I had a traumatic year and wasn’t in the right mindset—constantly battling high anxiety, guilt, feelings of failure, shame, and severe depression. At that point, I had attempted the NCE four times, using APEX, APEX Boot Camp, Prodigy, and Valley. Despite all the studying and memorization, I still couldn’t pass. I felt completely defeated. That’s when I realized it was about more than just regurgitating information—it was about connecting the dots and achieving a deeper understanding. That finally happened after completing this program, thanks to the help of Michael and Annette.

I reached out to Matt—honestly, a bit skeptical at first. I wondered, how was this program any different? And if it was really so successful, why wasn’t it more widely known? But we had a raw, honest conversation. I told him I needed help, I wanted to succeed, and asked how he could support me. Matt didn’t even hesitate. He didn’t question my ability to succeed when I told him my story. I took comfort in knowing that even though my situation wasn’t ideal, it was still possible. They had helped others in similar—or even worse—situations.

I quickly realized this program is driven by passion. They truly care about this profession and about helping you succeed. The reason they’re not widely known is because they work on a smaller, more personal scale—and to me, that meant my process would be personalized and not just another number in a system.

Let me be clear: this program is not a quick fix. You have to put in the work. But what sets it apart is the level of guidance and the clear, structured roadmap provided by people who genuinely care about your success. We started with an initial intake, followed by a detailed conversation with Michael and Annette Storm. They created a personalized study plan designed to be completed in about 2½ months.

Once I got started, though, I quickly realized I had a huge knowledge deficit in physiology—no wonder my basic sciences scores had remained in the 300s. The Storms have a gift for teaching. They just have a way of making things click. Their ability to break down complex topics and teach from a “teach me like I’m a fifth grader” perspective was exactly what I needed. They didn’t use big words or unnecessary jargon—instead, they explained concepts in layman’s terms, simplifying everything to the core. That allowed me to finally understand how things worked, starting from the basics.

I was open and honest about my weaknesses and knew it would take me longer than the initial 2½ months. The study plan was continuously tweaked and adjusted to support my growth. Every conversation with the Storms made me stronger. They helped me identify weak areas and implement techniques for improvement. It took me a whole month just to get through the respiratory section—I wanted to cry. But with every change and every adjustment, I began to see real progress in my scores. My knowledge bank expanded. I started connecting past and new concepts—things finally started to click.

In the final weeks leading up to the boards, I continued to identify gaps and focused on solidifying my test-taking techniques. If there’s one piece of advice I could offer, it would be: trust the process, no matter how long it takes. I didn’t truly master my test-taking technique until the week before the boards—but I stayed consistent, practiced it daily, and made it second nature. That consistency was one of the many reasons I succeeded.

Honestly, it saved my ass.

For context and full transparency, these were my board scores before working with the Storms:
• Domain 1 = 370
• Domain 2 = 430
• Domain 3 = 379
• Domain 4 = 500
After completing the program, I not only passed the boards — I crushed it:
• Domain 1 = 540
• Domain 2 = 470
• Domain 3 = 463
• Domain 4 = 538

This transformation happened because I finally understood how and why things worked. I stopped memorizing and started truly understanding.

During the NCE, a majority of my questions were “select 3”—it threw me into a spiral. Just 15 minutes in, I had to take a break. I wasn’t sure if that meant I was doing really well or really poorly. But I kept going. I approached each question with a fresh mindset and focused only on what I could control. I took the NCE exactly the same way I did my practice ones—same process, same strategy. And I did well because the Storms had trained me to identify exactly what each question was asking. Then, I could break down each statement and determine whether it was true or false, all based on a deep understanding of physiology.

No matter how a question was worded, I either knew the answer or could confidently narrow it down to a 50/50. That confidence came from months of building a knowledge bank—not from memorization, but from understanding the why behind each concept.
I have the Storms to thank for that. It’s one thing to “know” something—it’s another to be able to recall, retrieve, and dissect that information and apply it across different topics. That’s something I was never able to do on my own.

If you’ve made it this far and resonate with any part of my story, please—reach out for their help. My only regret is not finding them sooner.
I hope my story inspires you to keep going. Imposter syndrome is very real—but you are not an imposter (Michael Storm).

Thank you, Matt, for encouraging me to practice deep breathing and incorporate other relaxation techniques—they came in clutch during the boards!
A huge thank you to the Storms—for believing in me, especially in the moments I didn’t believe in myself. When I doubted whether I would ever make it, you kept me steady and on track. The results I achieved are a reflection of your incredible teaching and unwavering guidance.
You have such an amazing talent for breaking things down, and your kindness made this incredibly difficult journey so much more manageable. Who knew physiology could actually be exciting?

I’m beyond grateful for your mentorship. The Storms are more than tutors—they are lifelong teachers and mentors. Knowing them is truly one of the greatest blessings of my life.

To the stranger reading this:
Take it one step at a time. One concept at a time.
You will get there. DO NOT GIVE UP.

Sincerely,
A once stressed, hopeless, anxiety-ridden student with poor test-taking and study habits—
who made it through.

Life does get better. I promise.
XX (2025)

Before meeting the Storms and Matt, I felt lost trying to figure out my next steps. I was approaching my 4th attempt at the NBCRNA.

I used Apex for most of my schooling, and it did help ground some ideas, but I felt something was missing. I took an online course, hoping that it would help me. It was a waste of my money and another failed attempt.

I was on a Facebook page looking for advice and was directed to Matt. After talking to Matt, I realized that trying out this program sounded like a great idea. I met with Michael and Annette initially to go over things and make sure that this was a good fit. I initially felt skeptical because of my prior failed attempts, and this was my final attempt before I had to wait a year.

The storms analyzed my prior scores and used those scores for the test plan on how I was to approach this as a successful attempt. I utilized all the material they provided and used the additional ones that I had access to, like the smart bank from Apex, to test my knowledge. They also set up weekly phone meetings and a few Zoom meetings that I felt really helped me stay on track. The Zoom meeting helped me realize that I was adding words to my questions that were not there. They helped me slow down my reading, and with that slight improvement, my scores were drastically improving.

I met with them a few days before my exam. They helped me shake off my jitters. I texted them both a picture of me passing. Michael and Annette pushed me to achieve my best. I would not be where I am without the guidance and support that they have given me.

-Serg (2025)