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Simple Nursing vs Archer Review
Detailed comparison of the NCLEX study materials from Archer Review and Simple Nursing
Choosing the right NCLEX prep course is crucial for success, and two popular options are Archer Review and Simple Nursing. Both platforms offer unique tools and study materials, but they differ in approach and depth of content. In this comparison, we’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of Archer Review and Simple Nursing to help you determine which course best fits your NCLEX preparation needs.
To kick things off, let’s discuss the areas in which Simple Nursing is better than Archer Review (in our team’s opinion) when it comes to NCLEX prep.
Personalized Study Plan
Simple Nursing’s study plan tool is noteworthy for delivering a more customized and adaptable approach to NCLEX prep when compared to Archer Review.
With the Simple Nursing Elite course, you have the option to take a readiness assessment, which creates a personalized plan based on your individual strengths and weaknesses, or you can manually choose the topics you’d like to focus on. This personalized guidance helps alleviate stress by offering a clear, targeted study path.
Example NCLEX study plan from Simple Nursing
On the other hand, Archer Review provides standard 3-, 6-, and 12-week study plans, but lacks the option for customization.
Amount Of Practice Material
When it comes to practice questions and mock exams, Simple Nursing surpasses Archer Review by providing a much larger question bank. Simple Nursing offers over 4,000 practice questions, including 1,400 Next Gen NCLEX questions, which is significantly more than the 2,900 practice questions that Archer Review offers.
Create custom NCLEX quizzes with Simple Nursing
This larger volume allows students to cover more material and encounter a wider range of questions, which is essential for the NCLEX’s adaptive format. Additionally, Simple Nursing offers unlimited simulated exams, giving students the opportunity to practice in test-like conditions.
While Archer Review’s questions are high quality, its smaller question bank and fewer mock exams don’t provide the same breadth of practice as Simple Nursing’s expansive resources.
Practice Question Explanations
Simple Nursing’s practice question explanations excel by offering detailed breakdowns of each answer choice, explaining why each option is either correct or incorrect (similar to Nursing.com).
This thorough analysis helps students avoid common pitfalls and understand the reasoning behind their mistakes. Another standout feature is that Simple Nursing emphasizes overarching learning outcomes, allowing students to connect individual questions to broader nursing concepts.
Detailed explanations from Simple Nursing
Additionally, the inclusion of video-based rationales for select questions provides a dynamic, engaging way to grasp complex topics, which is especially useful for visual learners.
While Archer Review’s explanations are solid, they lack the depth, learning outcomes, and video elements that make Simple Nursing’s rationales more comprehensive and effective for building critical thinking skills.
Engaging Video Lectures
Simple Nursing’s video lessons stand out for their variety and engaging delivery, offering two distinct types of content. The remediation videos, over 1,200 in total, use on-screen instructors, alongside images, graphics, and animations, to create an interactive and visually rich learning experience.
Video lesson from Nurse Mike
For those enrolled in the Premium or Elite courses, the NCLEX review series with Nurse Mike offers a personal touch, with 26 lessons that feel like one-on-one tutoring sessions. Nurse Mike has a knack for simplifying difficult concepts and sharing practical tips, making the material easier to grasp.
While Archer Review’s video lessons are strong in terms of content, they tend to be more dry and lack the interactive and engaging elements that make Simple Nursing’s videos more effective.
Digital Study Guides
Simple Nursing’s digital study guides are far more comprehensive and visually appealing than those from Archer Review. With over 900 one-page guides, they offer a vast range of topics, compared to Archer Review’s 250 handouts.
Digital study guide from Simple Nursing
These study guides are colorful and packed with graphics, charts, and memory tricks, making the material more engaging and easier to retain, especially for visual learners. Many of the guides even include a notes section, allowing students to personalize their study experience by jotting down key points.
While Archer Review’s handouts are strong content-wise, they lack the interactive and visual elements that make Simple Nursing’s study guides more engaging and effective for on-the-go learning.
Now that we’ve discussed the strengths of the Simple Nursing NCLEX program, let’s switch gears and discuss the major reasons you should consider using Archer to help you prepare for the NCLEX.
Dozens Of Study Packages
Archer Review offers a wide range of NCLEX study packages and options to accommodate different learning styles, more so than Simple Nursing.
A look inside the Archer Review NCLEX course
These options include self-paced courses, live online sessions, bootcamps, and question banks. This flexibility allows you to select exactly what fits your needs. By doing so, you can avoid spending extra on study materials that aren’t relevant or necessary for your preparation.
In contrast, Simple Nursing offers three different options to choose from, all of which are fairly similar in terms of features and study materials.
Slightly More Affordable Than Simple Nursing
On average, the NCLEX prep packages from Archer Review tend to be slightly more affordable than those from Simple Nursing. Archer Review offers a variety of cost-effective options, allowing students to access quality materials without breaking the bank.
While Simple Nursing provides extensive resources, the pricing for their packages is generally higher compared to Archer Review’s more budget-friendly offerings.
For example, the 90-day Rapid Review course from Archer Review costs around $79, whereas the three-month Premium plan from Simple Nursing costs around $109. However, keep in mind, that Simple Nursing regularly offers deals and discounts on their prep packages (similar to NCLEX Bootcamp).
3-Day Live Review Sessions
One notable highlight is the three-day live review classes, which offer intensive, instructor-led sessions focused on key content and test-taking techniques. These classes are especially helpful for students looking for a quick, focused review or those who thrive under a more structured, rigorous study plan.
Additionally, the live format enables direct engagement with knowledgeable instructors, giving students the chance to ask questions and get instant feedback during the sessions.
To be fair, Simple Nursing offers live review cram sessions as well that are very insightful, however, they are only available to students who sign-up for the company’s Elite course.
While Archer Review impresses with its variety of study packages and intensive three-day live review sessions, Simple Nursing stands out as the more comprehensive NCLEX prep solution.
Simple Nursing’s vast question bank, engaging video lessons, and detailed study guides offer a deeper and more versatile learning experience. Additionally, their personalized study plans and video-based rationales further enhance students’ ability to grasp complex concepts and strengthen critical thinking skills.
Although Archer Review is slightly more affordable, Simple Nursing’s extensive resources provide a better overall value for students looking for thorough preparation. For those seeking a more robust and engaging NCLEX prep course, Simple Nursing remains the superior choice.
Which NCLEX prep course is better - Simple Nursing or Archer Review?
In our opinion, Simple Nursing offers the better NCLEX prep course due to its comprehensive resources, including a vast question bank, engaging video lessons, and detailed study guides. While Archer Review offers a variety of study options, Simple Nursing provides a more robust and effective learning experience overall.
Is the Archer Review NCLEX QBank better than Simple Nursing's?
While Archer Review’s NCLEX QBank offers solid content and a variety of question formats, Simple Nursing’s QBank is more extensive and provides detailed rationales for each answer choice. This added depth in Simple Nursing’s QBank enhances the learning experience and helps students better understand key concepts.
