NCLEX pass rates

manna, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2004

I'd say they were reasonably important - if pass rates plunge low enough, a school could lose its accreditation. But I wouldn't focus my entire school search onto that single factor.. that is one of the many things I would keep in mind when choosing a program.

SarasotaRN2b · Dec 31, 2004

I would agree with Manna, not to set everything on the pass rates, but when you find a nursing program that you are interested in attending, it definitely does help to know. I like that the nursing school I'll be attending does have a high passing rate for the NCLEX and have had for quite a few years. It makes me feel that once you get through nursing school, they really do want you to succeed...it only looks better for them!

Kris

LauraLou · Dec 31, 2004

NCLEX pass rates are important, but also check out the school's graduation rate. For example, a school starts with a class of 50 but ends up with only 12 students graduating and a 100% pass rate, compared to a school that starts with 50 and has 44 students that graduate and a 94% pass rate.

katiebugg · Dec 31, 2004

I'd say they were reasonably important - if pass rates plunge low enough, a school could lose its accreditation. But I wouldn't focus my entire school search onto that single factor.. that is one of the many things I would keep in mind when choosing a program.

Thanks manna,

The school I will be attending has a pass rate in the high 80's...but concerned that in previous years it was high 90's...oh well, I'm in...and hopefully I will eventually pass (fingers crossed, and toes).

Katie

manna, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2004

Your state BON may keep NCLEX pass rate records for school's in your state for a certain number of years, so if you want to research how they did in the past that might be a resource to look into.

My school's pass rate dropped from 99% year before last to 82% last year. Pretty scary stuff. They have a history of 98-99% pass rates, so I'm not too concerned. They've also put in place a lot of measures to try and help us out with the NCLEX - lots more faculty evaluations, team curriculum reviews, and LSRN exams each semester with a senior year-end 3-day board review.

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 31, 2004

My school used to have a pass rate in the upper 90's. Then in dropped into the 80's and now it's making a comeback - I think last year it was 93% with 35 taking the test. I would've been concerned except for I noticed that the graduation rate went up the same time the test rates were dropping. After doing some research I learned they used to "weed out the bad" and out of a class of 50, only the top 25 were allowed to advance on to the 2nd year. They don't do that anymore, as long as you are passing your classes, you get to go on to the 2nd year. I have no idea if the 2 went hand in hand....but I do know that the year after they stopped the "weeding out the bad" the NCLEX test rate dropped. Again, it's coming back up, so I'm not all that worried. It was a combo of a lot of things including some staff and admin. changes in the program.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Dec 31, 2004

as others have said, take it hand in hand with the retention rate.

My school has always had a 98-100% pass rate. this past year, we were 2nd in the state on pass rates. But, the retention rate sucks. I am graduating my ADN program this May, so when i started in August 2003, we had about....80 students or so? by end of first year, we had about 50. then we got in the LPN to RN students in our class, bumped it up to about 60. now at end of 3rd semester, beginning of 4th semester, we have 44. some dropped, some transferred out. so our retention rate really sucks, but the NCLEX pass rate is great

look at both.

love, rose

Jen2 · Dec 31, 2004

NCLEX pass rates are important, but also check out the school's graduation rate. For example, a school starts with a class of 50 but ends up with only 12 students graduating and a 100% pass rate, compared to a school that starts with 50 and has 44 students that graduate and a 94% pass rate.

I totally agree with this one. A school might have a 100% pass rate but they may also only be graduating 12 people. My school (a top 10 University branch campus) has a 98% pass rate and are only graduating about 20 students out of a accepting class of about 75 students per year. A local community college in my area graduates a much larger class each year of at least 50-60 students and has a 90% pass rate. People that fail out of my program has gone to this program and made straight A's. Nobody and I mean nobody in out class has gotten an A in nursing since fundamentals. Many of my class mates are upset about this because they are afraid that they won't get into grad school when competing with students from the community college that are getting A's. Personally, I want to be a nurse and the GPA is not a huge goal of mine for grad school, but for many it is a problem.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Dec 31, 2004

My school (a top 10 University branch campus) has a 98% pass rate and are only graduating about 20 students out of a accepting class of about 75 students per year. A local community college in my area graduates a much larger class each year of at least 50-60 students and has a 90% pass rate. People that fail out of my program has gone to this program and made straight A's. Nobody and I mean nobody in out class has gotten an A in nursing since fundamentals.

wow! sounds *like my school, except that i go to a comm college. we graduate so few compared to how many accepted in. first semester, only 2 ppl got an A, 2nd semester, only 1 got an A, now 3rd sem, i dont know...1 at the most. ppl do leave our school and go to the private school in town, and i hear they make great grades over there after failing over here! makes somein our program angry that ours has to be so hard.

acgemt · Jan 1, 2005

Is there a list anywhere that allows student to look up a schools passing rate? Like...the top ten colleges/universities?

manna, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2005

Some state BONs keep track of school NCLEX pass rates for the past couple of years. Not sure about anything nationwide, though. :)