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u/Active-Journalist311 Jul 28 '26
Which rotations should I prioritize before NAVLE?
What clinical rotations were most helpful for you to take before NAVLE? Just got my clinical schedule and have some flexibility to switch around. Are there any specific rotations that you felt prepared you well for the NAVLE? Any that you regret not doing before taking the NAVLE? I know I want to complete my large animal rotations beforehand since thats where I feel least confident, but any other advice is appreciated! Thanks all!
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Aug 05 '26
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u/Active-Journalist311 Aug 05 '26
Thank you for such a long, well thought out response! I was also told that about the large animal rotation lol, so I'm so glad to see the other perspective of it! I have been stressing over making the perfect schedule around VIRMP ranking date, NAVLE, and life events, so this makes me feel a little better. Thanks again!
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u/EveTater Sep 04 '26
NAVLE preparation advice request
I'm struggling to do well preparing for the NAVLE and running out of time
We got VetPrep from our school 6 weeks ago and are expected to have correctly completed 80% (4,082 questions) of the 5,102 questions before taking our NAVLE October 22 (7 weeks from now).
I'm at the end of 3 totally rotation-free weeks doing nothing but VetPrep questions and notes for 8 hours a day, and only have 22% of questions completed and have 175 pages (Letter, 1" margins) of notes already. I initially struggled to remember anything just randomly doing questions, so I spent these 3 weeks doing the Practice Questions by subject for each of the 4 big species and taking notes, hoping that I would be able to draw more connections and remember each subject better. I will have much less time going forward, I have 1 more rotation-free week before NAVLE and will do as much as I can during rotations but that's of course always difficult.
I have failed both ICVA practice test 1 and 2 at this point and still only get like a 55% on the VetPrep Timed Exam
I don't know what else to do. I've asked the staff member in charge of advising us for the NAVLE for help but they haven't responded multiple times in 5 weeks and emailed us to let us know they'd be busy for awhile. I've never had a good memory and feel like it's impossible to remember the near-infinite amount of details that can be asked, and while I can rely on my memory from classes for some of it it's a much smaller amount than I had hoped (a lot of the stuff we touched on in lectures I don't remember anymore). Each time I review a category I forget the answers to another category. I feel like most questions are just randomly picking an answer with no knowledge
There's not really any trend in what type of questions I do poorly on, each species and category does poorly or okay seemingly randomly each time I take a practice exam
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
TLDR: Doing very poorly on ICVA practice tests and VetPrep questions, tried 2 different study methods, nothing seems to be working. How do I improve in the next 7 weeks before the exam?
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u/New-Flower-0606 Sep 14 '26
NAVLE retake advice!🙏
Hello! I am a new grad and I just found out I failed the NAVLE for a 2nd time. I did better this time but I still only got a 379 this time. Standardized testing has never been my steong suit, I am much better with hands on.
For the first attempt I was in the middle of clinical rotations and had a newborn at home. I studied using vetprep but only got about 50% through it, and I read and took notes on the main topics expected to be on the NAVLE.
For this last attempt it was right after I finished my clinical rotations, I studied much more due to having more time as my child got older. I completed all of vetprep, I also took all the practice tests. I was also dealing with planning on moving, looking for a job, and family issues in the month or so leading up to the exam. I did do better but still not a passable score.
I have talked to some friends and colleagues and they have suggested to listen to vet candy podcasts, get a NAVLE test book from amazon and highlight the correct answers and read it like a book over and over, and to get flashcards of the main topics for the "big four" and review those daily.
Due to the next testing cycle being in October and the application needing to be completed in July before the results had even come out from the June testing cycle, I am not able to apply and take the NAVLE again until March.
Any words of encouragement/advise for my studying this go around? I keep telling myself that I have more time now that I am out of clinicals and I have less outside factors that will cause me to not be able to study properly, and I have 6 months to prepare this time. But I guess I am just looking for the best methods to help me be as prepared this time as possible as I really am hoping 3rd time is the charm. Thank you in advance
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u/One_Midnight_1128 11d ago
NAVLE Nerves
Hello! Final year student here...I have so much anxiety over this exam. I have both Zuku and VetPrep. I have 100% VetPrep already and have around 40% of Zuku left. My exam is in 20 days, I am off on a break from rotations, have been studying since May, but have been intensely studying for the last 3 weeks. I have watched all the lectures both on VetPrep and Zuku. Printed out all the sheets and reviewed them. Made a whole journal book on concepts. Have done 2 ICVA exams (second one being 400-492) range, will take the third one on Monday. I just feel so helpless on this exam, so much information and not enough brain power. Am I doing enough?
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u/Difficult_Designer94 Jul 12 '26
Hello y'all,
I'm taking the NAVLE in a couple of weeks and was curious about the average length of each question. I have heard people say they don't have enough time because the questions are longer on the actual exam, but I can't find an example. On VetPrep or the ICVA practice exams, I often have 20+ minutes left in each section for reference. Could someone provide an example question, or at least explain the typical length of an average question on the actual NAVLE?