Kaplan Nursing School Admissions Test (Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What should you do in the final week before your exam according to Kaplan's guidelines?

Double your daily study hours to cover any gaps
Eliminate all practice tests to rest your brain
Begin learning entirely new content topics
Review key strategies, take one full practice test, and avoid heavy cramming (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Review key strategies, take one full practice test, and avoid heavy cramming

The final week should focus on consolidation, light review, and one full simulation, not cramming new material that hasn't been reinforced.

Question 2: When two answer choices both seem correct on a reading comprehension question, the best way to choose between them is to:

Select the answer that is most directly supported by specific evidence in the passage (Correct answer)
Pick the answer that appears first in the answer list
Select the longer, more detailed answer
Choose the one that matches your prior knowledge of the topic

Correct answer: Select the answer that is most directly supported by specific evidence in the passage

The correct answer must be provably supported by the passage text; the 'almost right' distractor often introduces a subtle twist not backed by evidence.

Question 3: When using the Process of Elimination (POE) on reading comprehension questions, what is the most reliable criterion for eliminating an answer choice?

The answer choice is longer than the other options
The answer choice uses complicated vocabulary
The answer choice mentions a topic covered in only one paragraph
The answer choice introduces information not supported by the passage (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The answer choice introduces information not supported by the passage

Correct answers must be supported by the passage; any choice that goes beyond or contradicts the text can be eliminated.

Question 4: A study finds that students who eat breakfast score higher on tests. A school board concludes that serving breakfast will raise scores. What flaw exists in this reasoning?

The conclusion contradicts the evidence
The study used too small a sample
Correlation does not establish causation (Correct answer)
Test scores are not a valid measure of learning

Correct answer: Correlation does not establish causation

The study shows correlation between breakfast and scores, but other variables (e.g., socioeconomic status) may explain both.

Question 5: When facing a long, dense reading passage under strict time limits, which approach is most effective according to Kaplan strategy?

Focus exclusively on the introduction and conclusion paragraphs
Skim for structure and main idea, then read closely only when a question requires it (Correct answer)
Read every word carefully twice before attempting any questions
Answer questions from memory without re-reading the passage

Correct answer: Skim for structure and main idea, then read closely only when a question requires it

Efficient test-takers read for structure first, then return to specific sections as needed — balancing comprehension and speed.

Question 6: An argument is considered valid when:

All its premises are true
The conclusion is widely accepted
If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true (Correct answer)
It contains no counterarguments

Correct answer: If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true

Validity is a structural property: the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises, regardless of whether the premises are actually true.

Question 7: An 'inference' question in reading comprehension asks you to:

Find an exact quote from the passage
Draw a logical conclusion that is implied but not explicitly stated (Correct answer)
Identify which paragraph contains the most facts
State what is directly defined in the passage glossary

Correct answer: Draw a logical conclusion that is implied but not explicitly stated

Inference questions require you to use evidence in the passage to reach a conclusion the author implies but does not directly state.

Question 8: Which method helps continuing education learners best transfer new skills from training to actual job performance?

Completing the CEU course without applying concepts until the next cycle
Reading the course materials a second time after completion
Immediate deliberate practice of learned skills in real work scenarios (Correct answer)
Sharing course notes with colleagues who did not take the training

Correct answer: Immediate deliberate practice of learned skills in real work scenarios

Transfer of learning is maximized when new skills are applied deliberately in realistic work contexts shortly after training, while the learning is still fresh.

Question 9: What is the relationship between theory and practice in Critical Thinking?

Practice is unnecessary if you know theory
Theory provides the foundation; practice applies it to real situations (Correct answer)
Theory is unnecessary
They are completely separate

Correct answer: Theory provides the foundation; practice applies it to real situations

Theory provides the conceptual foundation and principles, while practice involves applying those concepts to real-world situations. Both are essential for competence.

Question 10: Which question best helps evaluate the strength of an analogy used in an argument?

Are the two things being compared similar in the relevant ways? (Correct answer)
Is the analogy emotionally persuasive?
Does the analogy use technical language?
Is the analogy original?

Correct answer: Are the two things being compared similar in the relevant ways?

A strong analogy requires that the two things compared share characteristics relevant to the point being argued.

Question 11: Which Kaplan concept refers to identifying the 2-3 question types that, if improved, would most increase a student's score?

Passive immersion
High-impact areas (Correct answer)
Topic rotation
Random sampling

Correct answer: High-impact areas

Focusing on high-impact areas ensures that limited study time produces the greatest possible score improvement.

Question 12: In medical licensing (USMLE), the Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) exam primarily assesses:

Clinical knowledge and skills required to provide patient care under supervision (Correct answer)
Hospital administration and medical record compliance
Basic science concepts from the first two years of medical school
Research methodology and biostatistics

Correct answer: Clinical knowledge and skills required to provide patient care under supervision

USMLE Step 2 CK tests whether medical students can apply clinical knowledge to diagnose conditions and manage patient care in supervised settings.

Question 13: A Kaplan student finishes a practice section with 10 minutes to spare every time. What does this most likely indicate?

The student is ready to take the real exam immediately
The student may be rushing and sacrificing accuracy for speed (Correct answer)
The student should use the extra time to review a different section
The student is well-prepared and should move on

Correct answer: The student may be rushing and sacrificing accuracy for speed

Consistently finishing too early suggests the student may be moving too fast through questions and not carefully checking reasoning.

Question 14: A Kaplan LSAT passage presents two viewpoints on environmental policy. To evaluate both fairly, a critical reader should:

Focus only on the conclusion each side reaches
Dismiss the viewpoint with fewer supporting details
Identify the strongest version of each argument before comparing them (Correct answer)
Adopt the viewpoint presented first as most credible

Correct answer: Identify the strongest version of each argument before comparing them

Steelmanning—identifying the strongest form of each argument—ensures a fair and rigorous comparative evaluation.

Question 15: When should you change an answer on a test?

Only when you have a clear reason the new answer is better (Correct answer)
Change every answer you doubt
Always change your first answer
Never change answers

Correct answer: Only when you have a clear reason the new answer is better

Research shows changing answers is beneficial only when you have a specific reason, such as recalling new information or catching a misread question.

Question 16: What does it mean when a reading comprehension answer choice is described as 'too extreme'?

The answer choice uses an emotional or dramatic tone
The answer choice makes an absolute claim (always, never, all, none) that the passage does not fully support (Correct answer)
The answer choice is longer than three lines
The answer choice contradicts the passage's conclusion

Correct answer: The answer choice makes an absolute claim (always, never, all, none) that the passage does not fully support

Extreme language (always, never, all, completely) sets a very high bar that most passages cannot fully support, making such choices commonly wrong.

Question 17: What is the primary purpose of identifying unstated assumptions in an argument?

To make the argument longer and more detailed
To determine the author's emotional tone
To expose hidden premises that the argument depends on and may be false (Correct answer)
To restate the conclusion in different words

Correct answer: To expose hidden premises that the argument depends on and may be false

Unstated assumptions are the hidden premises on which an argument rests; if they are false, the argument may fail even if stated premises are true.

Question 18: A student's Kaplan verbal practice scores are much lower than their quant scores. If exam time is fixed, what is the BEST strategy?

Prioritize verbal to close the gap, as balanced section scores maximize total score potential (Correct answer)
Study quant exclusively since it is already stronger
Alternate days evenly between quant and verbal
Focus only on the section that the target schools weight more heavily

Correct answer: Prioritize verbal to close the gap, as balanced section scores maximize total score potential

Raising a weak section score typically has more total-score impact than marginal gains in an already strong section.

Question 19: A company argues: 'Our product has been used for 50 years, so it must be the best option.' This is an example of:

Appeal to tradition (Correct answer)
Appeal to novelty
Appeal to authority
Bandwagon fallacy

Correct answer: Appeal to tradition

Appeal to tradition assumes something is good or correct simply because it has been done for a long time.

Question 20: In Kaplan's approach to SAT Evidence-Based Reading, 'Command of Evidence' questions ask you to do what?

Select the quote that best supports your previous answer (Correct answer)
Identify the author's rhetorical device
Calculate a statistic from a graph
Rewrite a sentence in the passage

Correct answer: Select the quote that best supports your previous answer

Command of Evidence questions pair with the preceding question and ask you to cite the specific lines that justify your answer.

Question 21: A student notices she consistently misreads question stems under time pressure. According to Kaplan's test-taking framework, the best corrective habit is:

Slow down only on the hardest-looking questions
Practice exclusively with untimed questions to build accuracy
Re-read the passage before attempting the question
Underline or circle key words in the question stem before reading answer choices (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Underline or circle key words in the question stem before reading answer choices

Physically marking key words in the stem keeps attention focused and reduces misreading errors even when working quickly.

Question 22: In reading comprehension, evaluating an answer for 'scope' means checking whether:

The answer contains the highest number of passage keywords
The answer is neither too broad nor too narrow relative to what the question asks (Correct answer)
The answer is written in formal academic language
The answer matches the length of the question stem

Correct answer: The answer is neither too broad nor too narrow relative to what the question asks

Scope errors occur when an answer over-generalizes beyond the passage's claims or under-represents the full point being made.

Question 23: Which scenario best illustrates the principle of 'desirable difficulty' in practice?

Repeating the same practice test until you score 100%
Reviewing a chapter you already know well to boost confidence
Only attempting question types labeled 'easy' to build momentum
Working through problems that are slightly beyond your comfort zone to push growth (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Working through problems that are slightly beyond your comfort zone to push growth

Desirable difficulty means practicing at a level that requires real effort, because struggling to retrieve or apply knowledge strengthens retention and skill.

Question 24: Which Kaplan strategy recommends eliminating answer choices that are 'too extreme' or use absolute language like 'always' or 'never'?

Answer Elimination
Strategic Guessing
Kaplan Method for Reading
Process of Elimination (POE) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Process of Elimination (POE)

Process of Elimination (POE) is a core Kaplan strategy that targets extreme or absolute language as a red flag for wrong answers.

Question 25: What is the most effective study technique according to research?

Highlighting text
Listening to music while studying
Re-reading notes multiple times
Active recall with spaced repetition (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Active recall with spaced repetition

Active recall (testing yourself) combined with spaced repetition (reviewing at intervals) is the most effective study method per cognitive science research.

Question 26: A Kaplan student finds that her energy and focus peak in the morning. According to chronobiology-based scheduling advice Kaplan includes, when should she schedule her most cognitively demanding study tasks?

Midmorning, aligned with her peak energy window (Correct answer)
Late at night when the house is quiet
Immediately after meals when she is most relaxed
Randomly throughout the day to avoid routine fatigue

Correct answer: Midmorning, aligned with her peak energy window

Scheduling high-difficulty tasks during peak cognitive hours maximizes learning efficiency and retention.

Question 27: On a standardized exam, what is the primary purpose of reading the question stem before the answer choices?

To determine how many points the question is worth
To save time by skipping irrelevant choices
To allow you to predict the correct answer and avoid distractor bias (Correct answer)
To calculate the difficulty level of the question

Correct answer: To allow you to predict the correct answer and avoid distractor bias

Predicting the answer before reading choices helps you avoid being misled by attractive but incorrect distractors.

Question 28: Which Kaplan test-taking principle states that you should invest more time on questions you are more likely to get right?

Strategic Time Allocation
Time Management Principle
Question Prioritization
Triage (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Triage

Kaplan's Triage principle directs you to categorize questions as 'easy,' 'medium,' or 'hard' and tackle easier ones first to maximize points.

Question 29: When analyzing a paired (dual) passage set, what is the most important strategic step before answering questions about the relationship between the two passages?

Answer all single-passage questions first, then re-read both from the beginning
Read each passage separately and identify each author's main claim and tone before comparing (Correct answer)
Read both passages simultaneously, line by line
Focus only on the passage that is shorter and easier to understand

Correct answer: Read each passage separately and identify each author's main claim and tone before comparing

Understanding each author's position and tone individually makes it much easier to accurately characterize how the passages agree, disagree, or complement each other.

Question 30: Why is continuing education important in Content Review?

It is not important after certification
Only for re-certification requirements
To stay current with evolving standards and practices (Correct answer)
To network only

Correct answer: To stay current with evolving standards and practices

Continuing education keeps professionals updated with the latest developments, standards, and best practices in their field.

Question 31: Which Kaplan strategy involves categorizing questions you get wrong by the type of error (content gap vs. strategy error)?

Wrong answer analysis (Correct answer)
Passive reading
Active recall
Time boxing

Correct answer: Wrong answer analysis

Wrong answer analysis helps you determine whether a mistake stems from not knowing the content or from applying a flawed test-taking strategy.

Kaplan Nursing School Admissions Test (Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam)

The Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam is an admissions assessment used by nursing programs to evaluate applicants' readiness for nursing school, testing skills in reading comprehension, writing, mathematics, and science.

Questions

35 min

Time Limit

65%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

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