Which course is better: Kaplan or Hurst?

Leading prep courses with higher score guarantee are our favorite partners.

There are affiliate links in this post.For more information, please read our disclosure.

We get a lot of questions from soon-to-be nurses.We wanted to address these questions head-on with the Hurst vs Kaplan review, where we take on some important features, face-to-face, and determine a winner.

If you are a nursing student preparing for your new career in the field, here is a quick peek at the highlights of these NCLEX prep courses.

If you want to pass the NCLEX-RN the first time, you need to take a high-quality test prep course.

There is a brief overview of each company and the NCLEX RN prep courses that they offer.

Kaplan is the leader in standardized test prep.High-quality test prep services have been offered by the company for decades.

Kaplan courses are completed by two million students each year.The majority go on to perform better than their peers who don't take any prep courses at all.

The cost of Kaplan's most basic NCLEX package, the Self-Paced prep course, is a hefty investment for those of us just finishing up nursing school, but not unexpected in the often-expensive world of NCLEX prep.There is a slightly higher price for Kaplan's Live Online NCLEX prep course.Kaplan course content can be accessed for 6 months.

The self-paced course includes Kaplan's Qbank, 10 NCLEX content review sessions, a 500-page ebook, and access to the Kaplan "NCLEX Channel" covering hundreds of topics.

You get 3 full-length computer adaptive tests, which means that the questions are tailored to your weaknesses, as you move through the course.

Kaplan's Live Online course has all the features of a self-paced course plus online instruction.

Kaplan guarantees that nursing students who take its prep courses will pass the first time or the company will fully refunds the cost of the course.

Students who have reviewed Kaplan's test prep services on TrustPilot have awarded the company with an average rating of 4.5 stars.

Hurst Review was founded in 1988 by an accomplished nurse.Over 400,000 nursing students across the US have been helped by the company since then.

There are more options for students than Kaplan, including a 30-day Qbank course, a 90-day Now course and a 120-day Hurst Now Plus course.

Explanations for answers and testing strategies are included in the basic 30-day course.

A resource library, readiness exams, and expert nurse support are included in the 90-day course.Bonus access to its prep services is included in the 120-day course.The most expensive option is the Hurst N-Stream course, which offers live streaming for 3 days.

Here, Kaplan and Hurst Review face off in a side-by-side comparison, broken up by categories: price, practice questions and tests, class material and instruction, learning experience and platform, instructors, and score guarantees and refunds.

The cost is one of the most important factors in the selection of a NCLEX RN prep course.

The reference chart compares each company's most affordable and expensive prep courses.You can see that Kaplan's courses are more expensive than the Hurst Review NCLEX courses.

Hurst has more variety in terms of its pricing tiers, as well as being more affordable overall.The lower cost options for the NCLEX are offered by Hurst Review.

Kaplan's prep courses have more questions than the practice questions provided by Hurst Review.Students who have taken the course tend to give better reviews to Kaplan's practice questions.You already have more familiarity with the type of questions being asked, so this may prove to be more helpful when it comes to taking the NCLEX on test day.

There are 4 unique 125-question exams in the courses.Kaplan offers 3 computer adaptive tests that can help you maximize your study time.Preparing for a similar interface used on test day is a benefit of practicing with CAT-style questions.

In terms of sheer quantity and quality, Kaplan's NCLEX prep is superior in this Kaplan vs Hurst Practice Questions & Tests category.

Kaplan students can get a free copy of an e-book.One of the major perks of Kaplan's NCLEX courses is the focus on the "Decision Tree" a 5-step method of test-taking, a real potential benefit for those who struggle with testing in high-stakes environments.

Each of the company's self-paced formats is left to the student to navigate.There is no live instruction included.

At the higher price points, Kaplan's Live Online course 3-day of 7-day schedules of wall-to-wall study sessions, while Hurst Review offers similar schedules in its live instruction courses.

The good news is that, if class material and quality of instruction is your #1 priority, then you can't make a bad choice when choosing among Hurst.

Kaplan has put a lot of resources into creating an easy-to-navigate, intuitive layout that makes executing your prep strategy seem like second nature.

Perhaps due to a smaller operating budget, Hurst Review's platform is a little more "old-school" than those of competing test prep services.The features on the platform looked like they were from the 1990s according to one reviewer.

Both of these companies have functional platforms, but having a streamlined platform to study with can make the process much simpler.Kaplan may seem like a better investment for its intuitive study platform that allows you to focus on what matters.The exam to pass the NCLEX.

Kaplan hires teachers from the professional ranks of nurses and nursing instructors.A current nursing license, a high level of communication and leadership ability, and at least five years of clinical nursing skills are required.

Few NCLEX review companies guarantee experienced faculty, so this is a huge perk for students.

perks to their instructors include paid training, workshops, and faculty meetings to create a sense of involvement and pride in the workplace

Kaplan wants to hire the best instructors for the NCLEX.Kaplan has a majority of positive reviews of instructors.On Kaplan's site, you can see all of the instructors.

The review doesn't detail much about their hiring or continued learning for their faculty.Although the details of their qualifications are sparse, the site says that it looks out for "dynamic, enthusiastic, and talented instructors" for its NCLEX courses.

We recommend Kaplan for its instructor quality if you are considering a live online NCLEX course.

The Kaplan prep course guarantee is highly regarded.If you fail the NCLEX after taking one of its prep courses, you are eligible for some remedies.

It is possible to pass the NCLEX on the first attempt with a 98% pass rate.The following options are available for customers that fail.

Both of these policies have some fine print that should be paid attention to.Both of the companies will offer the same guarantee when choosing between them.

If you don't pass the NCLEX, you need to take notes on the score guarantee and make sure you can meet all of the requirements.

Below you'll find a number of features of the courses that will aid in your selection process.

Kaplan offers a 7-day free trial, an on-demand test, and daily practice questions via email.

To find out more about the company, its test prep, and its platform, you can take a 7-day free trial.

We recommend that you try before you buy.This will allow you to try out both courses before making a final decision.

Kaplan has over 2000 practice questions against 1500 from Hurst.There are two sets of practice materials for the NCLEX exam.

There are two modes of practice questions: flashcard or quiz.Explaining why a question is right or wrong is provided in 30% alternate format.

You can get in touch with Hurst Review by phone or email.

It is possible to get in touch with the company via social media, which is more convenient than email when you are out and about.

Affirm can set you up to better afford your test prep by spacing out your payments over several months with minimal interest.

There are in-house payment plans for some of the courses that need to be paid for in thirds.The payment for the course can be broken up like this.

These courses are important for passing the NCLEX the first time.You can make the best decision for yourself if you offer payment plan programs.

Kaplan earns the nod for its superior features and more user-friendly interface, despite the fact that both Hurst and Kaplan are respected NCLEX RN prep providers that have helped millions of nurses pass their exams.