4 answers
Alyssa
Student
Winterville, North Carolina
1
Question
Asked
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What is the best piece of studying advice you've been given?
I am a 17-year-old transferring to a four-year college in the fall. I plan to major in nursing. I have enough prerequisites, so I am able to apply to nursing school in the spring. While I have good study habits, I know that nursing school is hard, and I'm worried that the habits I have might not be enough. Does anyone have any tips?
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4 answers
Cindy Muhonja
Registered Nurse
58
Answers
Ashburn, Virginia
Updated
Cindy’s Answer
Focus on getting through it. Nursing exams are unique because you have to pick the "more right" answer, not just the right one. Practice by doing lots of questions repeatedly. It might take some time to understand why certain answers are chosen. Keep practicing, read the correct answers, and most importantly, understand why the wrong answers are incorrect.
Brandyn Knight
Operations Supervisor, Owner - Life & Career Coach
18
Answers
Orillia, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Brandyn’s Answer
One of the best pieces of studying advice I’ve ever received is this: “Don’t just study to memorize—study to understand and apply.” That mindset shift is especially important in nursing school, where you’ll need to think critically under pressure and apply knowledge to real-life situations.
Since you're heading into a challenging and rewarding field like nursing, here are some study tips that can help elevate your already good habits:
Top Study Tips for Nursing Students:
1. Study in Layers
Start with the basics (definitions, key concepts), then move into deeper understanding (how things work), and finally, focus on application (how you’d use this knowledge in a clinical setting).
2. Use Active Recall & Spaced Repetition
Tools like Anki or Quizlet flashcards work well for memorizing diseases, medications, lab values, and processes. Review frequently over time to retain more.
3. Study Like You’ll Teach It
Try explaining a topic out loud as if you’re teaching it to someone else. This helps lock in your understanding and identify gaps.
4. Form or Join a Small Study Group
Discussing content with peers helps reinforce concepts and gives you different ways to understand difficult material. Make sure it stays focused!
5. Make Use of Visual Aids
Nursing requires you to know a lot of anatomy and physiology. Diagrams, concept maps, and videos can make complex information easier to grasp.
6. Practice NCLEX-Style Questions Early
Start doing practice questions as soon as possible. It builds test-taking skills and trains your brain to apply knowledge rather than just recall it.
7. Take Care of Your Body and Mind
Nursing school is intense, so protect your energy. Prioritize sleep, movement, and stress management—you’ll think more clearly and retain more when you feel good.
Download a free NCLEX question app (like UWorld or SimpleNursing) to start practicing early.
Talk to upperclassmen in your nursing program to learn what helped them most.
Try using the Pomodoro technique (25 min study / 5 min break) for focused sessions.
Ask professors for clarification right away if you’re stuck on something—don't wait until exam time.
Consider getting a planner or app (like Notion or Google Calendar) to map out study times, exams, and assignments.
Since you're heading into a challenging and rewarding field like nursing, here are some study tips that can help elevate your already good habits:
Top Study Tips for Nursing Students:
1. Study in Layers
Start with the basics (definitions, key concepts), then move into deeper understanding (how things work), and finally, focus on application (how you’d use this knowledge in a clinical setting).
2. Use Active Recall & Spaced Repetition
Tools like Anki or Quizlet flashcards work well for memorizing diseases, medications, lab values, and processes. Review frequently over time to retain more.
3. Study Like You’ll Teach It
Try explaining a topic out loud as if you’re teaching it to someone else. This helps lock in your understanding and identify gaps.
4. Form or Join a Small Study Group
Discussing content with peers helps reinforce concepts and gives you different ways to understand difficult material. Make sure it stays focused!
5. Make Use of Visual Aids
Nursing requires you to know a lot of anatomy and physiology. Diagrams, concept maps, and videos can make complex information easier to grasp.
6. Practice NCLEX-Style Questions Early
Start doing practice questions as soon as possible. It builds test-taking skills and trains your brain to apply knowledge rather than just recall it.
7. Take Care of Your Body and Mind
Nursing school is intense, so protect your energy. Prioritize sleep, movement, and stress management—you’ll think more clearly and retain more when you feel good.
Brandyn recommends the following next steps:
Susana Appiah
MIDWIFE
98
Answers
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Updated
Susana’s Answer
Hello Alyssa, thank you for your question.
That’s such a thoughtful question—and congrats on transferring and getting so close to applying to nursing school! 🌟 Here’s the best piece of study advice I’ve ever heard (and many nursing students swear by it:
“Don’t just study to memorize—study to teach it.”
If you can explain it simply, you understand it deeply.
Why it works:
Nursing school isn’t about just getting A’s—it’s about knowing what to do when someone’s life is in your hands. So, you have to understand the “why” behind everything, not just the “what.”
How to apply this in nursing school:
Active Recall
Instead of re-reading your notes, close the book and try to explain the topic out loud or write it from memory.
Use apps like Anki or Quizlet for flashcards and spaced repetition.
Teach it to someone else
Even if it’s your pet or a pillow—pretend you're teaching.
Better yet, form a study group and rotate “teaching” topics to each other.
Practice NCLEX-style questions
Start this early, not just before the exam.
Learn how to answer based on clinical judgment and not just facts.
Use visual tools
Draw diagrams (esp. for pathophysiology, pharmacology)
Use whiteboards, charts, and even TikTok's or YouTube channels like @nursingSOS or @LevelUpRN
Bonus Mindset Tip:
“Studying for nursing school is like training for a marathon, not a sprint.”
Be consistent, take care of your mental health, and don’t burn out by trying to cram everything.
That’s such a thoughtful question—and congrats on transferring and getting so close to applying to nursing school! 🌟 Here’s the best piece of study advice I’ve ever heard (and many nursing students swear by it:
“Don’t just study to memorize—study to teach it.”
If you can explain it simply, you understand it deeply.
Why it works:
Nursing school isn’t about just getting A’s—it’s about knowing what to do when someone’s life is in your hands. So, you have to understand the “why” behind everything, not just the “what.”
How to apply this in nursing school:
Active Recall
Instead of re-reading your notes, close the book and try to explain the topic out loud or write it from memory.
Use apps like Anki or Quizlet for flashcards and spaced repetition.
Teach it to someone else
Even if it’s your pet or a pillow—pretend you're teaching.
Better yet, form a study group and rotate “teaching” topics to each other.
Practice NCLEX-style questions
Start this early, not just before the exam.
Learn how to answer based on clinical judgment and not just facts.
Use visual tools
Draw diagrams (esp. for pathophysiology, pharmacology)
Use whiteboards, charts, and even TikTok's or YouTube channels like @nursingSOS or @LevelUpRN
Bonus Mindset Tip:
“Studying for nursing school is like training for a marathon, not a sprint.”
Be consistent, take care of your mental health, and don’t burn out by trying to cram everything.
Christine R.
Registered Nurse
47
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Christine’s Answer
Nursing school is no doubt tough but not impossible. There were two things that helped me a lot in getting through nursing school. Study groups, I would sort of informally participate in these with my classmates and it was helpful there might have been some content in the lecture that wasn't super clear to me but a classmate totally got it, and vice versa, it allows you to think through things and learn from each other, and breaks up the tedium of studying along.
NCLEX books!! At least when I was in school some of the questions on exams were similar to what you might see in an NCLEX book, that actually helped me a lot. Remember too, that with nursing school and the NCLEX you are answering from what the idea process would look like, mind you the real world might not work that way especially if you are working in acute care, you have to answer from the point of view of what the ideal process looks like. Remember the goal of your nursing program is to have good pass rates on the NCLEX.
NCLEX books!! At least when I was in school some of the questions on exams were similar to what you might see in an NCLEX book, that actually helped me a lot. Remember too, that with nursing school and the NCLEX you are answering from what the idea process would look like, mind you the real world might not work that way especially if you are working in acute care, you have to answer from the point of view of what the ideal process looks like. Remember the goal of your nursing program is to have good pass rates on the NCLEX.