this for 2 months and you will pass! ! If you don't have the option of a partner try to teach a family member or write your own notes down Monday then read them again the following day . Repetition is the best teacher . Do not let pride hold u back from contacting a classmate or a class that graduated after you to study
Furthermore, I suggest u do all of the online modules , and make flash cards on quizlet and copy and paste the questions u miss , therefore u will learn what your weakness is. Yes this will take TIME , but would u rather wait 91 days from a failure ?
Failing this exam is not a good feeling , it takes u to a very dark place , especially when u hear everyone around u passing . You end up avoiding people and not showing up, while your friends are taking trips and posting pictures of their latest purchases . I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't on medications from stress and anxiety because of this! ! But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel , I remember waking up either dread and heaviness on my chest wondering why me? What did I do to deserve this?
But u have to realize this is a defining moment in your life , you have to get up and run ! See a doctor and get on meds if u have to, join a gym, exercise daily , when you fail your body's natural supply of dopamine takes a huge hit, the fastest and most natural way to restore it is to exercise daily, I am not joking, do whatever it takes just don't stop, and feel sorry for yourself , you worked too damn hard to get here, so giving up is for losers ! ! !
Just know that this is just a stupid test ! ! ! That's all this is , a test that the board legally has to give so u can receive your liscence. This by NO means is a assessment of how much knowledge you have ! ! ! Even if you cheated all through pharmacy school , cheating takes effort and memorization ! ! In a clinical setting if u don't know a formula there's the internet , in retail if you don't know side effects there's the internet ! ! Do not stress over such trivial things , this exam is a mental battle and you just have to finesse it like a level headed champion .
This brings me to another point , the naplex is not a test of knowledge , it is a test on COMPOSURE AND CONFIDENCE
once you realize this, you will pass , it took me 3 attempts for this to sink in. you already know the information , all u have to do is apply it. On my third attempt the only math I used was rx prep this is all you need, and this is coming from someone who is terrible at math , sdn is overkill
A day before the exam do NOT STUDY , ITS OVER LET YOUR BRAIN RELAX , the morning or afternoon before eat a meal rich in healthy carbs, this will provide your brain the fuel to pump out all the information you have stored over the past weeks. Also the night before eat a high carb meal so it is primed and ready for the mental marathon you will run the following day, go to a grocery store and buy organic juice and fruit (I bought the strawberry and banana flavored naked® organic juice, for fruit I got 2 pears) and bring that with you to the testing center the next day, place both items in your locker, and when you have the mandatory break , eat them, the juice and fruit will metabolize quickly into glucose in your bloodstream and will provide nutrients for your brain to finish the exam . DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS ! ! These are fundamentals to making sure you perform at a high level .
Do not forget to pace yourself, if you find yourself spending too much time on one question, move on!!!! This goes back to the idea of composure and confidence. I personally struggled with this, and the idea of skipping a question scared the hell out of me, but you have to let things go!! This is not a test that makes sense lol, go into the testing center TELLING YOURSELF that this test is going to be a foreign language experience, but somehow someway I know that they are attempting to trick me, once you have this mindset, your golden, do not try to reason with the exam, it's not your friend, it won't let u figure it out, just relax and let the information you learned come back to you , know what u have been taught and stick with it. This a test of composure and confidence!!!! you may be stuck on a level 5 difficulty question, then receive a level 1 difficulty question right after that, do not spend too much time on a question. When I passed on my third attempt I finished with 15 min left on the clock ! This is because I understood that I had did my best and realized this exam was designed to test your rationalizing skills , once you know that , just relax and apply yourself to the fullest
A good study schedule is 4-5 days a week for 5-8 hours, change study locations every 2 to 3 hours, I hated sitting still for long periods of time. Listen to music , podcasts , talk radio , YouTube , anything you enjoy while doing math! !
Let me also state , the naplex is a very strange exam, you can prepare for it, however you can't "study for it " let me explain . The naplex is a exam that randomly generates 185 questions , soon to be 250. With the recent updates my guess is that it will get EASIER by providing a wider range of questions , instead of asking you questions that u missed over and over from its adaptive algorithm. It will go though all of the criteria whether you answer correctly or not, So now you have more opportunities to display your knowledge from an even pool of sections .
The naplex is a minimum competency exam, it isn't difficult , however it is extremely random , that is what MAKES it challenging , when I took the exam I barely received more than 20 select all that applies , it was multiple choice and the answer chooses where clear cut. Either u knew it or didn't . That's where rx prep comes in.
The first time around I strictly read the rx prep book and did sdn math problems , and vaguely looked at the end of chapter rx prep questions in the book, THAT WAS MY MISTAKE , I never did the online practice problems from rx prep , that is extremely important to guaging how well u know the subject . The online questions are hella detailed and soooo many select all that applies , and it isn't like this on the naplex , rx prep makes it harder so you can perform better on the test . However some people don't learn that way because of overload, this is where I hear PNN might be an alternative by being more straight to the point and concise.
The second time I took the exam I ran out of time. So I was randomly picking answers, very bad!!!! I knew something had to change so the 3rd time I got a study partner . We studied every week, Mon - Friday for 2 months. VERY VERY IMPORTANT TO STUDY WITH SOMEONE , both of u should pick a topic then take notes separately then review your notes together the following day . Ex. (hiv Monday , you and John take notes Monday night , Tuesday night you both TEACH each other about hiv!!! Never go over 2 hours per session with each other, or you will be drained, make funny jokes and pneumonics with key information or side effects to help you guys remember them ) do this for 2 months and you will pass! ! If you don't have the option of a partner try to teach a family member or write your own notes down Monday then read them again the following day . Repetition is the best teacher . Do not let pride hold u back from contacting a classmate or a class that graduated after you to study
Furthermore, I suggest u do all of the online modules , and make flash cards on quizlet and copy and paste the questions u miss , therefore u will learn what your weakness is. Yes this will take TIME , but would u rather wait 91 days from a failure ?
Failing this exam is not a good feeling , it takes u to a very dark place , especially when u hear everyone around u passing . You end up avoiding people and not showing up, while your friends are taking trips and posting pictures of their latest purchases . I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't on medications from stress and anxiety because of this! ! But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel , I remember waking up either dread and heaviness on my chest wondering why me? What did I do to deserve this?
But u have to realize this is a defining moment in your life , you have to get up and run ! See a doctor and get on meds if u have to, join a gym, exercise daily , when you fail your body's natural supply of dopamine takes a huge hit, the fastest and most natural way to restore it is to exercise daily, I am not joking, do whatever it takes just don't stop, and feel sorry for yourself , you worked too damn hard to get here, so giving up is for losers ! ! !
Just know that this is just a stupid test ! ! ! That's all this is , a test that the board legally has to give so u can receive your liscence. This by NO means is a assessment of how much knowledge you have ! ! ! Even if you cheated all through pharmacy school , cheating takes effort and memorization ! ! In a clinical setting if u don't know a formula there's the internet , in retail if you don't know side effects there's the internet ! ! Do not stress over such trivial things , this exam is a mental battle and you just have to finesse it like a level headed champion .
This brings me to another point , the naplex is not a test of knowledge , it is a test on COMPOSURE AND CONFIDENCE
once you realize this, you will pass , it took me 3 attempts for this to sink in. you already know the information , all u have to do is apply it. On my third attempt the only math I used was rx prep this is all you need, and this is coming from someone who is terrible at math , sdn is overkill
A day before the exam do NOT STUDY , ITS OVER LET YOUR BRAIN RELAX , the morning or afternoon before eat a meal rich in healthy carbs, this will provide your brain the fuel to pump out all the information you have stored over the past weeks. Also the night before eat a high carb meal so it is primed and ready for the mental marathon you will run the following day, go to a grocery store and buy organic juice and fruit (I bought the strawberry and banana flavored naked® organic juice, for fruit I got 2 pears) and bring that with you to the testing center the next day, place both items in your locker, and when you have the mandatory break , eat them, the juice and fruit will metabolize quickly into glucose in your bloodstream and will provide nutrients for your brain to finish the exam . DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS ! ! These are fundamentals to making sure you perform at a high level .
Do not forget to pace yourself, if you find yourself spending too much time on one question, move on!!!! This goes back to the idea of composure and confidence. I personally struggled with this, and the idea of skipping a question scared the hell out of me, but you have to let things go!! This is not a test that makes sense lol, go into the testing center TELLING YOURSELF that this test is going to be a foreign language experience, but somehow someway I know that they are attempting to trick me, once you have this mindset, your golden, do not try to reason with the exam, it's not your friend, it won't let u figure it out, just relax and let the information you learned come back to you , know what u have been taught and stick with it. This a test of composure and confidence!!!! you may be stuck on a level 5 difficulty question, then receive a level 1 difficulty question right after that, do not spend too much time on a question. When I passed on my third attempt I finished with 15 min left on the clock ! This is because I understood that I had did my best and realized this exam was designed to test your rationalizing skills , once you know that , just relax and apply yourself to the fullest
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Thank you so much for this. it was exactly what i needed.
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I'm here for any questions , what's your status ? And testing date
Thank you so much for giving back to the SDN community with these tips and sharing your experience. It takes a lot of self assurance to share such vulnerabilities & maturity to share lessons learned. Folks like you re-energize this place. Encouraged & gratefully wishing you the best! Now let's get provider status for us pharmacists! 
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Congratulations!!! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and advice! Your words were EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I failed the first time by a few points, and last week I found out I failed for the second time with a score much lower than I got the first time (also ran out of time on my second attempt and had to pick random answers, but I still didn't get through the last 6 questions). I indeed have been experiencing all the emotions you described, and it has been difficult to get through each day since failing the first time - which has only gotten worse with this second failure. I've started to wonder if I even have the capability to be a pharmacist since I can't even pass a basic licensing exam. Despite the fact that I am terrified by not knowing what to expect with the new version of the exam, you have given me hope and the motivation to keep going and not give up!
Congratulation and thank you Jaycorro24 for your post! I have graduated pharmacy school more than 20 years ago and have not practiced pharmacy for the last 17+ years since I moved to CA. I still keep my PA license active but it is not transferable to CA since I took my NAPLEX before 2004. My children are older now and I am thinking of reentering the workplace but I am dreading with the thought of retaking the NAPLEX and the CPJE! It was a very long time since I look at these study materials!! I don't even know where to begin! lol. I am glad to stumble on this forum and get so many advices! I'll check out PNN since I learn better with visual aid, does anyone know if PNN covers math as well?
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Just some other additional advice
When studying for the exam ask yourself 2 questions in each chapter you review
1.Would a nurse know this ? (if the answer is yes, then you need to be proficient over and above the drug parameters dosing and s/e) remember your the pharmacist, the drug expert! You would be surprised how much RNs know about INR ranges and other clinical pearls on meds
2. If I was creating an exam, what would I ask in this disease state that a student would BE LEAST LIKELY TO remember, or go over prior to examination. Rx prep does a decent job in underlining random info, but u should still look for yourself
(ABG , lovenox prophylaxis vs. TX dose , Mechanical mitral valve INR, each class of HIV drugs moa location in T- cell on rx prep picture, patch administration sites , metabolic acidosis vs respitory acid base ranges, warfarin mg colors etc.)
Also when studying with a partner you don't have to meet in person , Google Hangouts will do just fine as it works on both android and iPhones . Skype is an alternative, you and your partner may study up to 3 to 4 short disease states a night (anxiety, Alzheimers, Parkinsons sleep) then focus on 1 to 2 larger disease states another night (htn, diabetes) break them down at your discretion .
When studying treatments , remember that your the drug expert ! Memorizing 1st line treatments is not going to cut it , know 2nd and 3rd line more than the 1st line ! ! ! The naplex will assume u know the 1st line , so anticipate giving 2nd line for allergies seen in the case .
One of most important topics too focus on is BIOSTATISTICS , make sure it is one of the last topics you review leading up to test date , I cannot stress this enough, know how to calculate ARR , RR , RRR, NNT , as well as which values need to be rounded up, be familiar with which answers need to be in decimal form, or in percent, and how to properly type the correct answer in. The exam may or may not give u a multiple choice so be prepared to manually type in answer and round correctly , rx prep explains biostatistics the best , it's straightforward on the exam .
Aim to make math the last topic to study before, so it is fresh in your head, all those formulas may be typed in order for it to sink it.
Personally I wrote down notes when studying , I would advise you to do the same , it may help you retain information more proficiently than just reading or typing .
Feel free to ask any further questions either by replying or sending a message
When studying for the exam ask yourself 2 questions in each chapter you review
1.Would a nurse know this ? (if the answer is yes, then you need to be proficient over and above the drug parameters dosing and s/e) remember your the pharmacist, the drug expert! You would be surprised how much RNs know about INR ranges and other clinical pearls on meds
2. If I was creating an exam, what would I ask in this disease state that a student would BE LEAST LIKELY TO remember, or go over prior to examination. Rx prep does a decent job in underlining random info, but u should still look for yourself
(ABG , lovenox prophylaxis vs. TX dose , Mechanical mitral valve INR, each class of HIV drugs moa location in T- cell on rx prep picture, patch administration sites , metabolic acidosis vs respitory acid base ranges, warfarin mg colors etc.)
Also when studying with a partner you don't have to meet in person , Google Hangouts will do just fine as it works on both android and iPhones . Skype is an alternative, you and your partner may study up to 3 to 4 short disease states a night (anxiety, Alzheimers, Parkinsons sleep) then focus on 1 to 2 larger disease states another night (htn, diabetes) break them down at your discretion .
When studying treatments , remember that your the drug expert ! Memorizing 1st line treatments is not going to cut it , know 2nd and 3rd line more than the 1st line ! ! ! The naplex will assume u know the 1st line , so anticipate giving 2nd line for allergies seen in the case .
One of most important topics too focus on is BIOSTATISTICS , make sure it is one of the last topics you review leading up to test date , I cannot stress this enough, know how to calculate ARR , RR , RRR, NNT , as well as which values need to be rounded up, be familiar with which answers need to be in decimal form, or in percent, and how to properly type the correct answer in. The exam may or may not give u a multiple choice so be prepared to manually type in answer and round correctly , rx prep explains biostatistics the best , it's straightforward on the exam .
Aim to make math the last topic to study before, so it is fresh in your head, all those formulas may be typed in order for it to sink it.
Personally I wrote down notes when studying , I would advise you to do the same , it may help you retain information more proficiently than just reading or typing .
Feel free to ask any further questions either by replying or sending a message
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I passed exam in October 2016 so I have 2016 PNN and 2015 Rx Prep book (updated with 2016 Rx book). If anyone interested please e-mail me at [email protected].
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I used 2015 Rx prep and passed with 1 month of full time (8-10hr/day) studying for 2016 NAPLEX.
Agree with Jaycorro24 that the NAPLEX is a very strange exam that it's hard to study for.
I also can't understand people saying that it is a easy test that you can pass without studying,
My experience/ advice:
1. Make sure to do a lot of practice questions such as question bank from RXPREP!!! Just by reading through the book you WILL forget and won't remember MOST of them after a few chapters down the road. By doing questions you are learning actively. I will recommend just do a brief overview of each chapter. Then start doing questions. Just read and answer the question to see if you get it or not. If not, go look up from the RXPREP to see if you can find the answer, and why other answers are wrong. The process of looking up the answer also contribute to learning or memorizing. Make sure to look at the explanation part of the question as well. You learn a lot more by learning from mistakes that you make, instead of just reading through the thick book line by line, table by table. The questions also hint to you what area you SHOULD know. Such as why some drug are preferred d/t whatever reason (ODT formulation available, or safety profile, etc).
2. Test yourself or memorize stuff using Flashcard (quizlet is great!) Many people post flash cards for NAPLEX, or MPJE /CPJE on quizlet, just search them and study off that save you a lot of time (of course need to verify the validity of the content as well, some may include mistake or outdated resource).
3. Don't get overwhelm and get too much into the details like how RXPREP ask in their questions, learn the big picture such as class of medication /class SE/class CI...etc The specific formulation or detail dosing of each drug is way too detail for me to memorize. But once you done some of the questions from RXPREP question banks, you will be exposed to certain detail and you will kind of remember it in your head (like I mentioned in #1, quiz questions expose you to certain detail, but don't drill into them too much if you don't remember them).
4. Write your own notes out also helps better than just typing. Typing is way too effortless and you just typing without thinking or integrating the information. Write out, draw pictures, tables, highlight the book, etc
5. Do a lot of math and biostat practice, and memorize the basic unit/sig /conversions well. You need to able to do this fast and accurate! I mean FAST, without hesitation. For my naplex, I got stuck in a lot of biostat questions and they are asking some simple questions but you need to able to do it fast (interpreting what exactly they are asking, how to find out data from the paragraph/table. I got a lot of tables with data presented in a confusing way, just by interpreting the table itself take me a while and slows me down a lot). I know how a lot of students / pharmacist say the NAPLEX is so easy, all you need to prepare for that is doing math/biostat. It is kind of true for the math part because it is the only one that you can study for and have a better confidence of getting them correct. If you can do those questions fast and accurate, the rest of clinical questions is kind of like either you know it or not, 50/50. With your school experience/work experience, and time studying from RXPREP/questions, you kind of know some of the clinical part. And you will NEVER be confident to feel prepared for it anyway. So at least fully prepare for math/biostat. And also to know that some people may get a lot of math/biostat questions, some don't. But just fully prepare for this part for your own advantage.
6. PACE yourself during the exam. Allow only certain amount of time per question, skip if take longer than that! Check time at least at half point of your test time on each period (before break, and after break) to make sure you are on track for timing. For me, I divided the total questions by half, and give myself a deadline to finish half of them before the breaktime. I only allow 1.5 min MAX per question, move on quick if I can answer some easy question fast (some only take a few second !!!!) Don't underestimate timing and performance during exam. It can break you even if you have been prepared for a long time! Like OP said, the exam is strange. There are random questions, there are difficult questions and easy ones. Don't get stuck in a hard questions and trying to answer it perfectly, while missing out easier questions coming up!!!!! There will be hard and easy questions, move on if stuck in hard questions!!!!!!!!!! It is an adaptive test, so if you miss a harder question, easier ones will be coming, if not right away, they will show up near the end.
7. Read question first, read answer, then read the paragraph (if there is one) to look for the answer. Lots of questions that I have don't really need the passage.
8. If it is possible, try to use 2 or more type of resource, RXPREP maybe too detail for someone, try also use something easier like PASSNAPLEX, or others.
Lastly, I really don't agree with many students/pharmacists that say this exam is EASY or piece of cake. You could say it may be an exam that's easy to pass due to it has a low passing score threshold. But to say the CONTENT of the exam is EASY? I won't agree. I personally experienced a lot of stress preparing for, and taking the NAPLEX. I was 90-100% sure I failed it when I finished the exam. But I passed at the high 90s, to my surprise. The content in my NAPLEX is not easy, and I feel like I have to guess so many of them.
Agree with Jaycorro24 that the NAPLEX is a very strange exam that it's hard to study for.
I also can't understand people saying that it is a easy test that you can pass without studying,
My experience/ advice:
1. Make sure to do a lot of practice questions such as question bank from RXPREP!!! Just by reading through the book you WILL forget and won't remember MOST of them after a few chapters down the road. By doing questions you are learning actively. I will recommend just do a brief overview of each chapter. Then start doing questions. Just read and answer the question to see if you get it or not. If not, go look up from the RXPREP to see if you can find the answer, and why other answers are wrong. The process of looking up the answer also contribute to learning or memorizing. Make sure to look at the explanation part of the question as well. You learn a lot more by learning from mistakes that you make, instead of just reading through the thick book line by line, table by table. The questions also hint to you what area you SHOULD know. Such as why some drug are preferred d/t whatever reason (ODT formulation available, or safety profile, etc).
2. Test yourself or memorize stuff using Flashcard (quizlet is great!) Many people post flash cards for NAPLEX, or MPJE /CPJE on quizlet, just search them and study off that save you a lot of time (of course need to verify the validity of the content as well, some may include mistake or outdated resource).
3. Don't get overwhelm and get too much into the details like how RXPREP ask in their questions, learn the big picture such as class of medication /class SE/class CI...etc The specific formulation or detail dosing of each drug is way too detail for me to memorize. But once you done some of the questions from RXPREP question banks, you will be exposed to certain detail and you will kind of remember it in your head (like I mentioned in #1, quiz questions expose you to certain detail, but don't drill into them too much if you don't remember them).
4. Write your own notes out also helps better than just typing. Typing is way too effortless and you just typing without thinking or integrating the information. Write out, draw pictures, tables, highlight the book, etc
5. Do a lot of math and biostat practice, and memorize the basic unit/sig /conversions well. You need to able to do this fast and accurate! I mean FAST, without hesitation. For my naplex, I got stuck in a lot of biostat questions and they are asking some simple questions but you need to able to do it fast (interpreting what exactly they are asking, how to find out data from the paragraph/table. I got a lot of tables with data presented in a confusing way, just by interpreting the table itself take me a while and slows me down a lot). I know how a lot of students / pharmacist say the NAPLEX is so easy, all you need to prepare for that is doing math/biostat. It is kind of true for the math part because it is the only one that you can study for and have a better confidence of getting them correct. If you can do those questions fast and accurate, the rest of clinical questions is kind of like either you know it or not, 50/50. With your school experience/work experience, and time studying from RXPREP/questions, you kind of know some of the clinical part. And you will NEVER be confident to feel prepared for it anyway. So at least fully prepare for math/biostat. And also to know that some people may get a lot of math/biostat questions, some don't. But just fully prepare for this part for your own advantage.
6. PACE yourself during the exam. Allow only certain amount of time per question, skip if take longer than that! Check time at least at half point of your test time on each period (before break, and after break) to make sure you are on track for timing. For me, I divided the total questions by half, and give myself a deadline to finish half of them before the breaktime. I only allow 1.5 min MAX per question, move on quick if I can answer some easy question fast (some only take a few second !!!!) Don't underestimate timing and performance during exam. It can break you even if you have been prepared for a long time! Like OP said, the exam is strange. There are random questions, there are difficult questions and easy ones. Don't get stuck in a hard questions and trying to answer it perfectly, while missing out easier questions coming up!!!!! There will be hard and easy questions, move on if stuck in hard questions!!!!!!!!!! It is an adaptive test, so if you miss a harder question, easier ones will be coming, if not right away, they will show up near the end.
7. Read question first, read answer, then read the paragraph (if there is one) to look for the answer. Lots of questions that I have don't really need the passage.
8. If it is possible, try to use 2 or more type of resource, RXPREP maybe too detail for someone, try also use something easier like PASSNAPLEX, or others.
Lastly, I really don't agree with many students/pharmacists that say this exam is EASY or piece of cake. You could say it may be an exam that's easy to pass due to it has a low passing score threshold. But to say the CONTENT of the exam is EASY? I won't agree. I personally experienced a lot of stress preparing for, and taking the NAPLEX. I was 90-100% sure I failed it when I finished the exam. But I passed at the high 90s, to my surprise. The content in my NAPLEX is not easy, and I feel like I have to guess so many of them.
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Rx prep book, lectures and test Bank are the key to succeed in this exam. My strategy: I took a blank A4 paper and folded it to 4 vertical parts and wrote down the major things of each topic..and reviewed them regularly.
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Hi can you send me inbox prices and pics of you have of the books you are selling
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