10 Tips and Tricks to Pass your NEET Exam on your First Attempt

10 Tips and Tricks to Pass your NEET Exam on your First Attempt

Your education and hard work have landed you here: You’re preparing to crack the NEET Exam on your first attempt.* with thorough preparation, you could pass the NEET exam on your first try. Please keep reading for NEET tips that can help you pass the exam the first time you take it.

1. Block off Time to Study

“I tell students that upon graduation, studying for the NEET should become a full-time job,” says Dr Sheetal Sagar, Director of SV5 HealthCare Academy. “I recommend spending 25-40 hours a week studying and staying engaged in NEET-style questions.”

 “Students who are the most successful—meaning, they pass the boards the first time—are those who take the time to prepare specifically for the board. Block off time to study in an environment that’s optimal for you. Tell others that you are studying to avoid interruptions and distractions.”

Learn more about how to create the perfect study environment.

2. Use NEET Exam Study Aids

There are several study guides and classes that can help you prepare for the exam.

“I suggest students take a review class and follow an NEET study calendar,” says Dr Sheetal Sagar.

Dr Sheetal recommends using Lippincott Pass Point to take a simulated NEET exam, which will give you an idea of how you would do on the boards. “Review the content you score low in to understand why you got the question wrong,”

3. Remember Needs Prioritization

When taking the exam, remember that it needs prioritization from nursing school. You always want to assess the patient and perform the most appropriate nursing intervention first. Life-threatening physical needs take priority. Keeping this in mind will help you eliminate options on the test.

4. Remember Your ABCs

Similarly, remembering the ABCs of needs prioritization—airway, breathing, circulation—will help you identify the biggest priorities first. Choose your options in that A-B-C order.

5. The Answer Is Never “Do Nothing”

Beware of multiple-choice answers that suggest you should leave the patient, do nothing, or delay treatment. You can always do something.

6. How to Handle “Select All That Apply” Questions

Carefully look at each choice and eliminate wrong answers. “I tell students to look at each option of ‘select all that apply’ questions as true/false,” says Dr Sheetal Sagar. “Is the option true to the question being asked, or is it false? Eliminate incorrect options this way.”

7. The Night before the Test

Some good advice for the night before the test:

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Eat a good dinner
• Get rest
• Make sure your car has gas
• Gather the documents needed for testing
• Know how to get to the testing center (and an alternate route)
• Don’t take any new medicine

Should you study the day before the exam? Both experts agree that you should give yourself a break for at least several hours leading up to the exam.

“The day before your exam is a day of rest,” Caldwell says. “I recommend no questions or studying. If you have done the work in the weeks before this day, you need and deserve the break. Go to the movies, take a walk, go to the gym, or read a book or magazine. Enjoy the day.”

Dutler takes a slightly different tack. “I tell my students no more studying starting around 3:00 pm the day before their exam,” she says. “Then it’s time to step away and decompress.”

8. The Day of the Test

Dress in layers so you can take off and put on clothes as necessary. Make sure to give yourself some quiet time beforehand.

“Keep your routine as normal as possible,” Dr Sheetal Sagar says. “If you don't normally eat breakfast, don't do it that day, and vice versa. Stick to your routine as much as possible.”

“Get up with plenty of time to spare,” Caldwell says. “Leave early so you don’t stress about traffic, and bring snacks if you decide to take a break.”

9. Trust Your Nurse’s Intuition

Use your nursing knowledge and logic to make an educated decision.

“Trust your gut instinct,” Caldwell says. “Don’t second-guess yourself and don’t change your answers.”

Dr Sheetal agrees. “I tell students they should only consider changing an answer if they missed something in the question that brings new information to their answer.”

10. Believe in Yourself

Finally: think positively and talk to yourself in positive terms.

“You’ve got this!” Dr Sheetal says. “Walk into the testing center confident. You’ve done the work, and while this may be stressful, you are going to rock this exam!”

“You've come too far to doubt yourself,” Dr Sheetal says. “Just do it and be proud!”

Best of Luck to You on the NEET

If you need help overcoming test anxiety, read our post, “How to Reduce Test Anxiety for College Students.”

When it comes time to further your nursing education, remember the online nursing programs at SV5 HealthCare Academy. We offer an online RN-to-BSN degree, Diploma as well as several graduate nursing degrees and certificate programs. Request more information today.