No one talks enough about the emotional rollercoaster that is finishing NP school. Mix in becoming a new mom and some good ol’ raging hormones, and it was, let’s just say, a VERY special time. There was excitement for graduation and, in my case, a new baby as well. There was anticipation and a little impostor syndrome as I stepped into new roles in both my career and motherhood. You could say confidence was not at the forefront. Throw in pregnancy brain, and I was having some pretty serious self-affirming conversations in the mirror—often!
Choosing What Came Next
My baby was arriving just a few months after graduation, so I had to decide whether to enjoy new motherhood first and then tackle boards or take boards as quickly as possible and get them over with.
Due to pregnancy brain, my thought process was: if I have the baby first, then my brain should go back to normal afterward and I can study for boards. The joke was on me because, as a first-time mom, I didn’t take into account the sleep deprivation, figuring out new routines, and breastfeeding—all things I can discuss at a later time.
Additionally, knowing myself and my test anxiety, I opted to take boards after my daughter was born. I had also been told that your highest chance of passing boards is within six months of graduating, so I was constantly thinking about that ticking clock.
Once I decided to wait, I developed a study plan. I knew I wanted to do a review course of some sort, use my review book, utilize YouTube or podcasts for audio learning while driving or taking a walk, and do lots and lots of practice questions. Essentially, I set myself up the same way I did for the NCLEX because I knew that approach worked for me.
I had also decided I would take both the ANCC and AANP boards because I still had some anxiety about not passing one or the other. I figured it was a safety net. If I didn’t pass one, then I could pass the other and still be able to get a job when I was ready to start looking.
ANCC vs AANP
Now, do you need both? No!
From my research, if you want to do strictly clinical work, the AANP certification is perfectly fine. If you want to pursue academic, professional, or research opportunities, ANCC is often preferred. That said, I don’t think either one matters much unless the job you are applying for specifically states one or the other.
If you want a great breakdown of how to choose between the exams and how they differ, I highly recommend listening to Sarah Michelle’s NP Reviews Podcast, Real Deal Nurse Practitioner Club, Episode #163: AANP vs ANCC: An Updated Guide to Choosing Your NP Certification Exam.
I listened to this during my last semester and still decided to take both exams, mainly due to the anxious feeling of not passing one or the other.
Now let’s talk about the resources I used to prepare. I’ll put them in order from most valuable to least valuable for me personally, although I truly think any studying I did during that time was beneficial because it reinforced knowledge.
What I Used to Study for Boards
Before I jump into the resources I used, I want to mention that these are simply the tools that worked best for me. There are many great board prep resources available, and everyone’s learning style is different. These are just the ones that helped me feel prepared and confident going into exam day.
1. Sarah Michelle’s Live Study Group
This was the most expensive investment I made to prepare for boards, but it was also the most engaging and addressed test anxiety, which was incredibly valuable to me. They provide a study book which you fill out as the lectures go along that you can then go back and study from. It includes clever mnemonics to help make information stick and then you have live sessions where you do questions and go over the answers and even play knowledge games which is another fun way to learn. Before the sessions you also have quizzes. I would highly recommend this if you want some type of structured and accountable way of studying. They were great and provide individual support if needed to which I also thought was great.
2. Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review Book
This was my second most used item. I started reviewing this book throughout my program so by the time I got close to boards I had pretty much read the entire thing, it is concise, but comprehensive, and I actually used this in my first year as an NP. When you buy it brand new it also offers online access with a test bank which was great for studying. My most used items from this book were the clinical pearls of information to help remember difficult information.
I used this for practice questions throughout school and in preparation for boards. I feel like it was a great review of knowledge but the questions were not similar to the board exams. It is a paid for subscription, but I don’t regret it. I mostly used it to see what categories were my weakest so I could make sure to review that information. It was helpful in the sense that I could use it on my phone anywhere and I could just do questions at any time. I would still recommend the app because I think 50% of test taking is confidence and answering these questions and knowing you are getting them right reinforces your confidence.
This is a paid test that is scheduled at a test site to simulate the real exam. I took this test about 3 months before my scheduled board test. This was helpful to decrease anxiety, get familiar with the location I would test at, and also just mentally prepare to sit for a long exam. The test itself is formatted the exact same way the board test is and after the exam you get feedback on your performance. It provides you with the testing categories and tells you how many questions you got right and wrong in each section letting you see which categories are your weakest.
This helped me because I actually did not pass this exam. So, yes, initially I did freak out, but I also reminded myself this was the exact reason I took this exam. I used these results to adjust my study plan and move all my weakest categories as my priority study material and the things I was strongest in later on the list.
5. Barkley and Associates 2017 Family Nurse Practitioner Review
These were audio discs that were given to me by a mentor/friend in my first semester of NP school. They are a recording of the in person study review so you are listening to the lecturer but also can hear the students and the questions they ask. Now I wouldn’t have sought this out on my own but because it was given to me I made use of them. I kept them in my car and would listen to them on every drive and when I finished one disc I would switch to a new one. Some of the information was outdated because these were from a 2017 review and I was studying in 2023. It served its purpose as being supplemental strengthening to my knowledge base so I would say it helped.
Taking Boards
Going into boards, I decreased my anxiety by signing up to take both the ANCC and AANP exams. It took a little of the pressure off. I told myself that if I didn’t pass one, it was not the end of the world. I would simply take the other one, and this exam would serve as great practice for the next.
Looking back, I don’t know if I ever truly felt “ready.” I knew the material, but there is always that little voice in your head wondering if you’ve done enough. I also quickly learned that pregnancy brain turns into mom brain after you have a baby, and I had to accept that I had no control over that.
I even had to prepare to pump in the car right before going into my test so that I wouldn’t start getting engorged or leaking while sitting there.
On testing day, I remember feeling nervous but also excited. After months of studying, practice questions, review courses, podcasts, and self-doubt, there was finally nothing left to do except take the exam.
One thing I would tell anyone preparing for boards is that confidence matters. Obviously, you need the knowledge base, but you also have to trust the work you’ve already put in. There comes a point where more studying isn’t necessarily the answer—you have to believe in yourself. In nursing school, one of our professors would write a few affirmations on the board so that whenever you looked up during an exam, you would read one of the following statements. “I am smart.” “I have studied and know the material.” “I know the answer.” “I will get an A.” Even in the Sarah Michelle study course, they encouraged us to write affirmations on the blank sheet provided at the beginning of the exam. So I did. If at the bare minimum it gives me a placebo effect confidence boost, I will try it.
That reminds me of one of the biggest tips from Sarah Michelle’s class. Any mnemonics, values, or information you are memorizing right before you walk into the exam should be the first thing you write down on the scratch sheet they provide at the beginning of the test.
They are referred to as brain dump sheets and that was also really helpful.
When I received my passing results, I felt a huge sense of relief. All the anxiety, second-guessing, and preparation had paid off. For the first time, becoming a nurse practitioner felt real. Although I was already scheduled to take the second exam, I no longer felt stressed because I had already passed the first one.
I don’t think one exam was harder than the other. The ANCC does include some different types of questions, but overall, the way I studied and prepared set me up well for both exams. I passed both exams.
Passing boards was one of the biggest milestones of my NP journey, but it was far from the finish line. In many ways, it was just the beginning.
Keep an eye out for my next post, where I discuss job searching, deciding what types of positions I wanted to pursue, starting my first NP job, and navigating impostor syndrome.
Thanks for reading,
